Asperger's or autism is a form of neurodivergence. When a person is neurodivergent, it means that their brain learns and processes differently than people who are considered neurotypical.
Neurodiversity is most commonly associated with Dyslexia, Dypraxia, ADD, ADHD, Aspergers and Autism Spectrum Conditions but includes any condition that affects some, but not all, thinking skills.
Neurodivergent individuals often experience differences in mental function, learning styles, sensory processing, communication styles and behaviors. They may struggle with soft skills such as emotional intelligence, social interactions or the ability to work effectively in a group.
Asperger syndrome is often considered a high functioning form of autism. It can lead to difficulty interacting socially, repeat behaviors, and clumsiness. Asperger syndrome is a part of the larger developmental disorder category of autism spectrum disorder.
The symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome are now included in a condition called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is now the name used for a wide range of autism-like disorders. Some providers may still use the term Asperger's Syndrome, but others will say “ASD – without intellectual or language impairment.”
The medical community, as of 2013 , no longer diagnose Asperger's syndrome as a separate condition. Instead, they place it under the umbrella term of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
You absolutely are neurodivergent if you have been diagnosed with a developmental or learning disorder, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or Tourette's syndrome. You may decide to consider yourself neurodivergent if you have no diagnosis but think, behave, or interact in ways that are outside the norm.
Some of the conditions that are most common among those who describe themselves as neurodivergent include: Autism spectrum disorder (this includes what was once known as Asperger's syndrome). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Down syndrome.
Asperger syndrome, or Asperger's, is a previously used diagnosis on the autism spectrum. In 2013, it became part of one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5).
Aspies tend to express love through practical actions, whereas NTs are more likely to express love through words or symbolic actions.
Many professionals believed Asperger's was a more mild form of autism, leading to the origin of the phrase “high-functioning”. Now, children with Asperger's symptoms are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their symptoms are typically on the milder side, but every child experiences symptoms differently.
The reason behind the reclassification of Asperger's syndrome was its similarity to autism, and the fact that it was distinguished from the latter based simply on a lack of language and cognitive delay — which, interestingly, isn't something every individual on the spectrum experiences.
Those with Asperger's syndrome, in contrast, must by definition have suffered no cognitive delay during their first 3 years of life. This means that they will usually have at least a “normal” IQ. In some cases, their IQ may be very high, even in the genius range.
The Asperger diagnosis is distinguished from autism by a lack of language and cognitive delay. However, language and cognitive delay are not diagnostic criteria for autism. So, to fail to meet criteria for autism, a person with Asperger syndrome must not show the communication impairments specified for autism.
So are we all just a little bit autistic? No – many people have some autistic traits but just as you can't be a little bit pregnant, to be autistic you need to have differences in: social and communication. flexibility, logic and cognition.
“With this definition, anxiety can be considered a form of neurodivergence, although it may not be as commonly recognized as ADHD, autism, or trauma,” she says.
People whose brain works differently often experience sounds, including music, in unique ways. As a neurodivergent person, I experience sound differently than other people. I was born with hyperacusis. Sounds that are at a normal volume to most people sometimes seem extremely loud and distorted to me.
The vast majority of neurodivergent adults are self-diagnosed in the first instance: in other words, we figure things out for ourselves, do the research and then go looking for a professional to confirm it.
While neurodivergence is common, many people do not realize they are neurodivergent until they reach adulthood. This can create challenges as people find ways to adapt to the differences in how they think and process information, but it can also be helpful.
There are many different ways someone can be considered neurodivergent. This includes symptoms such as challenges with concentration, compromised motor functions, and barriers in communication – all of which are commonly linked to neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, etc.
In general, children with Asperger's Syndrome “have more” than most children with ADHD. They have more perseveration, more stereotypies, more splinter skills, more trouble telling a coherent story, and more neuro-integrative problems.