Difference between PDD-NOS and Asperger's Syndrome

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Hello,

I would like to know the difference between PDD-NOS and Asperger's. I've been reading about them and they kind of share some characteristics, so I'm not sure what is the difference between them. I also present some symptoms from both of them (I'm suspecting I may have one mild case of one of these two. If you would like to hear me out, feel free to PM me)

Thank you very much.

They have lower IQs and are considered moderate functioning.

People with PDD-NOS diagnosis are basically people who have symptoms of autism/Asperger syndrome, but not enough for a diagnosis. I don't believe it is used as a diagnosis in the UK. It doesn't have anything to do with intelligence as it too is on a spectrum.

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I have HFA, ADHD, OCD & Tourette syndrome. I love animals, especially my bunnies and hamster. I skate in a roller derby team (but I'll try not to bite )

I don't know what PDD-NOS stands for, but I know what it means.

I've met a few people with this sort of thing. They weren't Aspie enough to be diagnosed, but they were like they were on the spectrum somehow. Although I have mild AS, I still seem ''severer'' than them, so it must be PDD-NOS with them. It's like they seem Aspie-fied and everything, but then they are still better than me at chatting to people they don't know. I can relate to them and everything, and they say how they feel when they're in social situations (like feeling shy and not wanting to speak and not knowing what to say), then when we are in a social situation I find they are speaking comfortably to everyone and saying the right things as though they haven't got anything wrong.

Maybe I would be like that if I didn't have Social Phobia.

Basically if you are going for an assessment, they want to be able to classify you neatly (if autistic) according to Classic Autism & Aspergers, which have certain parameters that need to be met in order to qualify for the diagnosis.

PDD-NOS Just means that you don't have the strict qualifications for Classic Autism OR Aspergers Autism, but that you clearly have autism to a degree and it impacts your life, even if you don't meet the requirements for the two standard diagnosis.

Think of it this way, all three diagnosis are a part of the "Persistent Developmental Disorder" category, so PDD-Aspergers, PDD-Classic Autism, PDD-Not Otherwise Specified.

Just think of it as recognition of your issues, but that you don't fit nicely into the diagnostic criteria for the specific traits of the other two diagnosis.

Usually when I here about PDD-NOS it sounded to me like it was somewhere between Autistic Disorder and Aspergers. I guess the way one doesn't make the criteria can go either way. What exactly is the difference between Autistic Disorder and Aspergers Sydrome?

I am technically PDD-NOS but my diagnoses is Asperger's because it was closest match for a diagnoses. My mother says I slip on and off the AS criteria. I just say I have AS because that is my diagnoses than saying I am PDD-NOS. Besides how many aspies are true AS? Some of them are more autistic than AS and some seem too normal to have AS. But it depends on the doctor because each of them will hand out a different autism label if they are on the spectrum.