Aspergers and a learning disability?

Hello.  I have a question.  Could someone with aspergers also have a learning disability.  By disability I mean learning slower and not comprehending in class.  Could someone with aspergers also excel in one subject. . . . Say language? And does it seem like aspergers if a person, in adulthood, overcame most of their learning disability (not so slow anymore) but still carry the social awkwardness and other traits of aspergers? What I am getting at is, can someone lack comprehension in school but still have aspergers? I keep reading that people who have aspergers are usually of normal to high intelligence. Sorry if my questions aren't making much sense I have been up all night lol.

[GirlTalk2012]

Can someone who is of a lower intelligence still have it?

[Nebraska2]

I actually have High functioning Asbergers. I do things just like anyone else does. Thou making friends is pretty hard sometimes. There are different Degree of Asbergers Syndrome. I also have ADHD. So it is possible to have a Learning disablity with Asbergers.

[Etiean]

Yep. It happens with me. My aspergers and the attention to details with a major focus on science has given me understanding several magnitudes higher than most.

This means that on the standardized tests at school, I score in the 99th percentile in Science. Literally in the top percent. But see, they thought I cheated at first.

Because on the math portion, I scored in the 56th percentile. I simply do not get math. Everything about it confuses me, and despite many years of trying, I cant figure it out.

[ducky406]

Aspergers is usually classified as a high functioning form of autism. However, it's still a very fluid and confusing diagnoses. And just because someone is "high functioning" doesn't mean they excel in all things or are even at least at average level for all things.

Again, just echoing here. I'm pretty sure my brother has aspergers (refuses to talk to a doctor about it). He excels amazingly at math and science. So on the SAT he almost got a perfect score for math (missed one question). BUT he only has average language and reading skills, so he only got an average score on the math section.

My nephew also has aspergers and ADD. At first his teacher thought he needed to be put into a slower group because he just didn't seem to care or do his work.  After talking to him though, they put him into a math class 3 years above his own. So people are definitely misdiagnosed as far as their intelligence goes. His reading also pretty good, in kindergarten he read the book to the teacher, adorably thinking she couldn't read and that's why she was asking what the words said.  HOWEVER, writing he honestly struggles with writing techniques. He would rather make a list of answers than write a fluid paragraph- "the question is still answered". He doesn't see the point of wasting time and so jumbles up his writing and has ignores with grammar.

So a person with Aspergers could have lower than average intelligence, because the diagnose for aspergers isn't solid. It's also definitely possible to have learning disabilities on top of the asperger's. But it's also very easy to underestimate someone's intelligence if you don't put in the time or effort to get to know them. Definitely true with my brother, unless you can get him to talk to you or see him do a math test he just looks like an average uni drop out.

[ed1111]

My son has aspergers and is in a special ed class. He does not do well with large class sizes. He is extremely smart in some areas but not in others. He has a large vocabulary and speaks very well but if he writes it looks like a first graders writing. He is in 8th grade. So the answer is yes.

[breakingdawn19975]

hi my name is terri my daughter is 15 and she has adhd learning disability odd ocd mood disorder  aspergers and its soo hard to see her go through this she cant make friends or keep them she gets angry and bored very easly . alot of kids dont like my daughter they say she is very annoying and she bothers ppl for stuff she gets in trouble in school.im finally getting help for her so i hope it helps her i really feel bad for her she gets depressed because nobody wants to hang out with her  and then she gets sad at her age she should be with friends not at home being bored and she wont go for activity the kids make fun of her at school for the way she walks she cant help it some kids can be sooo mean i wish they would give my daughter a chance they know she is different thats why they wont be her friend i think its really mean of them let me know what you think thank you terri

[ducky406]

Has your daughter not been taught the basic "social ques" for example some people who are "higher functioning" can be taught that certain body language may mean certain things. This can help them see that "oh I'm talking too much aren't I?" Perhaps you can help her memorize these skills so that she is better able to deal with her peers.

How is she bored? Remember you don't have to leave her schooling all up to her school. This is one of the amazing things about being a parent, you have a say. Talk to her teachers, talk to her, about what you can do to help push her so she isn't so bored.

Also help her to know that the people who make her feel like crap, aren't worth it. They probably never had to endure anything remotely like her physical/educational/emotional difficulties. What matters is how she feels about herself. She is beautiful; she is unique everyone else can get over it.

