What does the spectrum look like?

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Is the ASD spectrum a fairly evenly spread?

The words Asperger's and Autism almost suggest they're two different, if related things.

The impression I'm left with is that it's like the local swimming pool, where the Asperger's are at the shallow end, and as you go up the pool it gets a little deeper, but then it very quickly gets much deeper at the Autism end of the pool. Sorry if the characterization is off, I'm trying to think in graph terms and wondering if the two are somehow discrete or if the spectrum is evenly populated.

Also, I'm curious where I might fit. With an rdos of 135 and a RAADS of 160, it had me wondering where's my spot on the spectrum. I might not be neuro-typical, but would I be aspie-typical. Silly, I know, but I have wondered.

Cheers

I really, really depends upon the individual Spectrumite.

Some people on the "shallow end" are affected severely.

Some people in "deep water" are able to adjust.

Aspie typical. That's cute!

It could also be the opposite.
You could as well say that social interaction is the water the ASD limitations are the bottom/border.

In the swallow area of a pool I feel like the bottom is luring me. I hit it with my legs all the time and I have to try harder to "fly" above it. It seems more severe because there is more rigidity, you can't swim for too long and dive too deep or you get tired of avoiding the bottom. And you can just stand there and ignore the water(social life) and nothing bad happens to you. Your limitations stop but also protect you.

Staying in the deep requires more swimming abilities but doesn't have the limitations. The bottom doesn't distract that much, it's there but you know you can't rely on it. It's more like AS. You are still limited (there is a bottom and you can't swim out of the pool) but you have some social/swimming abilities. Your ASD traits are not strong enough to prevent you from swimming. Actually you have no choice but to swim at least till you get to a save area.

NTs are swimming in a sea. They are free to go how deep they want and their abilities allow them to swim in any social situations, even in a restless water.

It is more complex than a single axis,

In autism you get a different range of cognative and sensory effects, the best spectrum would be to have two axis one for cognative issues and the other for sensory issues.

Simple question, who would seem to be more autistic,

a mildly autistic 15 year old, or a 30 year old that is more so autistic.

it sounds like the shallow and deep ends are being used to mean functioning,in that way;low functioning people do not adjust well as we all have highly rigid,static thinking and a lack of mental capacity as part of our intelectual disability side, although it is very true and unfortunately not well recognised, that people who are high functioning can be affected severely by autistic traits,its not well recognised as it presents differently to those of us with severe and low functioning classic autism.

as for the original topic,the swimming pool idea is a good one,as getting deeper implies more complex needs the further it goes along which is very true in autism.

The pool analogies are good & probably depict an aspect of it.

I guess I always thought of it as two lines. One is straight and 'typical'. The other starts about the same place but then diverges further and further away. This second line is the spectrum, and is measured at any point in how far from the typical it is.

That is not to say individuals do not have their own variations. But I see that as kind of a personal bending of the basic divergent line. You can bend closer to typical or further away. Or you can wobble back and forth.

sorry missed this question,clearly the 30 year old woud have more struggles because the 15 year old is likely to have some form of support at school and understanding whereas the 30 year old is from a time when autism wasnt understood so will have grown up lacking the same teaching and may lack self help skills as a result.
and they likely dont get support unless are truly meaning someone with significant levels of autism to the point it affects their ability to live independantly.

No, otherwise it'd be easier to identify and it'd be less of a disability, though how much easier or less is debatable, I reckon.
Think of it more like a stereo graphic equalizer, lots of freq. bands (symptoms) each with their own loudness (severity).



The only difference is that delayed cognitive and language development is precluded in Asperger's.
It's only a lack of a delay, not even the degree of development. Once the development is 'finished' developing (to whatever degree in the individual) there is no inherent difference.
This is because he happened to be studying these kinds of kids without comparison, he accidentally added a stipulation.

From ALL practical points of view Asperger's is indistinguishable from Autism because it is Autism.
If .333 equals one third, then .999 equals 1.
Once the person in question reaches into about early adulthood Asperger's = Autism 99.9% of 100. Meaning if you round it off then there's no difference worth arguing about. Especially by that time.

I was without any supports. For sensory regulation, life skills, verbal communication (low socially), controlling emotions, etc. I'm in my early 20s and unable to support myself.

Last edited by Lumi on 29 Jul 2014, 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The spectrum is clearly a 3 dimensional space, comprising of a variety of multiple issues in various quantities.

Thanks for all the great responses.

Everything from flipping the pool analogy around, to the question of who is affected more, to aspie-cute, boundaries and rigidity, different lanes and multidimensional aspects, the graphic equalizer, age and support.

The more I learn, the better picture I get.