"The part I would like some different opinions on is she believes aspergers and autism are so far apart to include them on the same spectrum is ridiculous."
have seen this same statement also previously. dont really know if it wouldnt be ok to put them both on same spectrum... perhaps the differences in autism and aspergers are sudtle enough in most areas... but social construct, perhaps the differences are stronger.
there is another spectrum perhaps conparison is ok to use. the spectrum or dissociation. dissociation is a "normal" thing that everyone does. when you drive along a familiar route and your mind wanders... then all of a sudden you realize you are almost at your destination... and you didnt even "realize" that you got there allready because your mind was somehwere else. you were dissociating... or it happens when you are tired, and watching something boring on tv. your attention de-focuses from the show, and you think about other things and then at some point you focus back on the show and you are not lost as to what is going on because you were "somewhere else" in yhour mind.. that is dissociation... everyone does it... now dissociation is on a spectrum... there comes further and further on the spectrum and you start to get into "pathology" (really HaTe that word) of "dissociative personality disorder", then eventually you get right to dissociative identity disorder... where the dissociation is so intense, that the person can be totaly unaware (prior to treatment) of what they were doing... anyways.. guess what am trying to say is this... the "normal" dissociation and the "pathological" "dissociative identity disorder"
seem quite far removed from each other... but are on the same spectrum... so considering that.. am thinking that aspergers and autism can be on same spectrum...
certainly there is a 'spectrum' of autism... but there is also a 'spectrum' of aspergers... which is not as readily recognized.
Her opinion is an autistic person coulnt care less about other humans whilst someone with aspergers desperately needs social contact but hasnt got a clue how to interact so can be seriously hurt by rebuffs that an autistic person would not even think about."
ok... am not really sure if am HFA or aspergers... for mineself.. so dont know what to say... BUT do know of some autistics, and they certainly DO care about people.. perhaps they do not wish for the same type of social contact as those with aspergers... but do know that they do CARE about persons... but also care about animals, etc. as for aspergers desperately needing social contact.. since am not really sure wether am HFA or aspergers... since am not really caring about it, have not really tried to 'investigate' which is more accurate.. but neverthless. this is what it is like for mineself... do NOT DESPERATELY need, or want social contact... although do like to have some social contact at some times... this to mineself means that woudl like to have someone visit or to visit someone about 3-4 times per yr. this seems like a regular enugh amount of contact... ofcourse if the contact was only for a few hours.. could propably put up with being in the same room with persons for a few more times per yr... like maybe bi-monthly... do not want to have all people go away for ever... and have no friends.. but do not like it when people come too much either... when had a partner, this was hard... this partner wanted to have physical contact, (cudle etc.) daily... and this was not what wanted... so it brought about stress for us both... also, this partner wanted to have at least weekly someone over... a relative or a friend... this was stressful also... didnt want to be around all those times.. woudl go for walks etc. but then was told that was being rude... so taht didnt work well either... do know that this answer reallydidnt help you any... but perhaps just brought about some ideas into what it is like to be on the spectrum of autism in the space where am... where ever that reallyis.. lol
"if emotionally there is so much difference between the two should this not affect the social inclusion programmes he needs in school."
it woudl make sense that there is different social needs.. but if it is inclusion.. the the child should be dictating what amount of socializing they want/need... IF there are aspergers and autistic kids in the same room with also ones who are not aspergers and autistic.. then naturally those kids who want more will gravitate to seeking more and those who want less will stay to themselves... what is important is that the other children who are also in the room will be available for those who want more... this means that if there is only one child who wants to be with others, and all the rest want to be alone.. this would not be good... but if there are a few kids who like to be with others then it will give sufficient amount of peers to choose form and have social contact with.
"It is also very hard to get a truthful answer as to how much his SID affects his autistic behaviour."
that is hard to know... until a child grows enough to start to explain their experiences... but for mineself, lotsz of the SID does bring about certain types of autistic behaviurs.. such as pulling of skin, tapping, squinting, visual stims, sensory seeking, or sensory aviodance type behaviours...
ofocurse some of the stims are purely for enjoymeint although they are SID facilitated.
hope some of this made sense...
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