‘Autistic Spectrum’ Questions at Ask the Psychologist: Online Clinical Psychologist

Q: What is the difference between Hyperlexia, Asperger’s Disorder, and giftedness in children? Also, are there really any Indigo children or is this just a term used by parents who can’t accept that their child has a disability?
I’m hoping your answer will help many people who, like me, can’t readily differentiate between these concepts.

A: Hyperlexia [...]

Q: I was reading up on Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) because my mother thinks I might have it. I don’t think I have ADD, but I did come across something that caught my attention and described me to an extent. The issue I stumbled across is called “hyperfocus.” I am able to focus very intently [...]

Q: My adult son’s psychopathic grandmother is controlling his life and destroying his independence. My son is 22 years old and has Asperger’s Syndrome. Because of this, he is somewhat naïve and easily manipulated. His grandmother has taken advantage of these traits and completely derailed the plans he once had for his future.
I thought I [...]

Q: I have always known that I was different but haven’t been able to figure out exactly why.
When I was in kindergarten, I wasn’t interested in other children. And even during the times I was interested, I didn’t know how to play with them. I also had some motor skills problems, so I wasn’t very [...]

Q: What is the clinical relationships between Asperger’s Syndrome and Photophobia? I have seen on a couple of websites that Asperger’s can be a cause of Photophobia, but the sites are a bit iffy on a direct link. I have Asperger’s myself and I also have Photophobia. I’m just wondering if there’s any clinical correlation, [...]