Autistic 'traits' in siblings and extended family

[baddad]

Hi all -

 

ben was at his 'communication group' today and while drinking a coffee i picked up a copy of the (New Edition? 2007) of Tony Attwood's 'Complete Guide To Asperger's Syndrome'... I found this very succinct explanation for something which comes up regularly on forum:

 

Diagnosis of a relative with autism or Asperger's syndrome:

When a child or adult is diagnosed as having autism or Asperger's syndrome, parents and relatives will soon become aware of the different forms of expression of autism, and review their own family history and the characteristics of their relatives for signs of ASD, in particular Asperger's syndrome. Recent research has indicated that 46% of the first degree relatives of a child with Asperger's syndrome have a similar profile of abilities and behaviour (Volkmarr, Klin and Pauls 1998) although usually to a degree that is sub-clinical, i.e. more a description of personality than a syndrome or disorder.

After a child has a diagnosis of AS confirmed, the clinician may then receive another referral for the diagnostic assessment of a sibling or relative of the child. The diagnosis may be confirmed and clinical experience has indicated that some families have children and adults with AS within and between generations. this has been confirmed in some of the autobiographies of adults with AS (Willey, 1990). However, the subsequent diagnostic assessment may indicate that the level of expression of the characteristic is too 'mild' for a diagnosis, or the person has a number of 'fragments' of AS that are insufficient for a diagnosis. Never the less, the person may benefit from some of the strategies that are designed for the characteristics or fragments that are present in his or her profile of abilities.

 

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On the next page...

 

Sometimes partners in a relationship may acquire information from the media and consider that a diagnosis of AS may explain their husband's (or wifes') unusual hobby and difficulties with empathy and social skills. It is important to remember that many typical women feel that their partner does not understand what they are thinking or feeling, and that many natural characteristics of males could be perceived as signs of AS...

 

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Edited May 27, 2008 by baddad

[jo jones]

hi baddad,,maybe u can help on this one? my hubby's cousin has as,,hubby's mam and cousin's mam are sisters,,, the child psychologist who was seeing my 6 year old told me that as is not familial and is in no way connected to anything? she rubbished everything i said of the as traits that my son displays and would not even agree that he has sensory dysfunction,,,until i gave her a copy of his sensory profile,,also our niece on hubby's side of family has also got sensory issues ,,she said that that is not connected either? i give up,,, she also told me that sensory dysfunction has nothing to do with any form of autism ?i would question what training she had or if she still lives in the dark ages ? i work in autism myself so i am a little aware,,, they call themselves professionals? huh,whatever!!!!!

[smiley]

or the person has a number of 'fragments' of AS that are insufficient for a diagnosis.

 

This was the part i quoted at my counsellor....... I do see those 'fragments' in me. But, I don't feel - without M's dx - that i would have been given a diagnosis. Although my dx is in my notes, it's not formal as such - and it's not something i feel i need to get firm clarification on............i'm just me... . Although i realise some people do feel the need to have a firm diagnosis - and indeed need one to recieve help and support. To me - it's been a way of understanding myself better - to understand some things i simply cannot do without a 'running jump!' - and some things from the past have made more sense to me, when i've had a think about my perception at the time, iyswim............

 

Five years ago i was just me, a little dippy, into sparklies, a bit sensative to noise, gullible (literal), honest, stroppy, flappy................me. Now i'm all those things not because that's me - but because i have a dx............ feels odd sometimes. Some people have changed dramatically once they know of my dx - thankfully, most haven't. i dunno - sometimes i wish it hadn't been mentioned........

 

Will stop now - before i get into rant mode........

 

Ps - love the bit about hubbys and wifes!

[Bard]

My mum thinks of it as men being pale lilac on the spectrum, and B with AS being Deep Purple.

[sesley]

Sometimes partners in a relationship may acquire information from the media and consider that a diagnosis of AS may explain their husband's (or wifes') unusual hobby and difficulties with empathy and social skills. It is important to remember that many typical women feel that their partner does not understand what they are thinking or feeling, and that many natural characteristics of males could be perceived as signs of AS...

