Asperger and Autism

Two Distinct Conditions

Asperger and autism have many similarities, but they are two distinct conditions. Different attitudes and philosophies exist about each that can be explored for a deeper, meaningful understanding.

If you're a novice, the information about conditions in the autism spectrum of disorders might be quite confusing. There are many reasons for this confusion, and what further complicates the issue are the bewildering natures of the asperger and autism spectrums. In addition, public awareness about autistic disorders is often misguided.

In years past, disorders in the autism spectrum fell into the mental retardation catch-all. However, these conditions are vastly different especially for high-functioning individuals who have been diagnosed. The conditions were classified as distinct diagnoses for the first time in the 1980’s.

Is progress being made to clear up the confusion?

One of the most challenging aspects of Asperger syndrome and other autistic disorders is the lack of information professionals and the public have about the conditions. These enigmatic disorders are still a mystery for many in the field and especially for the general public.

Questions about the causes of Asperger and autism, their effective treatment, and even their nature are unanswered. No one is certain what causes any of the five pervasive developmental disorders, and some of the theories are the sources of heated debates.

Many people in the general public immediately think of "Rainman" when the term autistic is mentioned. This famous character is an autistic savant and represents only ten percent of the autistic population. Ironically, he remains the most prevalent social icon of pervasive developmental disorders.

What terminology is used when referring to these disorders?

The terms used to refer to pervasive developmental disorders can also be confusing. Both Asperger and autism are PDD conditions. Someone can have a PDD but not have autism. However, conditions like Asperger, PDD-NOS, Rett's, and childhood degenerative disorder are all in the autism spectrum of disorders even though they are not autism in particular.

What type of treatments are available?

The treatment of pervasive developmental disorders is in debate as well. Common approaches include:

• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA),
• Floortime, and
• Relational Development Interaction (RDI).

Some individuals integrate dietary and vitamin regimens as part of their daily routines, whereas others opt for medication.

While systematic approaches like ABA are effective in treating most pervasive developmental disorders, they can cause great distress in individuals with Asperger syndrome. People with this PDD do not exhibit the same cognitive and language delays as others in the spectrum.

With so many differences within this spectrum of conditions, you can see how problems arise when professionals try to treat all pervasive developmental disorders the same. Each condition, each child, is unique no matter if they have an Asperger or autism diagnosis.

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