Those who are considered “high functioning” can more easily read, write, speak, and more independently manage life skills. It is a term that some use to refer to people with autism whose symptoms are not as severe or limiting. “High functioning” autism isn’t an official medical diagnosis. As a result, terms like Asperger’s are no longer in use. In 2013, the DSM-5 was updated to its current version that grouped all autism-related disorders into one term: Autism spectrum disorder. It allowed for the “spectrum” of autism to be utilized, but classified autism into subsets by giving different names to different levels of acuity or characteristics.
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This led to diagnoses of Asperger’s Syndrome and the similarly characterized and often interchangeable high functioning autism. This was due to the recognition that more than just severely affected people could have the disorder. In the 1990s, autism started to be broken down into different forms based on the severity of symptoms. Historically, autism was reserved as a diagnosis for those with severe symptoms. What is high functioning autism? A Bit of Autism Diagnostic History There is a wide variety of symptom types and severity, so this list is not exhaustive, but it is a starting place for understanding the disorder overall.
High functioning autism manual#
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is used by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) as a guide to diagnosing mental disorders. This disorder affects communication, socialization, and behavior. What is Autism?Īutism spectrum disorder ( ASD) can be diagnosed at any age but is known as a developmental disorder because symptoms typically show up in the first few years of a child’s life. If you suspect your child has autism but they don’t display all the early signs, it is still possible that they are on the spectrum and could therefore benefit from therapy. An autism diagnosis can mean you have more severe symptoms or less severe symptoms, but that you still have some symptoms that affect your daily life. Many feel that those with the label of “high-functioning” won’t receive coverage for services that they need. Everyone on the spectrum is an individual. They feel it unfairly characterizes individuals into a set of symptoms. Many people dislike the term “high functioning” autism. Since autism is a spectrum disorder, the characteristics can range in severity.
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