Difference between PDD-NOS and Asperger's/HFA?

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I was wondering if someone could please clarify for me the difference between

PDD-NOS and Asperger's/HFA? My son finally had his initial intake appt. at our

local TEACCH center yesterday, and the counselor did agree to refer him for an

ADOS test and evaluation for autism spectrum. Our belief all along has been that

our son has AS, and the counselor could see why, but she also asked me if I had

heard of PDD-NOS. I think that as a " twice exceptional " child, he is perhaps not

very easy to classify or to pin down a dx (the child psychologist from early

intervention referred to him as a puzzle!); it is my impression that PDD-NOS is

a dx for people who are " spectrum-y " (as our developmental therapist says), but

do not clearly fit into the diagnostic criteria for AS or classic autism - is

this an accurate interpretation?

Just to make matters more interesting, the counselor mentioned that at TEACCH,

they consider AS and HFA to be the same thing, and that it is her understanding

that the next edition of the DSM is likely going to no longer list AS as a

separate dx from HFA. She added that they may also lump PDD-NOS into autism too

in the next edition. As soon as I figure out the differences between these dx,

the point may become moot!

Thanks for your help!

Bridget