[breakingdawn19975]

thank you she has low self esteem so she thinks she is ugly and i tell her she is pretty .and beautiful i told her to ignore the mean kids they are not worth her time and im gonna try and get her into some program where she can meet new friends and i know somebody that can help my daughter be good in school and to watch her

[tiffanyeverhart]

hi my name is tiffany my son is 6 and has just been diagnosed with aspergers n he has adhd at school they ran tests plus i did my own at childrens hospital they are awsome. at school he is in kindergarten in math they said hes doing 3rd grade level math but reading n language is below a kindergarten level its hard to understand him at times bc he cant pronounce words correctly i had him in speech last yr bc i couldnt even understand him n this yr the school wont give it to him. I have a really hard time getting him to eat i dont know what to do hes loosing weight all the time hes down to 39lbs im scared hes going to end up in the hospital hes also complaining of headaches he gets them so bad he throws up with them pls help me help him any advice i would be forever thankful

[tiffanyeverhart]

hi my name is tiffany my son is 6 and has just been diagnosed with aspergers n he has adhd at school they ran tests plus i did my own at childrens hospital they are awsome. at school he is in kindergarten in math they said hes doing 3rd grade level math but reading n language is below a kindergarten level its hard to understand him at times bc he cant pronounce words correctly i had him in speech last yr bc i couldnt even understand him n this yr the school wont give it to him. I have a really hard time getting him to eat i dont know what to do hes loosing weight all the time hes down to 39lbs im scared hes going to end up in the hospital hes also complaining of headaches he gets them so bad he throws up with them pls help me help him any advice i would be forever thankful

[mybabies04]

Oh yes a child with aspergers can have a learning disability. My daughter was diagnosed with aspergers at 5 and she is 7 she also was diagnosed with OCD and PDD (pre developmental delay) instead of mentally being 7 she is 5 always 2 years behind. There are some things that she can do way better than other things like playing the x-box or riding Herr bike she does wonderful her miter skills are at 100% or more but reading she can't do math she can't do and she gets frustrated and breaks down...but since I learned what she was diagnosed with I have been able to help her so much more. I hope this helps if you want to talk feel free to message me :)
Natasha

[thatsdaved358]

i would take him to a doctor to see wy he's not eating and i know why he's getting head aches its because he's not eating it's a good chance he may have a little depression because of the aspergers and then again children go to that stage were they don't want to eat. i have aspergers also but im an adult in my 40s but i went through bouts were i didn't eat but i would stiil talk to a doctor

[thatsdaved358]

He's probably getting headaches from not eating i know i do and it can make you sick enough to throw up from the headache you might want to make him eat a little even if he doesn't want to my seven year old little cousin is going through a faze were he won't eat kids go through that but i would still take him to a doctor to make sure it nothing serious my niece wouldn't eat good when she was little and she wouldn't talk very much come to find out she had tonsyil iddus her tonsyls were real swollen and red after having them removed you couldn't get her to shut up and she ate like there was no tommorrow and still eats oh and im an aspie too! but im in my 40s my niece is 81/2 now

[brightstarlight]

Hi this also sounds very familiar as my son is just the same, and he has been diagnosed with Asperger's . He won't eat much and can't stand most food because of their texture. It is extremely difficult to get him to eat..so I have come to the conclusion to buy lots of what he likes, it's not the healthiest of foods but at least he's eating more....He is now 14yrs of age and is still set in his rountines as he was only diagnosed at the age of 12yrs, even though I approached the school saying I think my son has Autism..but because I was unaware of the condition I listened to a a primary school teacher saying that I was wrong in my conclusion of way he was acting like he was and that I was helping him to much....I'm so annoyed at my stupidity to listen to a, sorry but pig headed primary teacher who new nothing at all about the condition of Autism, AND HAD THE CHEEK TO SAY THAT,  IT WAS MY FAULT THAT HE BEHAVES LIKE HE DOES THAT BECAUSE I HELP HIM TO MUCH!!!! My son has missed out on early intervention because of the school not picking up on his Autism. As I new nothing about Autism I relied on the professionals who I thought should of known better of the understanding of children behaviour's in socail situation at school! He was very quiet in class, did not socialise with anyone at times, also very clumsy and seemed to be in a world of his own. Hand writing was a mess and reading he did not do well in english.He hated school and his peers took the mick out of him. He does have problems with his digestive system and has alot of headaches and this was looked into. Also local hospital did not pick up on it at all...but eventually I took him to a consultant at another hospital and he told me within the session that my son has Asperger's but we have to do tests to give a proper written diagnosis. It took quite a while to get the diagnosis and was quite stressful for him, He also has a very low opinin of himself and lacks in confidence and the age of 12yrs tried to commit succide as he hated secondary school as he found it very difficult. Now at 14yrs he is home educated and is doing ok, but he so missed out on early intervention, as this would of helped so much on social cues. Theory of mind and so on...Nic

[ElsinoreCopenhagen]

Are you certain that the person you are asking about is not comprehending in class?   They may actually comprehend the material but are unable to communicate that through testing, class discussions, etc.