Autistic people have shorter life expectancy than non-autistic people, partially due to higher risk for genetic and medical issues and partially due to the stress of existing in a world not built for you. Access to appropriate supports can help mitigate this effect.
Autism itself does not affect life expectancy, however research has shown that the mortality risk among individuals with autism is twice as high as the general population, in large part due to drowning and other accidents.
Quality of Life (QoL)
Adults with autism seem to have a poorer QoL throughout their lifespan when compared to neurotypical adults, and when measured with instruments designed for the general population (11, 12).
Drowning is the leading cause of death for autistic children; researchers recommend providing swimming classes immediately following diagnosis. The average age at death for individuals with autism was 36 years younger than for the general population, 36 years of age compared with 72.
The life expectancy for people in the category of Level 1 ASD is the highest among the three. It's slightly lower than the average life expectancy, but the lack of extreme symptoms means that most having the disorder are capable of carrying a normal life.
Death. Triplett died of cancer at home on June 15, 2023. He was the longest-living person known to have autism.
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.
Jeffrey Dahmer, a cannibalistic and necrophiliac serial murderer, was retrospectively diagnosed as an autistic Asperger in 2002. Michael Fitzgerald also identified murderers Ted Bundy and Timothy McVeigh as psychopaths with autism.
Severe autism, diagnosed as level 3, causes debilitating symptoms. Someone with level 3 autism may be non-verbal and be unable to engage with people. Sensory stimuli may be overwhelming. Cognitive deficits are common.
There are many different factors that have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.
Inheritance. ASD has a tendency to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is usually unknown. People with gene changes associated with ASD generally inherit an increased risk of developing the condition, rather than the condition itself.
Autistic people may display a range of strengths and abilities that can be directly related to their diagnosis, including: Learning to read at a very early age (known as hyperlexia). Memorising and learning information quickly. Thinking and learning in a visual way.
While cognitive empathy can be lower in people with autism, affective empathy—which is based on instincts and involuntary responses to the emotions of others—can be strong and overwhelming. In fact, newer research suggests that some people with autism may actually feel other people's emotions more intensely.
Autism doesn't get worse with age, but certain symptoms can become more pronounced and problematic as the child grows older and is more challenged.
Donald Triplett, who was the first person to ever be diagnosed with autism, has died at the age of 89. Triplett was identified as “case 1” in a 1943 paper, which was the first to explore the idea of autism.
Autism characteristics can change significantly from ages 3 to 11.
Autism Prevalence
31% of children with ASD have an intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] <70), 25% are in the borderline range (IQ 71–85), and 44% have IQ scores in the average to above average range (i.e., IQ >85).
It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life. Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a "cure".
Elon Musk - Entrepreneur
Elon Musk announced that he was on the autism spectrum while hosting the show, “Saturday Night Live,” in May 2021. More specifically, he stated that he was “the first person with Asperger's” to host the show. Musk is one of the world's richest people with a net worth of more than $150 billion.
Einstein himself had many autistic traits. He did not learn to speak until he was three, and he had a lack of concern about his appearance.
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.
ADHD is not on the autism spectrum, but they have some of the same symptoms. And having one of these conditions increases the chances of having the other. Experts have changed the way they think about how autism and ADHD are related.