| Autism presents in a wide degree, from | | | | that autistic individuals with a high |
| those who are nearly dysfunctional and | | | | level of intellectual functioning in |
| apparently mentally disabled to those | | | | fact have Asperger's syndrome, or that |
| whose symptoms are mild or remedied | | | | both types are merely 'geeks' with a |
| enough to appear unexceptional | | | | medical label. The popular depiction of |
| ("normal") to others. Although not used | | | | autism in the media has been of |
| or accepted by professionals or within | | | | relatively severe cases (for example, as |
| the literature, autistic individuals are | | | | seen in the films Rain Man and Mercury |
| often divided into those with an IQ<80 | | | | Rising), and in turn many close friends |
| referred to as having "low-functioning | | | | and relatives of those who have been |
| autism" (LFA), while those with IQ>80 | | | | diagnosed in the autistic spectrum |
| are referred to as having | | | | choose to speak of their loved ones as |
| "high-functioning autism" (HFA).[48] Low | | | | having Asperger's syndrome rather than |
| and high functioning are more generally | | | | autism. |
| applied to how well an individual can | | | | The extent to which someone with higher |
| accomplish activities of daily living, | | | | functioning autism or Asperger's |
| rather than to IQ. The terms low and | | | | syndrome may excel is theoretically |
| high functioning are controversial and | | | | quite high. For example, Henry |
| not all autistics accept these labels. | | | | Cavendish, one of history's foremost |
| Additionally, a recent review questioned | | | | scientists, may have been autistic. |
| the validity of IQ testing of autistic | | | | George Wilson, a notable chemist and |
| people. | | | | physician, wrote a book about Cavendish |
| This discrepancy can lead to confusion | | | | entitled, "The Life of the Honourable |
| among service providers who equate IQ | | | | Henry Cavendish", published in 1851. |
| with functioning and may refuse to serve | | | | From Wilson's detailed description it |
| high-IQ autistic people who are severely | | | | seems that while Cavendish may have |
| compromised in their ability to perform | | | | exhibited many classic signs of autism, |
| daily living tasks, or may fail to | | | | he nevertheless had an extraordinary |
| recognize the intellectual potential of | | | | mind. |
| many autistic people who are considered | | | | Autism as a spectrum disorder |
| LFA. For example, some professionals | | | | Another view of these disorders is that |
| refuse to recognize autistics who can | | | | they are on a continuum known as |
| speak or write as being autistic at all, | | | | autistic spectrum disorders. Autism |
| because they still think of autism as a | | | | spectrum disorder is an increasingly |
| communication disorder so severe that no | | | | popular term that refers to a broad |
| speech or writing is possible. | | | | definition of autism including the |
| As a consequence, many | | | | classic form of the disorder as well as |
| "high-functioning" autistic persons, and | | | | closely related conditions such as |
| autistic people with a relatively high | | | | PDD-NOS and Asperger's syndrome. |
| IQ, are under diagnosed, thus making the | | | | Although the classic form of autism can |
| claim that "autism implies retardation" | | | | be easily distinguished from other forms |
| self-fulfilling. The number of people | | | | of autism spectrum disorder, the terms |
| diagnosed with LFA is not rising quite | | | | are often used interchangeably. |
| as sharply as HFA, indicating that at | | | | A related continuum, Sensory Integration |
| least part of the explanation for the | | | | Dysfunction, involves how well humans |
| apparent rise is probably better | | | | integrate the information they receive |
| diagnostics. Many also think that ASD's | | | | from their senses. Autism, Asperger's |
| are being over diagnosed: (1) because | | | | syndrome, and Sensory Integration |
| the growth in the number and complexity | | | | Dysfunction are all closely related and |
| of symptoms associated with autism has | | | | overlap. |
| increased the chances professionals will | | | | Some people believe that there might be |
| erroneously diagnose autism and (2) | | | | two manifestations of classical autism, |
| because the growth in services and | | | | regressive autism and early infantile |
| therapies for autism has increased the | | | | autism. Early infantile autism is |
| number who falsely qualify for those | | | | present at birth while regressive autism |
| often free services and therapies. | | | | begins before the age of 3 and often |
| Asperger's and Kanner's syndromes | | | | around 18 months. Although this causes |
| In the current Diagnostic and | | | | some controversy over when the |
| Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders | | | | neurological differences involved in |
| (DSM-IV-TR), the most significant | | | | autism truly begin, some speculate that |
| difference between Autistic Disorder | | | | an environmental influence or toxin |
| (also known as Kanner's syndrome) and | | | | triggers the disorder. This triggering |
| Asperger's syndrome is that a diagnosis | | | | could occur during gestation due to a |
| of the former includes the observation | | | | toxin that enters the mother's body and |
| of "delays or abnormal functioning in at | | | | is transferred to the fetus. The |
| least one of the following areas, with | | | | triggering could also occur after birth |
| onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social | | | | during the crucial early nervous system |
| interaction, (2) language as used in | | | | development of the child. |
| social communication, or (3) symbolic or | | | | A paper published in 2006 concerning the |
| imaginative play", while a diagnosis of | | | | behavioral, cognitive, and genetic bases |
| Asperger's syndrome observes "no | | | | of autism argues that autism should |
| clinically significant delay" in the | | | | perhaps not be seen as a single |
| latter two of these areas. | | | | disorder, but rather as a set of |
| While the DSM-IV does not include level | | | | distinct symptoms (social difficulties, |
| of intellectual functioning in the | | | | communicative difficulties and |
| diagnosis, the fact that those with | | | | repetitive behaviors) that have their |
| Asperger's syndrome tend to perform | | | | own distinct causes. An implication of |
| better than those with Kanner's autism | | | | this would be that a search for a "cure" |
| has produced a popular conception that | | | | for autism is unlikely to succeed if it |
| Asperger's syndrome is synonymous with | | | | is not examined as separate, albeit |
| "higher-functioning autism", or that it | | | | overlapping and commonly co-occurring, |
| is a lesser disorder than autism. | | | | disorders. |
| Similarly, there is a popular conception | | | | |