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conuly
Or even if it's accurate, so bear with me. Please understand that I'm not the expert in everything, even though I would generally like people to think that. Those of you who know what I'm talking about can make corrections as needed.
Ahem. Here I am, browsing AutAdvo, relishing the chance to read posts (is that the word?) that aren't all about the proper use of language and why various people are ignorant and/or insensitive *deep sigh* and I come across one link to a blog, where the person in question is loudly (and ignorantly, I believe) denying the existance of AS (and presumably everything else on the spectrum that's not classic autism). His main points seemed to be 1. choosing to isolate yourself isn't a disability, but that's all that AS means and 2. it's all in your mind. This is the impression he got from the definition in the DSM-IV. Don't bother telling me he's a troll, those of you who've read it, I know he's being inflammatory, but I think it raises an interesting point. (and yes, I know I'm not the only one, this is MY blog, hush).
1. The definition of disability
Merriam-Webster Online defines disability as, among other things, "a disqualification, restriction, or disadvantage". I'd say this definition is fairly accurate. Our friend here claims that aspies are choosing to be less social. If that is the case, then he believes people on the spectrum are choosing to have problems, say, keeping/getting jobs. This doesn't make much sense to me. Why would anybody choose that?
Normally, this is where people step up to say "so you didn't choose, that doesn't make it a disability!!!". Keep whining. Sometimes I can't go outside because I'm scared to or nervous to. Yes, I'm choosing not to go outside, but I'm only choosing that because I feel safer (much) in my room. (This, I think, has nothing to do with the subject, but it's a nice little anecdote and people like those)
2. The definition of Asperger's
I will agree with the original blogger as far as saying many things in the DSM-IV are overdiagnosed and that the diagnostic criteria tend to be, well, crap. That's it, though. Most people define AS as being "people with weird social skills". I have no idea where they got this impression. Oh, sure, it's true, but it manages to completely disregard the entire part about "Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities". That's significant, and people just skip right over it.
Of course, obsessive interests do not a disability make, and if they lead you in the right direction you can even get a job out of them. They can also irritate the expletive out of parents and teachers. Be warned
3. The part about it being all in our heads
A. Well, of course it is. So what?
B. That doesn't, of course, make it any less real. Yes, the diagnostic criteria say nothing about physical symptoms or signs. However, there has been some serious work in that area in the past few years, scans showing that NTs and aspies use different parts of the brain when doing different things, studies showing abnormal head growth during infancy, that sort of thing.
Even if we didn't have all this sorta-useful research being done we have what are known as co-morbid conditions.
Dyspraxia. Extreme clumsiness, beyond what is generally considered acceptable. People who try to throw a ball and hit themselves in the face, or who never learn to tie their shoes, that sort of thing.
Allergies. Okay, I don't know if this is the case or not, but I've heard a lot about people on the spectrum having a higher incidence of allergies than usual. If that's the case, that would definitely be a physical symptom.
Seizures. See allergies. Substitute the word "seizures" for "allergies" in the first sentence.
CAPD. Lovely auditory processing problems. You can hear fine, but you can't make sense of the sound. Something like that.
Scotopic sensitivity. Um. Think of it like TV "snow" in real life. Except that doesn't apply to everyone.
Faceblindness (and other agnosias). Not being able to recognize people, even if you know them. Hm. Y'know, would "face dyslexia" be a better word?
Synthesia. This is a pretty good thing, where your senses are mixed up.
And the list goes on. Of course, not everyone has all, most, or even any of the co-morbid conditions, the point of a co-morbid condition is that it occurs with greater frequency in the affected population than in the world at large. Their existence is a nice little hint that maybe there really is something physical going on.
I'm posting the link for reference only, please do NOT waste time commenting or anything like that. People who manage to make it seem like they disbelieve in schizophrenia are really not worth wasting time on. Yes, I'm a hypocrite.
Ahem. Here I am, browsing AutAdvo, relishing the chance to read posts (is that the word?) that aren't all about the proper use of language and why various people are ignorant and/or insensitive *deep sigh* and I come across one link to a blog, where the person in question is loudly (and ignorantly, I believe) denying the existance of AS (and presumably everything else on the spectrum that's not classic autism). His main points seemed to be 1. choosing to isolate yourself isn't a disability, but that's all that AS means and 2. it's all in your mind. This is the impression he got from the definition in the DSM-IV. Don't bother telling me he's a troll, those of you who've read it, I know he's being inflammatory, but I think it raises an interesting point. (and yes, I know I'm not the only one, this is MY blog, hush).
