Is someone labelled PDD-NOS considered "aspie"?

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I was just wondering what people's opinions are. I feel like I'm the odd one out on here since I'm not diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome but PDD-NOS. Do other people with a PDD-NOS diagnosis refer to themselves as "aspies"? I don't always know how I should refer to myself on here.

No, since "Aspie" is an abbreviation of "Asperger's." Just say you're on the spectrum, and if necessary, explain that it is PDD-NOS.

Ive gotten both an Asperger's and PDD-NOS diagnosis. While different, both are considered to be HFAs or in the category of mild autism. I prefer to be called a versatile autist, since "high functioning" makes us sound like machines.

That's what many of us were diagnosed with before AS entered the DSM-IV in 1994.

I am not diagnosed as having Asperger's...I was only assessed by an AS specialist who's strong opinion was that I have it.
I went to see another psych..and he wrote PDD-NOS on my chart...

Whatever the case, I am on the spectrum....Having the label of PDD-NOS does not diminish the fact that you are on the spectrum..

In all likelihood, it could be that I am more PDD-NOS than aspie....We still have many..if not all..of the similar struggles and whatnots...

If it comes up in conversation, I prefer to simply leave it at 'Autism' or 'a form of Autism' unless someone queries further. Sadly, though most people have no clue what Autism really means, they have even less idea what ASS-BURGER Syndrome is and the sound of the phrase is likely to elicit snickers and simply distract from the topic at hand. Its hard enough to explain a nearly invisible handicap without trying to describe it to someone who's giggling.

Aspie seems relevant only here within these self-referential forums as an informal tag. I wouldn't call myself that out loud. It sounds kinda gay when you say it out loud.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Isn't it one of those umbrella terms like IBS or something? Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified, so if you don't fit into asperger's or any other pervasive developmental disorders then you get put into the not otherwise specified one. PDD-NOS could well be aspergers or any of the others I guess. It just means that they know you're on the spectrum just not sure where as your symptoms may cross over. I'm pretty sure I'll get the same diagnosis.

Last edited by racooneyes on 16 Oct 2009, 8:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

This.

And you wish to refer to yourself as that absolutely godawful word "aspie" because...?

I don't call myself an aspie, but I think it's cute

dont feel like an odd ball out i was originally diagnosed severe pddnos, and i still think that fits me better then classic autism.. i think no matter the diagnosis ur still an autistic on the autism spectrum, we all share some common traits, soem have more, some have less, some are more disabled, some are less, etc. i dont think it would be normal to call urself an aspie tho, i would jus say autistic. hope that helps ya some.

I'm not talking about IRL. I'm talking on this forum only. People seem to identify with the word aspergers a lot on here.

Just to clarify, I could care less what word I use to identify myself. It's just that a common word facilitates easier communication on a site like this. I don't like to say that I'm autistic but then typing "on the spectrum" is also clumsy, definitely not as easy as having a single word.

PDD-NOS is better known as "atypical autism" and is diagnosed when someone is obviously autistic but doesn't fit any clear categories, is on the diagnostic border between two categories, has an unknown childhood history, or is too young to make a clear diagnosis. PDD-NOS has nothing to do with level of impairment, since "atypical" can come along with any set of symptoms just as long as that set is not easily matched with any other sort of autism.

Over half of autism cases are PDD-NOS, so it's definitely the most common diagnosis. The very large group of PDD-NOS points to a fundamental diversity in the Spectrum, without really obvious "groups" falling along the lines of the types currently described (with the exception of the rare Rett Syndrome and its characteristic neurological symptoms and MECP2 mutation). Autistic people don't fall into easy groups. I have been lately wondering if this might simply be because autism is such a fundamental characteristic of a human being that it is easily modified by whatever other characteristics that person might have, creating as many variations of autism as there are of humans in general.

I don't wish to refer to myself as anything. There just isn't another single word universal accepted on here to describe what I am. I wouldn't say that I'm autistic and I can't say that I'm aspergers either.

is that you in your avatar, Danielismyname?

It is, and your point?