 

thats what our physcogist said, acutally, i am a bit like P, i come across as cold and uncaring, i find hugs and kissing hard,i hate up close contact, i like certain things in order, i find social intereaction a little difficult, ( i got a job as a checkout operator!) my job makes me mix with people and learn how tobe sociable and when i am told rules i find it hard to deviate from them,so i can be a bit rigid in thinking and working.i find mulit choice another mind numbing time and find i get flustered and paniky knowing i have to make a quick decision like you do in driving along and you have to get in the right lanes and make the quick moves safely,without hestitation,so some of p's characteristics are in my i'd love to know if i am on or near the spectrum, and i was a wild child when i was younger too.

[baddad]

hi baddad,,maybe u can help on this one?

 

 

Blimey! No use asking me, I'm a right nin! I was just quoting Tony Attwood

 

Dunno if this helps, but as far as the DSM IV goes sensory dysfunction isn't part of the diagnostic process... many autistic people have sensory issues (as do many non-autistic people - but I think it's fairly well established that there's a higher incidence in the autistic population), but it's not a 'key' feature. Here's the DSMIV:

 

DSM IV

 

As far as it not being familial, I'd agree that she's got it wrong (the TA figures don't say what the percentage is for 'diagnosable' (other than 'usually' (not)), but that 46% figure he quotes is probably fairly up to date/accurate for 'traits'... the other factor I can't answer is what equates to a 'first degree' relative (?) But my guess would be parent/brother/sister, 'cos as soon as you get to grandparents/aunts/uncles/cousins etc other influences come into play... that wouldn't necessarily mean there wasn't a connection, but it would be 'once removed' (at least)...

Ouch i've got a headache now!

 

[bid]

These are my thoughts...

 

I think that if you can say about yourself that you're a bit 'this' and a bit 'that', a bit like your child, etc, then you probably don't have AS.

 

If you have spent your life struggling, not understanding people, the world and yourself, which together fulfils the triad of difference, then I think it's definitely worth an assessment to see if you do have a dx of AS.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that if you feel you have 'traits' but don't want/need a dx, you probably don't have AS.

 

Does that make any sense, without upsetting anyone (wasn't trying to, so sorry in case I have )??

 

Bid

[smiley]

Yes, makes sense - and no, no offence taken <'>

[sesley]

i think its a bit late for me now, i am use to myself and my family are use to my little quirks too

[Tally]

I think that if you can say about yourself that you're a bit 'this' and a bit 'that', a bit like your child, etc, then you probably don't have AS.

 

If you have spent your life struggling, not understanding people, the world and yourself, which together fulfils the triad of difference, then I think it's definitely worth an assessment to see if you do have a dx of AS.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that if you feel you have 'traits' but don't want/need a dx, you probably don't have AS.

 

That does make sense. In fact, I think it's part of the diagnostic criteria that the impairments are significant enough to cause difficulty.

 

But I think there probably are people who deliberately do not want a diagnosis, but would qualify for one. My dad probably has Asperger's, yet has absolutely no interest in reading about it or being assessed himself. My mum has found that learning about AS has helped her understand him better and helped her find strategies to communicate with him better. He has found a niche for himself and forged a successful career, but he might have made different choices if things had been different. He might have got involved with a local charity or sports team, or been a full time dad. Even though he has achieved, he might not have been able to do things that would have made him happier and more fulfilled. There are other reasons why a person may not seek diagnosis, such as denial.

[bid]

But I think there probably are people who deliberately do not want a diagnosis, but would qualify for one. My dad probably has Asperger's, yet has absolutely no interest in reading about it or being assessed himself. My mum has found that learning about AS has helped her understand him better and helped her find strategies to communicate with him better. He has found a niche for himself and forged a successful career, but he might have made different choices if things had been different. He might have got involved with a local charity or sports team, or been a full time dad. Even though he has achieved, he might not have been able to do things that would have made him happier and more fulfilled. There are other reasons why a person may not seek diagnosis, such as denial.

 

I do agree with that, too, Tally.

 

Your dad sounds a bit like my dad (not about the dx). My dad was a principal lecturer, and all through the summer vacs he just sat in the sitting room and read, or did his trains!!

