Different and Alike

This is Big Guy and Little Guy:

One might automatically assume that because they share the same diagnosis and belong to the same family, they would have fairly similar personalities.

While they share some similarities, there are vast differences between them.  That is the nature of a spectrum disorder; a trait which might be severe in one individual could be very mild or even totally missing from another person - even if they're from the same family!

Here is a list of disparities between our two Aspie boys:

BIG GUY                             LITTLE GUY
Withdraws                             Acts out
Repetitive behavior                Sensory issues
Black/White views                 Echolalia
Obsessions                            Perseverance
Introverted                             Extroverted

This list demonstrates the similarities our boys share:

• Social issues
• Sleep problems
• Anxiety
• Aversion to physical touch
• concrete thinking
• Enhanced vocabulary
• Near-perfect memory
• "Gifted" range intelligence

I think it's important to recognize that while those who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder share certain behaviors, they are affected in different ways.  We've certainly seen this within our family, as our two ASD boys express themselves in their own, unique ways.  Our greatest successes have come as we've learned to appreciate our sons as individuals, rather than define them by their diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome.