Talk:Todd Hodgetts

Asperger Syndrome
There was a sentence in the article that stated that "Todd Hodges has intellectual impairment" (referenced). Someone had added the words "of Asperger Syndrome", with a reference to an online news article.

No. The story may be that Todd Hodges has intellectual impairment AND Asperger Syndrome. But Asperger Syndrome does not equal "intellectual impairment". On the contrary, Asperger Syndrome might be equated with extreme intellectual brilliance.

"Asperger Syndrome" is often used as a loose definition that means that a person's behaviour places them on the autistic spectrum. It is about behaviour, not intellect.

In order for Todd to be competing as a disabled athlete, his intellectual disability would have been strenuously checked. The reason for this is that in 2000, the Spanish put together a basketball team for the Paralympics that included only two people with intellectual disability. So the checking is now very rigorous.

Asperger Syndrome on its own would never get a person a place on the team. The person must have a functional IQ of below 75, and demonstrate difficulties in comprehension and impaired function. Anyone who understands and functions at high level must compete against Olympic Athletes for a place on the team, not Paralympic athletes.

Amandajm (talk) 07:41, 31 August 2012 (UTC)


 * I was very, very suspicious about this text as well, which is why I initially rolled it back as vandalism. But the IPC classification guide (PDF says nothing about IQ, and says this about intellectual impairment: "Athletes with an intellectual impairment are limited in regards to intellectual functions and their adaptive behaviour, which is diagnosed before the age of 18 years." AS is not an intellectual disability, but it is a developmental disability that affects people's adaptive behaviours. The source I cited says he had mild AS, and so does this source, for whatever it's worth. Graham 87 11:44, 5 October 2012 (UTC)


 * Full T20/F20 criteria in the IPC Athletics Classification Rules and Regulations (PDF), p66-74. Multi-step process, starting with INAS-FID primary eligibility. INAS primary eligibility criteria is based on WHO intellectual disability criteria, and you have to meet all 3: IQ under 75, significantly limitations in adaptive behaviour, onset before 18. Sportygeek (talk) 00:02, 5 February 2013 (UTC)
 * There are people with a diagnosis of Aspergers who don't meet the diagnostic criteria - in one recent study, almost half. They would have been more accurately diagnosed with autism or PDD-NOS. An Aspergers diagnosis is sometimes seen to be less stigmatising. Notably, clinically significant speech, cognitive or adaptive behaviour delays exclude an Aspergers diagnosis. Full DSM IV-TR criteria for all autism spectrum disorders (the recently-approved DSM-5 rolls them together). Sportygeek (talk) 00:02, 5 February 2013 (UTC)
 * In article, perhaps change "Aspergers" to the broader "autism spectrum disorder"? Covers Aspergers (reported diagnosis), but seems to be more technically accurate in context. Also, the latest revision of the DSM eliminated Aspergers as a separate diagnosis. Sportygeek (talk) 00:02, 5 February 2013 (UTC)
 * This discussion is relevant to Jessica-Jane Applegate too, btw - S14 swimmer, reported Aspergers diagnosis. Prompting some discussion of her eligibility. (Heard the same concerns in person from the parent of an S14 swimmer). Sportygeek (talk) 00:02, 5 February 2013 (UTC)