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