 

My dad was so relieved, but also sad, when he read the original Tony A. for the first time when my DS was diagnosed. Then at the end of his life he was identified as having 'mild autism' during mental health assessments.

 

Bid

Edited May 27, 2008 by bid

[Bard]

My mum has found that learning about AS has helped her understand him better and helped her find strategies to communicate with him better. He has found a niche for himself and forged a successful career, but he might have made different choices if things had been different. He might have got involved with a local charity or sports team, or been a full time dad.

 

Both what you say, and bid's explanation

' If you have spent your life struggling, not understanding people, the world and yourself,'

 

still make sense to me when I look at my OH. He found a niche too.

[Flora]

Regarding sensory issues, I was told this by the independent professionals I used during the tribunal:

 

People with AS usual have some level of motorcoordination difficulties and these difficulties are often wrongly classed as dyspraxia, when they are in fact quite often as a result of sensory integration dysfunction. Because the information going to the brain takes longer to process and/or is often mis-read, then the result is that the person will have an over or under stimulation response; this leads to many of the anomalies which different people present with - gross and fine motor problems, toe walking, hand flapping, other kinds of stimming, tuning out, to name just a few. Not all autistic children/adults have coordination problems, and it may well be that they are the one's who don't have sensory problems.

 

However, if a person is diagnosed properly (and correctly) with dyspraxia then none of the above applies!

 

Flora

Edited May 27, 2008 by Flora

[andrea]

over the years i have put my problems down to every thing from anorexia to dyslexia .the more i read about females with AS the more i can understand my self . I dont no if im NT or AS . I dont no what NT is if that makes any sense. anyway i am who i am .

[Frangipani]

What about the AQ test. How accurate is that, if you had any doubts.

 

Also, can you fool that test, because of your education and way you have been brought up.

 

Fran x

[baddad]

There are other reasons why a person may not seek diagnosis, such as denial.

 

yes, makes good sense

 

Going back to traits in siblings/family, I suppose another big factor has to be "projection" which I guess is pretty much the flipside of "Denial"...

Human nature is such that we constantly look for answers and explanations for things, and if one family member is diagnosed it's perfectly natural that we start looking reasons why. As TA points out,

It is important to remember that many typical women feel that their partner does not understand what they are thinking or feeling, and that many natural characteristics of males could be perceived as signs of AS...

so if we're consciously (or even unconsciously) looking for those signs it's pretty much odds on that we're going to find them. That would apply to mums and siblings /extended family too if we're looking for genetic links/precedents rather than just making 'casual' diagnosis with a partner where no other familial link exists.

Leading on from that, there's also the psychological imperative to 'normalise' our own experiences through projection, so if we feel there's something different about ourselves we'll look for indications of it in others. I think psychologists call it 'affirmation'(?) [Yep - I just looked it up! Found this nice, compact definition: A fundamental principle of psychology is: "People are internally compelled to respond to situations in ways that will support or be consistent with their beliefs."]

 

I suppose denial in itself works both ways too... while an autistic person may (for whatever reason) deny their autism, it's equally true that someone seeking answers or connections would deny or reject evidence that didn't meet their expectations - leading them to deny 'NT', if you like! If you think of a situation where a parent has an 'out of control' child, for example, and is desperate to understand the reasons behind that, a diagnosis of ADHD or autism could fit the bill nicely. They wouldn't necessarily be seeking a specific diagnosis, just looking for something that answered their questions and fitting the questions to a pre-existing 'set' of symptoms that happened to equate to a particular diagnosis. In reality, there are millions of 'NT' kids with no symptoms or indications of these conditions whatsoever who fulfil the criteria of 'out of control' or just plain, outright horrid... Dunno about you, but my street (and ben's mainstream school) is full of 'em?

 

Blimey - I might invest in that book! That one paragraph's got my dusty old cogs turning again

 

[Frangipani]

Another question about the AQ test.

 

Is it possible to do the test on behalf of someone to get an idea. Well, I did this on my mother. As I was curious, as I have always had my suspicions.

 

So I feel I know my mum like the back of my hand and carefully and thoughtfully answered the questions without any exaggerations and she came in at 35. It sort of gave me some relief.