1. The definition of disability
Merriam-Webster Online defines disability as, among other things, "a disqualification, restriction, or disadvantage". I'd say this definition is fairly accurate. Our friend here claims that aspies are choosing to be less social. If that is the case, then he believes people on the spectrum are choosing to have problems, say, keeping/getting jobs. This doesn't make much sense to me. Why would anybody choose that?
Normally, this is where people step up to say "so you didn't choose, that doesn't make it a disability!!!". Keep whining. Sometimes I can't go outside because I'm scared to or nervous to. Yes, I'm choosing not to go outside, but I'm only choosing that because I feel safer (much) in my room. (This, I think, has nothing to do with the subject, but it's a nice little anecdote and people like those)
2. The definition of Asperger's
I will agree with the original blogger as far as saying many things in the DSM-IV are overdiagnosed and that the diagnostic criteria tend to be, well, crap. That's it, though. Most people define AS as being "people with weird social skills". I have no idea where they got this impression. Oh, sure, it's true, but it manages to completely disregard the entire part about "Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities". That's significant, and people just skip right over it.
Of course, obsessive interests do not a disability make, and if they lead you in the right direction you can even get a job out of them. They can also irritate the expletive out of parents and teachers. Be warned
3. The part about it being all in our heads
A. Well, of course it is. So what?
B. That doesn't, of course, make it any less real. Yes, the diagnostic criteria say nothing about physical symptoms or signs. However, there has been some serious work in that area in the past few years, scans showing that NTs and aspies use different parts of the brain when doing different things, studies showing abnormal head growth during infancy, that sort of thing.
Even if we didn't have all this sorta-useful research being done we have what are known as co-morbid conditions.
Dyspraxia. Extreme clumsiness, beyond what is generally considered acceptable. People who try to throw a ball and hit themselves in the face, or who never learn to tie their shoes, that sort of thing.
Allergies. Okay, I don't know if this is the case or not, but I've heard a lot about people on the spectrum having a higher incidence of allergies than usual. If that's the case, that would definitely be a physical symptom.
Seizures. See allergies. Substitute the word "seizures" for "allergies" in the first sentence.
CAPD. Lovely auditory processing problems. You can hear fine, but you can't make sense of the sound. Something like that.
Scotopic sensitivity. Um. Think of it like TV "snow" in real life. Except that doesn't apply to everyone.
Faceblindness (and other agnosias). Not being able to recognize people, even if you know them. Hm. Y'know, would "face dyslexia" be a better word?
Synthesia. This is a pretty good thing, where your senses are mixed up.
And the list goes on. Of course, not everyone has all, most, or even any of the co-morbid conditions, the point of a co-morbid condition is that it occurs with greater frequency in the affected population than in the world at large. Their existence is a nice little hint that maybe there really is something physical going on.
I'm posting the link for reference only, please do NOT waste time commenting or anything like that. People who manage to make it seem like they disbelieve in schizophrenia are really not worth wasting time on. Yes, I'm a hypocrite.
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no subject
Date: 2004-05-20 08:55 am (UTC)What confuses me is that a large number of the symptoms that people attribute to Asperger's are also found in the general population of people who haven't been diagnosed with autism. My grandmother at one point was so fearful of going outside that she stayed in the house for nearly a year. She got over it, of course. As for me, I can hear perfectly fine, yet often have trouble understanding what a person says unless I'm looking at them directly. Do I understand the words? Of course. Can I hear them perfectly fine? Absolutely. Yet I have the problem with people I don't know very well. Am I autistic? I seriously doubt it.
The same can be applied to the co-morbid conditions. While I know that your reason in mentioning them was to make the point that they occur with a higher frequency in people who have Asperger's, it really makes me wonder about these symptoms. It's entirely likely that the symptoms associated with Asperger's are simply part of the broad definition of 'normal behavior.' Yes, 'normal behavior' can seem abnormal to us at times, but if it's found in a large percentage of the population and is not harmful or destructive, it can be termed 'normal.' I've never seen a doctor over my hearing difficulties, because I have always taken it as something normal. A great number of people out there could have the same symptoms but simply don't report it because it either isn't enough of a nuisance to interfere with everyday life, or they take it as normal behavior.
I'm not saying that Asperger's doesn't exist - all I'm saying is that a hell of a lot more research needs to be done on this disorder, which I'm sure that I didn't have to tell you. While the full range of 'normal' behavior can likely never be catalogued, given that behavior is something that is both physical, mental, and cultural, a greater effort to gather a list of these behaviors might help in at least determining if Asperger's isn't a lot more common than people already think it is, or simply something within the range of normal behavior.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-20 10:39 am (UTC)Sorry, I'm caught up on the staying inside an entire year thing. That *is* destructive to most people, and it's not normal at all.