What is "developmental delays" in relation to autism?

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I have often seen parents talk about their children as being diagnosed with "Autism and developmental delays", but I thought autism was a developmental delay in and itself. Are they perhaps referring to something comorbid such as an intellectual disability?

I think it means stuff like learning to talk at a later age.

They say kids with Aspergers are typically about 2/3 their age in social development. That might be what they mean.

If so, I think that's a bit misleading, because autism is more about the brain developing differently than more slowly. "Delay" suggests people can catch up to "normal", but that's not exactly what happens, it's more about learning to compensate for the differences, I think.

Sounds like the usual kind of misunderstanding.