 

So how accurate is the AQ test. Could people who have suffered from a trauma present as the same. I asked my counsellor about it. Because my mothers mother died when she was 8 years old, I feel this really affected her. So I am a bit confused about my mum, yet I really feel I need an answer to this.

 

Anyone had a similar uneasy feeling about their parents.

 

My mum comes from a family of 8, they are all the most lovely people, but I feel many of them are on the Spectrum or is it really the trauma of suddenly loosing their mum.

 

Sorry I constantly feel unsettled with this. Its a huge concern of mine and really affects me, emotionally. iykwim

 

Fran x

[Tally]

Trauma can absolutely leave a person with symptoms similar to autism. It would take a very skilled professional to untangle everything. Ultimately, you may never know.

[Frangipani]

What about the AQ test. How accurate is that, if you had any doubts.

 

Also, can you fool that test, because of your education and way you have been brought up.

 

Fran x

 

sorry just wondering about this, it seems to have been skipped over.

 

F x

[andrea]

I scored 43 on the AQ test

[baddad]

sorry just wondering about this, it seems to have been skipped over.

 

 

What about the AQ test. How accurate is that, if you had any doubts.

 

Also, can you fool that test, because of your education and way you have been brought up.

 

Fran x

F x

 

Hi Frangipani... i have no idea how accurate it is, but it's not a 'diagnostic tool', just an indicator, I think...

As for fooling it - you're open to answer the questions however you want, so you could just answer it with what you thought was the 'least' or 'most' autistic answer depending on which way you wanted to lead the results. Even if you think you're being honest with your answers, how you perceive yourself depends on all sorts of factors

(A fundamental principle of psychology is: "People are internally compelled to respond to situations in ways that will support or be consistent with their beliefs.")

, so any self-test like this is dependent on how well your 'self-image' corresponds with the reality...

As for taking the test on someone elses behalf - that couldn't (IMO) work at all, because your view of them is likely to be miles away from how they perceive themselves, even if you know them well. You never know what's going on in someone elses head, you can only think you know.

 

Edited May 28, 2008 by baddad

[bid]

The AQ and EQ are screening tests developed by Simon Baron Cohen and his team at Cambridge as just part of The Adult Asperger Assessment. Also part of the AAA are the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test, a clinical assessment with a parent or another who knew you during childhood, and any other previous mental health reports, etc.

 

The AAA Diagnostic Criteria are as follows: A Social, B Obsessions, C Communication, D Imagination and E - I Prerequisites

 

To get a dx of AS, you must have 3 or more symptoms in each of sections A to C, at least 1 symptom from D, and all 5 prerequisites in sections E - I. So the number of symptoms required is 10, plus 5 prerequisites. I scored 16 symptoms, plus the 5 prerequisites.

 

My AQ score was 47, my EQ 15 and my CAST 17.

 

This is taken from CLASS literature:

 

'The AAA was developed in the CLASS clinic which primarily provides a diagnostic evaluation. During the clinical interview we check for the presence of of symptoms relevant to a dx of AS or HFA, as well as exploring if AQ and EQ items were endorsed in a valid way.

 

Note that the above criteria are the AAA criteria, which are more stringent than the internationally recommended guidelines in DSM-IV.

 

The DSM-IV criteria for AS is that patients need only have 2 or more symptoms from section A and 1 or more symptoms from section B, as well as meeting the prerequisites in sections F - I.

 

Note that because the AAA criteria in this diagnostic assessment are more stringent than DSM-IV, anyone who meets criteria for this assessment will also meet them for DSM-IV.'

 

Hope that helps to explain the clinical use of the AQ and EQ: they aren't meant to be used alone, but as part of a complex diagnostic process.

 

Bid

Edited May 28, 2008 by bid

[smiley]

Trauma can absolutely leave a person with symptoms similar to autism. It would take a very skilled professional to untangle everything. Ultimately, you may never know.

 

Yup - this was the problem with my dx. Without going into detail - that's why i'm left wondering... and why i feel it may not have been mentioned as quickly, as an answer to the difficulties i was having, without M's dx.

