Autism & Asperger Differences
Using Donna Williams Fruit Salad Analogy 1995 Autism & Aspergers "Fruit Salads" Blog
I going to use two examples to illustrate the profile differences
People with Autism use the Right Hemisphere to Work at the World & People with Asperger's Syndrome use the Left Hemisphere to work out the world and of course there will be people on the spectrum in between the Autie and Aspie Profiles (which means that people can a mix of both Profiles - Autism & Asperger because of the massive diversity in brain connectivity). Autism is a diverse spectrum with different sensory and communication profiles. :-)
Paul - (Myself)
I was diagnosed with Autism in 2010 as with all diagnostic assessments giving a developmental picture of your sensory and communication profiles.
Autism - "Less Literal, Less Logical and Process Things Externally" - D.Williams
I sense the world externally meaning that because of left hemisphere neglect (that is the semantic/meaning system, logic, auditory meaning and visual meaning) I have to use my body to gain semantics (hands, mouth, tongue, sniffing, licking, tapping etc) - I see without meaning and hear without meaning I need to use sensory compensation to access my surroundings.
Visual & Auditory Agnosias Left Hemisphere Neglect
I had speech delay and was non-verbal for around the first 5 years of my life this was due to aphasia and oral apraxia
I have auditory agnosia and verbal auditory agnosia (both forms of "meaning deafness")
Selective mutism and Exposure Anxiety once functional speech was acquired (developmentally of 3 year old) with language delay between 7/8 years old
Echolalia and Echopraxia persistent once speech was acquired
Compulsive throat clearing (tic disorder) when I was 8 years old
Scotopic sensitivity syndrome with simultagnosia (object blindness), semantic agnosia (meaning blindness) prosopagnosia (face blindness), mirror agnosia ("blind to one side of my body) & form agnosia
Visuospatial dysgnosia (body disconnection)
mood, anxiety and compulsive disorders since infancy (I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder in 2010)
Have food intolerances to artificial flavourings, preservatives causing allergic reactions (bloated stomach, itching body, burning sensation on my face, eyelids, gums and lips) also had grommets (for otitis media "glue ear") and childhood asthma
Dissociative disorders since childhood
Social emotional agnosia to a lesser degree than other members of my family
Learning Difficulties - Dyslexia, Dyscalculia & Dysgraphia (with Visual-Verbal agnosia)
Gilbert - My Grandfather
My Grandfather was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 2011 again the diagnostic assessment took into account his sensory and communication profile
Asperger's - "Logical, Literal and Process Things Internally" - D.Williams
My Gramp because of right hemisphere neglect he uses left hemisphere (logic,semantics, auditory and visual meaning) "works out things internally" visually mapping and systemising within to navigate externally. He has problems with navigating his surroundings because of motor clumsiness and has problems and not understanding jokes, sarcasm, intonation and body language.
No speech delay recognised (although people with AS can have speech delay)
Dyspraxic has both fine and gross motor coordination problems
Started school at 7 years old and left school at 14. Mood and anxiety disorders persistent later in life
Literal (Semantic pragmatic disorder) processing of language
Pragmatic and logical in his approach to language which reflects his processing
Selective mutism in social situations due to not being able to access the conversation
Social Emotional Agnosia to a higher degree
Tonal Agnosia (tone deaf) to a higher degree
Aspinauts - D.Williams (A mix of Autism and Asperger Profiles)
"And always be aware of Aspinauts who have crossovers of both common 'fruit salads'" - D.Williams