Autism is a spectrum disorder with a wide range of symptoms and causes. The three basic classes of autistic disabilities are communication impairment, impaired social functioning, and lack of imaginative thinking. People on the high end of the spectrum may be successful in specialized fields. The study of autism is incomplete, and there is much debate about what constitutes disability.
The autism spectrum is a term for a spectrum along which people can be placed based on the autistic traits they demonstrate. The “low end” of the autism spectrum would be full-blown, extremely low functioning autism. The “high end” of the autism spectrum would include people who behave almost completely normally, or might even be considered overly socialized.
Autism in general is described as a disability that results from problems with the central nervous system. It includes a wide range of symptoms, which in many cases are open to debate, and the causes are not yet fully understood in all diagnosed cases. Autism can usually be detected before the age of three, and a few warning traits can help identify the disability early.
The three basic classes of autistic disabilities are communication impairment, impaired social functioning, and lack of imaginative thinking. Often manifesting as autistic traits are a set of disabilities related to problems with sensory input or control.
Communication impairment can manifest itself as a number of things, including: repetitive use of the same sentences or entire sentences; an extremely delayed start to learning language or speaking; inability to understand figures of speech, relying instead on literal interpretations; inability to understand nonverbal cues and communication; an extreme use of formal and stilted language. While there are many other traits on the autism spectrum, these are some of the most common and easy to recognize.
Social impairment can manifest itself in, among other things: lack of empathy; general embarrassment; inability to detect fraud or being scammed; concise, clipped social interactions; failure, or lack of desire to make friends; constant avoidance of eye contact.
Imaginative impairment generally manifests as: an inability to fully grasp abstract ways of thinking; use of poetic speech; obsessive attention; meticulous attention to detail; inability to grasp things as a unified whole; almost slavish commitment to routine.
It’s important to note that most people who fall on the autism spectrum will exhibit only a small number of these characteristics – in fact, that’s why such a spectrum exists. A person who is found to be afflicted with several of these traits is likely to be very “low functioning” on the autistic spectrum. Someone who shows only a handful may have never been diagnosed as autistic and would be very high on the autistic spectrum.
Some of these traits, as you can probably see by examining them closely, may even prove useful in some circumstances. Many people who fall on the high end of the autism spectrum are found to be successful in specialized fields. For example, someone on the high autism spectrum who has an obsessive focus and incredible attention to detail can do very well as an engineer or in certain sciences. Many of these environments do not require high levels of social functioning, allowing people who might once have been considered highly dysfunctional to thrive.
Finally, it should be noted that the autism spectrum is far from perfect. The study of autism is incomplete, and there is much debate about what exactly does and does not constitute disability.
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