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You do not have to be incorrectly diagnosed to show significant improvements over time! By that logic no treatable disease would ever be real.

Significant improvements YES, improvement to the point of normality NO. Many children were probably misdiagnosed.

Do you really know what it is? Do you know that it is a pervasive developmental disorder, not a "treatable disease"? There's no magic pill you can take to mix parts of your brain around. You can achieve marvellous results with marvellous therapy, but you can't cure it, and if you do have a kid with Aspergers who is "cured" by the time he is a teenager, it's pretty unlikely to have been that in the first place.
What you said about "that logic" is silly. I am not saying that people who get better were never ill in the first place. You are twisting my words and I am not being so completely unreasonable!

Oh, and please no self satisfied comments about the various natures of normality...we all know what I mean (just preempting).

Reply 21

Peregrinum

Original post by chinaberry

First of all, yes, I know what pervasive developmental disorder means. I know what Asperger's is, I have it. Secondly, look up the meanings of the words "curable" and "treatable". I specifically used the latter because while Asperger's isn't curable it is treatable. However, you seem to be unable to differentiate one meaning from another. I never said you can cure AS, I never said your brain becomes normal with treatment. In fact, take a look at what I actually said - it's the exact opposite.
Since you seem to be so unable to grasp the concept, here's an example for you. I have difficulties with making eye contact and greeting people because to me that's weird, uncomfortable, and pointless. If I were to receive a lot of therapy then I might progress to the point where I no longer have difficulties with making eye contact or saying "hello" when my grandma walks in the door. But since I do have an autism spectrum disorder, which is lifelong and incurable, I will never really understand the neurotypical desire to "connect" via eye contact and I will never truly understand why it might be considered disrespectful to not respond to someone's "hello". But I can be trained to carry out those motions the same way a "normal" person does. And that is what those research articles that I quoted mean by "growing out" of Asperger's - you can appear normal in your interactions because you've had so much "training", but you will never really understand and experience them in a "normal" way because your brain is and always will be autistic.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 22

chinaberry

Original post by Peregrinum

Since you seem to be so unable to grasp the concept, here's an example for you. I have difficulties with making eye contact and greeting people because to me that's weird, uncomfortable, and pointless. If I were to receive a lot of therapy then I might progress to the point where I no longer have difficulties with making eye contact or saying "hello" when my grandma walks in the door. But since I do have an autism spectrum disorder, which is a lifelong and incurable, I will never really understand the neurotypical desire to "connect" via eye contact and I will never truly understand why it might be considered disrespectful to not respond to someone's "hello". But I can be trained to carry out those motions the same way a "normal" person does. And that is what those research articles that I quoted mean by "growing out" of Asperger's - you can appear normal in your interactions because you've had so much "training", but you will never really understand and experience them in a "normal" way because your brain is and always will be autistic.

Oh- I think what we have here is a communication mishap- by "growing out of it", I thought you meant getting rid of it completely, therefore denying the nature of Autism as all-pervasive. You can see why that could happen. I'm sure that this kind of mishap is foreign to neither of us :smile:

Otherwise, you practically paraphrased me. Pity this was unfriendly, it's usually nice bumping into fellow Aspies.

Reply 23

Peregrinum

Original post by chinaberry

Otherwise, you practically paraphrased me. Pity this was unfriendly, it's usually nice bumping into fellow Aspies.

Yeah, I'm no stranger to communication difficulties (most of which are the "others don't automatically know/think what I know/think" type). Anyhow, it's now all good from where I'm standing. Peace? :smile:

Reply 24

chinaberry

Original post by Peregrinum

You mean you haven't been reading my mind? No wonder, then! :biggrin:

Avec plaisir :smile:

Reply 25

XIII

Aspergers and medicine... based on a sample of one, you're destined to become an investment genius and reap millions of pounds!

Check it out...

http://www.vanityfair.com/business/features/2010/04/wall-street-excerpt-201004

Reply 26

Fyodor Bingoffsky

Well, I didn't declare it on my UCAS form, and I got accepted by 4 of my unis. Since my symptoms worsened since enrolment I went to see the uni counsellor and they told me that a number of asocial people, with more severe symptoms are practically accepted into society now after the sessions. I think you could do that. Otherwise doing medicine with Aspergers looks kinda shaky to the admissions tutor.

Reply 27

Minerva

Original post by hss123

I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when I was 7 and I am currently in Year 12. My AS subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths and I intend to drop Physics next year. I don't have any problems with communication skills, showing empathy or any other difficulties associated with Asperger's Syndrome anymore, but I'm worried about what universities will think if I put it down on my UCAS form.

Does anyone have any advice that could help me?

You don't have to put it on the UCAS form if you don't want to. BUT if you are made an offer for Medicine you will be required to complete an occupational health questionnaire of some kind, and on that you must declare this diagnosis.

As has been discussed in the thread, there are coping strategies that people with AS can learn, and many people with AS successfully complete university courses. However, a career which (at least to begin with) requires daily, intensive social interaction, often under very stressful and unpredictable circumstances, may not be the best match for someone with AS. In reviewing the information on your occupational health form, it could be that the occupational health specialists would express some concern about whether a medicine course might place too many psychological demands on you. Clearly they would need to talk to you, and would need details of your history and how you have been since you were diagnosed, before forming a view. Avoiding the issue by not declaring it is asking for trouble, as if you subsequently got into difficulties and your failure to complete the OH questionnaire fully came to light, the uni would be entitled to throw you off the course immediately.

Under the DDA, unis are required to make 'reasonable adjustments' but that does not mean that they can't decide that you are unlikely to be able to cope with the day to day demands of the course. If they can objectively defend that position, you would not be entitled to insist that they did offer you a place.

Reply 28

TwilightKnight

In all honesty, I believe that if most of were put under the microscope, Psychiatrists and Clinicians would find something 'wrong' with us. It's unfair that those who have been diagnosed with fairly mild mental and physical problems who can potentially be denied while others with the same problems go undiagnosed and worry free.

I've been advised about 4 times in the past by people in the know to be checked for OCD because I have a habit of taking things apart and putting them back together and Aspergers because I sit there and dedicate myself to a task for 18-20 hours a day while ignoring any sources of distraction, including people. I never have because I would rather be labelled as intrigued with how something works and committed than be told I have something 'wrong' with me. If it doesn't affect me socially or mentally (other than the effects), then there shouldn't be any reason to put a label on it.

Similarly, with you - it doesn't affect how you would be with patients if it is as mild as you say it is, and, if anything, it can work to your advantage when it comes to studying and dedicating yourself to a task. You're already diagnosed, so the best thing to do is just say "Yes, I have Asperbers, but it doesn't cause X and helps me with Y". In that regard, they can only help you, not hinder you. Having said that, I would consider wholly if you think that getting into Medicine is the best idea. Have you considered fully the implications of studying with Aspergers? Are you 100% convinced it will not be a problem and that you are in the same boat as every other applicant?

You CANNOT, with a known disorder or health problem, deny it to Occupational Health. When you apply to a University for Medicine and get an offer, they will send you a form to complete that you have to outline you medical history and vaccinations etc on. If you lie on this form, you are no longer 'immune' to discrimination and they can kick you off the course if they so wish. If you admit that you have a health problem, they can only advise.