It causes impaired language and communication skills as well as repetitive or restrictive thinking and behavior. People diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome typically have high intelligence and no speech delays. However, they tend to play, learn, speak, and act differently from others.
Those with Asperger's syndrome, in contrast, must by definition have suffered no cognitive delay during their first 3 years of life. This means that they will usually have at least a “normal” IQ. In some cases, their IQ may be very high, even in the genius range.
Nevertheless, one clinical study with slightly more precise information on IQ in ASD reported that 23% of the participants had an IQ < 85, while 45% had an average IQ, and 32% had an IQ above average (10).
The Disorder
There is no doubt that a gifted child can have Asperger's Disorder and that this combination has a profound impact on both social interactions and schooling (Amend & Schuler, 2004; Cash, 1999; Neihart, 2000).
Some Aspergers investigators hypothesize that well-known figures, such as Thomas Jefferson, Jeremy Bentham, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Glenn Gould and Ludwig Wittgenstein had Aspergers because they showed some Aspergers-related tendencies or behaviors, such as intense interest in one subject, and/or social problems ...
'High functioning autism' is a term often used for individuals diagnosed with ASD who have an intelligence quotient (IQ) estimate of 70 or above.
Autism Corner: Personality Types in Asperger's: Fixated, Disruptive, Approach and Avoidant. Fixated Personality–The fixated personality type can be characterized by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and the need to control one's environment (e.g., to have things in a particular order).
Research shows that more than half of all autistic individuals have an above-average IQ, while roughly 16% have an IQ higher than 130. But having high intelligence doesn't mean that autistic individuals don't experience some challenges associated with the diagnosis.
Like, is Elon Musk a genius? It answered, Elon Musk's IQ is reported to be 155, which is very high compared to the average of 100.
Individuals with ASDs commonly have a low frustration tolerance and significant irritability. They may report that they alternate from calm to extreme anger very quickly. There have been several studies that suggest individuals with ASDs have difficulty understanding and interpreting their own emotions.
Unlike children with autism, those with Asperger syndrome do not exhibit delays in language development; however, they often have difficulty with the pragmatic, or social, aspects of language, such as taking turns during a conversation or incorporating appropriate emotional intonation into their speech.
Asperger's is now considered a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum and is no longer considered a separate diagnosis. Individuals with Asperger's have often not been viewed as having a developmental disability due to commonly being characterized as having standard or higher than average intelligence.
Savants with autism typically show amazing skill within one or more general ability domains. Mathematical, artistic, musical, spatial and mechanical abilities are most common. Most savants have a single skills but some have been reported to have more than one.
The Asperger's mind enjoys and focuses on details, while the normal mind is more skilled at assembling whole concepts from details. Some people with Asperger's are visual thinkers and others are math, music, or number thinkers, but all think in specifics.
It is not always possible to know if someone has Asperger's (now called “autism spectrum disorder,” and was formerly called "high-functioning autism"), which causes people to have difficulty in social interactions, but most people with Asperger's have difficulty relating to others in some form.
While some autistic people have exceptional cognitive abilities, others may have intellectual disabilities. According to a study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, about 40% of autistic people have an intellectual disability, while the rest have average or above-average intelligence.
Up to 90 percent of people with autism are either overly sensitive to sound, sight, taste, smell or touch, or barely notice them at all. Some seek out sensations by, for example, spinning in circles or stroking items with particular textures.
Savant syndrome is a rare, but extraordinary, condition in which persons with serious mental disabilities, including autistic disorder, have some 'island of genius' which stands in marked, incongruous contrast to overall handicap.