Question about obsessions

[ceecee]

Hi everyone

I wonder if anyone could help me here.I would consider i have mild aspergers.Something my husband definately agrees with.Whilst I have slight problems with communication, social difficulties, and problems with emotions.I do not have any obsessions.I read somewhere that if you do not have obsessions you cannot have aspergers.Does anyone know if this is the case?I just thought I didn't have them because my aspergers was so slight.Anyone with any thoughts on this one?Thanks

Edited December 3, 2005 by ceecee

[call me jaded]

The delay on diagnosis for my son was mostly because he didn't have any obsessions. Lorna Wing (for one) says they must be there, but apparently not.

 

There's an online quiz called the Autistic Quotient from the people at Cambridge Uni. Have you tried it?

[streamdreams]

As I read it acourding to DSV-IV 299.80 Asperger's Disorder you do NOT need to have osessions to have AS

 

J

[ceecee]

Jaded

Do you have the link to the quiz.I'm a bit lost at knowing where to find it.Thanks.I'm sure I have aspergers but I dont have any problems with eye contact and no short term memory problems.I also interract fine but I dont have the same need to interract as someone else.I also have a fantastic long term memory in common with a lot of as people.I think maybe it would come up I have as tendancies.Not sure though.

[call me jaded]

It's here:

 

http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/tests/aq_test.asp

[LizK]

Ceecee,

 

The autistic quotient test was designed originally by researchers at Manchester Uni to look at the prevalence of autistic traits in the neurotypical population (I think!) so may not be so relevant to someone with AS. Have you read Tony Attwood's book as he talks about several different diagnostic criteria for AS, Gilbergs I think being the loosest.

 

I think there is debate amongst the professionals about the diagnostic criteria for AS. I've seen one set (?DSM) that says children with AS don't have speech delay whereas other ones do include speech problems.

 

The more I've read the more I've come across an increasing awareness of a grey area of people who are neither on the autistic spectrum but not neurotypical either. Maybe it's the overmedicalisation of society where anyone who doesn't fit into the box has to have something 'wrong' or a syndrome or label of some sort when maybe we should be celebrating these traits as a variant of 'normal'. My H has definite AS traits, worse more so as a child than an adult. He wouldn't technically fit the criteria for AS certainly not now but he is aware that he is hardwired together differently. It's never really impaired him or limited his life ( though maybe has made his life take a different direction) so he's never taken it any further

 

Liz x

[ceecee]

Hi Liz

I never had a speech delay and in fact spoke very early.However I do have problems with showing emotion and communication both in getting across what I want to say(people often misinterpret what I say) and also in understanding what is being said to me.Socially I never feel the need to have friends as such I am happy on my own but that said i will talk to all and sundry at the school playschool etc but that is as far as it goes.I like my own space.I would never have realised I had aspergers.Like you say i dont feel it has affected my life too much.I am happily married with two lovely children.Yes I stress if my routine changes etc.My daughter had autistic encephalitus after her mmr booster and still I didn't put two and two together.then I began to realise.I agree with you though that i think there are many people who have tendancies if you like but would never fully hit the criteria for a diagnosis.

Edited December 3, 2005 by ceecee

[LizK]

In my H's family several members have different degrees of ASD traits. His mum has a lot of the social difficulties associated with AS and problems recognising and dealing with emotions. He has a cousin who I think has barndoor undiagnosed AS. H himself has a hotchpots of traits which mainly come out when he is tired, stressed or unwell. He describes his brain as being like a computer where he forgets to change the software and runs on the same programme when in fact he ought to ahve moved on to something different.

 

I think the genetics and hereditary of ASD in the family is fascinating especially as it has been expressed differently and to differing degrees in family members. The three above spoke early but my son's main feature has been disordered and delayed speech with some other features like social anxieties, a few obsessions nad routines though the latter are easily broken which isn't very ASD-like! Of all the family members he is the one who seems to be most impaired by how he is though that predominantly seems to be due to his speech delay.

 

Liz x