Is there a difference between Asperger's Syndrome and High-Functioing Autism?

Answer 1

Children with Autism (high functioning or not) have language delays. Children with Asperger's have relatively normal language development. Children with autism are frequently seen as aloof and uninterested in others. This is not the case with Asperger's Disorder. Individuals with Asperger's Disorder usually want to fit in and have interaction with others; they simply don't know how to do it. They may be socially awkward, not understanding conventional social rules, or may show a lack of empathy. They may have limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures.
Another distinction between Asperger's Disorder and autism concerns cognitive ability. While some individuals with Autism experience mental retardation, by definition a person with Asperger's Disorder cannot possess a "clinically significant" cognitive delay and most possess an average to above average intelligence.
While motor difficulties are not a specific criteria for Asperger's, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy or awkward.

Answer 2

Really, the only difference is that people with Asperger's developed speech at normal age in their childhood. Their speech may have been odd, even robotic, but it was there & fully functioning.

"High- Functioning" is a bit more of a general term. It makes no destinction based on onset of speech.

Some people suspect Einstein had HF Autism. But he didn't speak until he was 4 or so, & still had speech problems at age 8, so he would not be classified as autistic.

Answer 3

Yes, Asperger's is a form of Autism, but their mental function is normal, even high on the IQ scale. Their social functions are impaired, but not to the degree with Autism. Most people with Autism are "cut off" from the rest of the world, to various degrees. A high functioning autistic person is one who has learned to adapt, to a small degree, and function in "normal" society, to an extent. Often it is very hard to tell if a person with Asperger's has it. Even with someone who is "high functioning Autism", you could tell that they are Autistic.

Answer 4

Yes.
Here is a quote from an online article:

"If an individual meets all of the criteria for HFA (high-Functioning Autism) except communicative abnormality/history of language delay, they are said to have Asperger's syndrome (AS)."