 

I don't think there is any denial on my part - just confusion....(lol..........nowt new there! ) Just to me - although i have struggled and have had lots of difficulties as a result of my differences, i never felt the need to name those problems iyswim. I suppose i'm lucky in that family and friends are all quite accepting have loved me for who i am - and up until my breakdown last year, it wasn't a big issue.......

 

My last post sounded negative - sorry - was having one of those days. I'm in no doubt that i am on the spectrum - no doubt at all - but my point was that i felt the prof involved in my dx jumped straight in with autism - (probably quite rightly!) - and at the time i felt confused by that.............. I'm still not making sense am i??

 

BD - stop being brainy - t'is makin' my head hurt too!

[Shnoing]

There's sort of a theory around, that autism is caused by a set of three genes, which are inherited independently. Thus, a lot of people have just one or two of these genes and therefore only some autistic 'traits' - says the theory.

Here's a link.

[MelowMeldrew]

The AQ and EQ are screening tests developed by Simon Baron Cohen and his team at Cambridge as just part of The Adult Asperger Assessment. Also part of the AAA are the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test, a clinical assessment with a parent or another who knew you during childhood, and any other previous mental health reports, etc.

 

The AAA Diagnostic Criteria are as follows: A Social, B Obsessions, C Communication, D Imagination and E - I Prerequisites

 

To get a dx of AS, you must have 3 or more symptoms in each of sections A to C, at least 1 symptom from D, and all 5 prerequisites in sections E - I. So the number of symptoms required is 10, plus 5 prerequisites. I scored 16 symptoms, plus the 5 prerequisites.

 

My AQ score was 47, my EQ 15 and my CAST 17.

 

This is taken from CLASS literature:

 

'The AAA was developed in the CLASS clinic which primarily provides a diagnostic evaluation. During the clinical interview we check for the presence of of symptoms relevant to a dx of AS or HFA, as well as exploring if AQ and EQ items were endorsed in a valid way.

 

Note that the above criteria are the AAA criteria, which are more stringent than the internationally recommended guidelines in DSM-IV.

 

The DSM-IV criteria for AS is that patients need only have 2 or more symptoms from section A and 1 or more symptoms from section B, as well as meeting the prerequisites in sections F - I.

 

Note that because the AAA criteria in this diagnostic assessment are more stringent than DSM-IV, anyone who meets criteria for this assessment will also meet them for DSM-IV.'

 

Hope that helps to explain the clinical use of the AQ and EQ: they aren't meant to be used alone, but as part of a complex diagnostic process.

 

Bid

 

 

Check your HEARING First ? many tests for things like social and emotional difficulties, and autism could NOT differentiate clearly between an autistic and a deaf person... or a person who experienced abuse in early life.... There's NO history whatever in my family regarding anything like autism, this seems to cast doubt on the hereditary belief of it, and I know similar parents also with no history in their families either, this leaves the door open to environmental issues and of course the MMR and other vaccination possibilities.... consultants have no experieince of deaf people, and made the mistake of labelling a deaf person an autistic on the grounds the child in question was a very poor communicator and speaker, and a 'loner' if yoiu were deaf YOU would be as well ! Even glue ear was missed doh !

[Bard]

 

That's interesting, because I put B through a number of hearing tests when he was 6/7 because I was worried that he wasn't able to hear me, or other sounds and noises, and that his ability fluctuated and I didn't know why.

He passed all the tests with flying colours, scoring well above the norm in some of them.

The conclusion was that he had selective hearing, like many men!

I didn't start thinking about AS until he was 8.

[Suze]

Interesting ...............My boy has a friend who is almost blind...he has v.v. limited sight with just light /dark and little detail.He is very similar in his behaviour to my son, ie because his sight is poor so he has poor social skills, as he can,t read facial expressions etc,he has lots of other sensory stuff similar to my boy, with food , sounds etc.....I,ve always thought in my sons case that issues he has are very much sensory related.

[happymonday]

I have 5 kids 4 have adhd but only one has a DX. One has a dx for ASD but 2 have ASD.

