Can someone with Asperger's give birth to a low-functioning Autistic?
Okay I was diagnosed with AS when I was very young (not sure of exact age but younger then 5). I've always wanted to be a parent, never a doubt in my mind. Then today, out of no where, the thought pops into my head. Is this genetic? I have looked over several links over the last hour or so and most agree that is possible to be passed down. That made me feel bad enough, thinking that I could potentially pass AS down to my children one day (my husband does not have any ASD as far as I know). Then I find something else out. I have only truly known what AS is for the last 3-4 years, and when first started looking it up I saw it defined as an ASD (Austism Spectrum Disorder). I thought it was a term saying it was like Autism, but outside the circle. Then I find out that full blown Autism and ASD are the same thing. Now I'm scared to death that I not only have the potential of passing on AS to my future children, but that they could develop full blown, low functioning, autism as too.
I have been looking and looking trying to find an answer to my question. Can someone with Asperger's, a high functioning form of Autism (not a distance cousin), give birth to a low functioning autisic child? I have found site after site but practically all of them address children, not adults. I'm driving myself crazy and I haven't even been at this for that long it seems like. And when ever I feel the frustration taking over and know I'll have a melt-down I always know I can count on someone around AMHD to know the answer or be able to type the right info into Google that I can't seem to. Please... please help me :(
Edit: I would just like to clarify. This is not a question of being able to pass on an ASD at all. Right now from what I've read it is possible for someone with an ASD to pass it to their kids. So it's not so much a question of passing on an ASD as does the ASD change. Like if I have kids will they have a likely hood of having Asperger's Syndrom like I do? Or are they likely to have any of the ASD's on the spectrum? So more of a question of WHAT rather then IF.