HFA / AS differential dx - language delay

[Hamandcheese]

My DS is in the (long, long) process of assessment for ASD.

One of the areas of discussion ATM is would he be dx with AS or with HFA.

I understand that the difference is around language delay - could someone elaborate for me? And is clarity of speech / pronunciation (rather than vocab / sentences etc) relevant?

Thanks,

[TotalChaos]

I am going down a similar path re:diagnosis with DS.

I think there are 2 sets of guidelines used for diagnosis (DSM and ?Gillberg). Where the DSM set (the more usual set I understand) is that for a diagnosis of AS, there is no clinically significant language delay - i.e single words used by age 2, communicative phrases used by age 3). I understand the other more modern guidelines are less rigid about the language problems.

I think that the vocab/sentences are more significant than pronunciation.

If you put "AS DSM diagnosis speech delay" into google, you will bring up lots of articles/info on this topic.

[coppertop]

Ds1 didn't start talking until he was around 3yrs and so was given a dx of HFA. Ds2 had some words by the age of 2yrs and was given a dx of AS. It doesn't seem to be set in stone though as our Paed uses the 2 terms interchangeably and so some reports talk about ds2's AS while others mention HFA. It can be very confusing.

AFAIK pronunciation doesn't seem to be taken into account.

[ladygrinningsoul]

Yes, we had the same:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/1373/349137

DS was using sentences by the time of the DX (at 3.8) but with weird grammar. Vocab and pronunciation have never been a problem.

FWIW the pros I dealt with seemed to think HFA was the "better" DX as far as getting help & services went.

How old is your DS?