 

I have un-dx ahdh and my family is full of mental health problems, I only admit to it as you dont know me IRL... The shame that society inflicts upon us that dont fit the mold.

[deeejar]

Since finding out that my son is autistic, and all the reading and thinking about the symptoms it involved, I certainly recognise alot of myself. I am still affected to quite a large degree, and prefer to chat on forums, actually that is the only place I do chat. My dh is the most understanding person I have ever met, because he understands my need for solitude and just lets me be. I don't choose solitude, it is how I have to be. I become anxious, panic stricken even, when people are around. If I am forced to talk to people, I find it exhausting, and need alot of down time afterwards. I have grown up watching my sister who has the most fantastic social life, and wondering how she does it. I went to university, and thought I would get a chance to practice social skills, and that maybe I could change. I actually believed the reason I couldn't find anyone to socialise with was because I was better than everyone, , now I can see how arragont I was, and still can be.

I soon found that at uni people began to notice wierd things like my inconsistent eye-contact, and that I never acknowledged anyone if I bumped into them 'outside' of uni life, such as out food shopping etc. People begain to comment that I averted my eyes, and just looked through them. They also noticed my strange picky diet, my obsessions, my tendancy to not sleep at all (although I covered this up well, becaues it was quite studenty). and my growing alcohol dependancy. I was also very socially gullible and alot of other students stole from me, but I thought friends 'borrowed' from each other, and shared their belongings, .

Anyway, I have felt all my life that people were picking on me, that no-one understood me, and why the hell does everyone lie to me. I watched soaps, etc, to get some idea of social functioning, but real life was not like that, and I could not work out why. I had, and still do have, scripts of conversations that I plan to have with people, and it is difficult to 'organise' a conversation for me. I also make lengthy and detailed plans of everything I do in my life, the journey to make to the shops, what order to do things, and I hate to be disturbed. I still hate seeing people in different places than I expect them to be, but have now built up a repertoire of 'small talk' conversations, but they can never last for too long. I usually tell people I will call them, that is socially acceptable I find.

I did all the classsic things as a child, I use to stare at floating particles, and swore I could see cells, and at one time had to see a psychiatrist, but refused to see him because he had a voice that hurt my ears. I also had anorexia as a teen, and lots of other strange obsessions, but so did lots of teens, except I had no friends. My mother accused me of hating her, quite often, and I found this so hurtful, because I loved her dearly. My sister and brothers think I am cold, but I never considered myself to be. I had an amazingly high pain threshold, and could never understand why people cried so much when they fell over, and thought my sister exagerrated everything.

Well I am starting to feel uncomfortable with such a long post, and have to stop, but thanks if you managed to read it.

I suppose I am saying that I know I am on the spectrum, and it still affects me today.I don't see the point of getting a diagnosis, however I do feel quite depressed sometimes, and sometimes don't leave the house for weeks, my dh does all the school runs etc. I only ever go out if I have to take my children to medical appointments etc.

My life is affected in a big way, but I have got used to the way I live.

[bid]

Hi Deeejar

 

One of the best things for me about getting a dx was being able to stop 'blaming' myself for all the things I find difficult and a lot of the things I did or allowed to be done to me when I was younger.

 

I hope I try hard not to use my AS as an 'excuse', but it has allowed me to stop believing I was inadequate, dysfunctional and abnormal. I guess what I'm saying is that I am increasingly able to be 'at peace' with myself.

 

After 40 odd years of disliking myself because of my difficulties, for the first time I feel proud of who I am and what I have achieved, even if it has taken me longer to get there than most people.

 

I still have very difficult, dark moments, but in the larger picture the confidence I have gained from getting a formal dx has actually enabled me to do things I never thought possible, especially career-wise.

 

Bid

[aspiemum2twinsplus1]

Hi all -

 

ben was at his 'communication group' today and while drinking a coffee i picked up a copy of the (New Edition? 2007) of Tony Attwood's 'Complete Guide To Asperger's Syndrome'... I found this very succinct explanation for something which comes up regularly on forum:

 

Diagnosis of a relative with autism or Asperger's syndrome:

When a child or adult is diagnosed as having autism or Asperger's syndrome, parents and relatives will soon become aware of the different forms of expression of autism, and review their own family history and the characteristics of their relatives for signs of ASD, in particular Asperger's syndrome. Recent research has indicated that 46% of the first degree relatives of a child with Asperger's syndrome have a similar profile of abilities and behaviour (Volkmarr, Klin and Pauls 1998) although usually to a degree that is sub-clinical, i.e. more a description of personality than a syndrome or disorder.

