High-functioning autism was historically an autism classification where a person exhibits no intellectual disability, but may exhibit deficits in communication, emotion recognition and expression, and social interaction.
While autism is a clinical diagnosis based on specific diagnostic criteria, the specification of high-functioning autism is not. Instead, it is a judgment of a person's ability to function in society. Therefore, different medical professionals may disagree about who is high-functioning and who is not.
High-functioning autism usually refers to people with autism who have no intellectual disability, or delay in verbal speech development, and whose symptoms of autism has less of an impact on their daily life.
Whether a person with autism can live a "normal" life depends on the level of their condition. Those with mild autism are typically able to live independently, get an education, hold a job, and so on. This is not to say that this won't come with some challenges, however.
finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling. getting very anxious about social situations. finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to.
Defining the Traits and Behaviors of Level 1 Autism
Difficulty switching between activities. Problems with executive functioning which hinder independence. Atypical response to others in social situations. Difficulty initiating social interactions and maintaining reciprocity in social interaction.
Many individuals with high-functioning autism are diagnosed later in life. Their autism often goes unnoticed due to average or higher than average intellect. Furthermore, in order to fit in many individuals with autism work very hard to mask or hide their autistic traits.
Difficulty Communicating and Awkward Communication
Signs that someone is finding it difficult to communicate include: – Difficulty reading social cues and participating in conversations. – Difficulty empathizing with other people's thoughts and feelings. – Struggling to read people's body language or facial expressions.
The principal difference between autism and what was once diagnosed as Asperger's is that the latter features milder symptoms and an absence of language delays. Most children who were previously diagnosed with Asperger's have good language skills but may have difficulty “fitting in” with their peers.
Autism characteristics can change significantly from ages 3 to 11.
While ADHD can make it difficult to focus, sit still, or control impulses, autism can limit a person's scope of interests or affect social skills and learning abilities. ADHD and autism often share symptoms, like difficulty communicating or concentrating. Additionally, it's possible that the conditions are connected.
A meltdown for a teen with high-functioning autism and anger can last just a few minutes to several hours. Remember that these meltdowns are not an attempt to manipulate you to get something they want. Angry outbursts are typically a cry for help when they are overwhelmed and unable to stop themselves.
Long-term research that involved following a group of individuals with autism for two decades indicates that the average life expectancy for some autistic people is about 39 years.
During a meltdown, we found that most autistics described feeling overwhelmed by information, senses, and social and emotional stress. They often felt extreme emotions, such as anger, sadness, and fear, and had trouble with thinking and memory during the meltdown.
People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms.
High functioning autism (HFA) is a subtype of autism that describes individuals with average or above-average intelligence and language skills, but who still struggle with social communication and behavior. Like other forms of autism, HFA symptoms can change over time, but it does not necessarily get worse with age.
Though autistic people may respond to emotions and social cues differently than neurotypical people, this does not mean they lack empathy. Just like neurotypical people, levels of empathy vary between autistic individuals.
If you still hear people use some of the older terms, you'll want to know what they mean: Asperger's syndrome. This is on the milder end of the autism spectrum. A person with Asperger's may be very intelligent and able to handle their daily life.
ASD Level 1 – Level 1 ASD is currently the lowest classification. Those on this level will require some support to help with issues like inhibited social interaction and lack of organization and planning skills.
Level 2 Autism
Examples of issues for those with level two autism include: Have more significant problems when it comes to both verbal and also non-verbal communication. Talk in simple, single sentences. Elicit repetitive behaviors.