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