Expert: James Michael Roan - 11/30/2007

Question
Thanks for all the help James!  

The site wouldn't let me ask another follow up question....

I think the term "cognitive profile" is a good term. If I do have it I don't necessarily want to have it treated; I like myself pretty well. My question, though, is whether there is any other condition or syndrome that mimics Asperger's?  In other words, are there any other conditions that you know of that I should look into?

Thanks again for all your help. I'll be leaving an excellent rating for you via my original question.

Answer
Hi;

There is a nonverbal learning disability (NVLD)or "white matter syndrome," which I am comfortable that we ruled out with the questions regarding left-side body weakness and VERY poor visual-spatial ability.

PDD-NOS, high functioning autism, and Asperger's are really all the same thing. It is possible to have many of the same characteristics as Asperger's but without sufficient intensity and frequency to meet the strict diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis of same. Reading your answers on the CAST, you sound mildly affected. A more severely impacted adult with AS would not use conventional punctuation such as capitalization or exclamation points, which as you know require an awareness of what the recipient of the correspondence needs to have in order correctly interpret your narrative.

Professor Michael Fitzgerald of Trinity College Dublin has written a few books describing famous individuals in history who he credits with Asperger's syndrome. It really gets you thinking! They are available on Amazon.com.

I like Temple Grandin's comment (and poorly quoted here): "While all you neurotypical cave people out there were sitting around the fire discussing the need for moving people and materials about the countryside, some autistic fellow was off in the bushes designing and building the wheel!" Neurotypicals is what the autistic/Asperger's community calls typical or unaffected individuals.

Asperger's has also been dsecribed by one of its major researchers and author of the CAST, Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen, as the "extreme male brain." Citing higher levels of testosterone, a systematizing and rational intellect combined with an amazing ability to stay with a task, no matter how daunting, to its completion. Have a look.

Kind regards,
James