After a child has a diagnosis of AS confirmed, the clinician may then receive another referral for the diagnostic assessment of a sibling or relative of the child. The diagnosis may be confirmed and clinical experience has indicated that some families have children and adults with AS within and between generations. this has been confirmed in some of the autobiographies of adults with AS (Willey, 1990). However, the subsequent diagnostic assessment may indicate that the level of expression of the characteristic is too 'mild' for a diagnosis, or the person has a number of 'fragments' of AS that are insufficient for a diagnosis. Never the less, the person may benefit from some of the strategies that are designed for the characteristics or fragments that are present in his or her profile of abilities.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

On the next page...

 

Sometimes partners in a relationship may acquire information from the media and consider that a diagnosis of AS may explain their husband's (or wifes') unusual hobby and difficulties with empathy and social skills. It is important to remember that many typical women feel that their partner does not understand what they are thinking or feeling, and that many natural characteristics of males could be perceived as signs of AS...

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

 

My family is riddled with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and people who wouldn't get a diagnosis but are not NT either. My maternal grandad probably had undiagnosed AS. I have AS. I have one may be 2 sons on the spectrum (the diagnosed one has Autism (High functioning but due to his lack of co-opration with that bit of the testing its not on his diagnosis) and the other is on the waiting list for diagnostic testing and is the twin of the diagnosed one). I can think of 3 more without really thinking about it that are borderline.

[aspiemum2twinsplus1]

Trauma can absolutely leave a person with symptoms similar to autism. It would take a very skilled professional to untangle everything. Ultimately, you may never know.

 

My oldest son looked like he has Aspergers Syndrome, including a very ASD type interest in street lamps, when his dad was still around (who abused all 4 of us) but got a diagnosis of Global Developmental Delay instead. When we moved away from his dad all the AS stuff disappeared and a lot of the Global Developmental Delay but not all. The special needs staff in Sure Start where we used to live though he did have AS but all the ASD type stuff, except hand flapping and a very tiny amount of odd behaviour, disappeared within weeks of moving. He's the only one in the family to hand flap like the sterotypical Autistic in our family.

[pookie170]

Y'know, I had to go clothes shopping this weekend, on my own (a relative first!) and with little time. So I was stressed and rushing around, trying to find something I liked- no easy task in itself! And I parked the car in the shopping mall facility, got to the first shop and stopped dead in my tracks....I couldn't focus on any one thing, the noise,brightness and busyness of the store overwhelmed me completely and I kind of stepped inside myself for a brief while. When I sorta 'came to' I realised my breathing had accelerated and my hands were doing something odd- I had extended all my fingers and thumbs and was rapidly and lightly patting them together- like clapping, but with kinda tented fingers? I got it under control, but found myself doing it again a few times (I REALLY detest shopping!) as I went round the shop. When I got home, I told my partner about it, it had really weirded me out and he said 'I know.' He explained that whenever I'm in a stressful situation, this is what I do. When I started my job, on the mornings when I had a difficult class..I even did it at his Gran's funeral, when I was being introduced to his extended family. (not great at meeting new peeps!) And it occurred to me that this was not that unlike hand flapping or other things I see Cal do when hes stressed. But how the hang did I get to this age and be unaware of it??? My sis confirmed that I do this, as did my kids!!!

Thing is, I'm positive I'm NOT on the spectrum as I enjoy social occasions(if I know the folk I'm socialising with, anyway)and have been told that I am very good at seeing things from another persons point of view.....but the experience really made me think of this particular topic. Theres other things I do that might fit into diagnostic criteria, but on the whole, they would not be sufficient diagnosis, nor do I feel that they create difficulties for me in everyday life- but it did make me think of this post.

Then I felt the need to share it!!!

 

Esther x