Aspergers and, in my opinion, all Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids are endearing. They think in such a different way, have a strong, inflexible sense of right and wrong, and most have extremely literal, concrete thinking. My son is at the very high end of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified and I"m sure that maybe some NeuroPsychs would diagnose him as Aspergers, BUT he had that speech delay and Aspies don't. In fact, they are often early talkers and very precocious. Many times, they tend to monologue and sound like "Little Professors." I know my little guy does. He can make talking about a videogame sound like he's discussing the Theory of Relativity and tends to use big words like "actually" and "incidentally" that kids don't normally use. He mixes kid slang with adult-speak, and does not really know how to have a give-and-take discussion. He talks at people, not to them and, if they don't discuss his special interests, he gets bored. AS kids tend to have narrow, obsessive interests, such as (depending on the age) dinosaurs or animals of all sorts or, when older, computers is a big one. Many high functioning Aspies who can work in the public sector have jobs in the computer tech field (see Bill Gates). Unfortunately, most are not as successful as Bill. I know a 30 year old Aspie who is obsessive about Christianity and preaches to anyone who will listen. He is brilliant and sweet, but hasn't been able to hold a job, but, then, he never had interventions and was misdiagonsed a gazillon times (ADHD/bipolar/brain damage due to epilepsy). Like my own son, who was misdiagnosed, he was on trillions of medications. Now he is getting some help, but it's hard as an adult. He isn't wanting to accept his diagnosis. At any rate, social inadequacies, and not "getting it" (and if you have a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kid, you know exactly what I mean) are two BIG symptoms, along with inability to converse normally (even with good speech) and being extremely black-and-white literal. Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified kids are not as literal as Aspies, but my son has made me laugh a few times by being too literal. Once I told him, playfully, I'd have to ground him until he was eighteen and he burst into tears and said, "That's SIX years!!!!" (Grrrrrrrrr) :smile: Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) kids tend to like to memorize things by rote. My son can tell you what date any videogame has ever come out on. And I mean ALL OF THEM. They have great rote memories, but trouble with abstract thinking. Hope this helped at least a little. I'd do the neuropsychologist. Our Psychiatrist told us that my son absolutely couldn't have autism of any sort because he could go from room to room without screaming. Um, can we say "clueless?" He did NOT recommend a neuropsychologist and was convinced my son had bipolar. He was dead wrong. My son has no moodswings and has been off medications now for three years. I thinkt he medications cognitively dulled him because he is now functioning academically at grade level. Some kids need medications!! Just be uber-careful. There are so many "professionals" who don't update their knowledge and Aspergers and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)-not otherwise specified was just acknowledged within the past ten years.
