Is Aspergers possible without social difficulty; what slse could it be?

[BigSnoopy]

Just asking for my own piece of mind, but my brother is an adult, never tested for AS, but the more I learn, I wonder. A recent MRI revealed slight Dandy-Walker, but not enough to need the shunt; h has congenial vision/hearing losses.

He can be rather literal. He has trouble communicating concerns, and when he tries he can ramble a lot. He's very bright, and retains a lot of what he reads - he loves reading, & has lots of interests. However, he would read a few books over and over from the library later than most. He also trouble getting used to new patterns. At times, if he's "zoned out" thinking, he will rock a little as I've heard those with AS do. He focuses intensely on things - like a Chronology he did, with others' input, for "Full House," sorting episodes (and books) on the calendar, writing stuff in between, before, and after to explain so-called inconsistencies, etc.. He exhibits no echolalia of speech, but he reports echolalia of thought at rare times. He says to understand people or situations; he tends to sort of "become" that person in his mind to envision how they might think.

However, he interacts well socially. When younger he had to be encouraged a lot. He had plenty of imaginary friends as a kid. He loves to laugh and joke with human friends now - one of his biggest problems was when some school friends started swearing and telling dirtier jokes as they got into college, as he felt they were "always supposed to be nice," as he says, but now he has friends at his church who enjoy good, clean fun and don’t swear. He'll do lots of stuff with them, like with the friends he met in college when he was there. When he sees people accept him, he doesn't have any real problems - he says it's like there's some inner monologue saying, "These people like me."

Is it possible to have AS and not have the social interaction problems? Could it just be how low vision/hearing?

Thanks.

[Jessica L Thomason Sassi, Ph.D., BCBA]

Asperger's Disorder is diagnosed based on significantly impaired social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.  Although there is certainly individual differences in how strongly those characteristics present themselves, the diagnosis is made only if both (social and restricted interests) characteristics are present and if they cause significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Based on your description, it doesn't sound as though those criteria are met; however, only a professional doing an in-person evaluation will be able to make a diagnosis.

Best of luck to you and your brother.