difference between high medium and low functioning autism

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Here are the differences between high functioning, medium functioning, and low functioning autism. Where on the spectrum would you place yourself?



Low Functioning: Those with severe Autism have an IQ below 70 and have problems with self-care and communication. Behaviors may severely affect day-to-day activities. Additionally, frustration about communication and sensory overload can lead to behaviors that disrupt others and may even cause harm to the individual. If forced to deal with a change in routine, an individual may become very angry. Many with low-functioning autism are non-verbal as well. No chance of living independently.


Medium Functioning: Usually an IQ between 70 to 85. Can have some degree of mental retardation. Adults with moderate autism often require assistance, but they can have some level of independence in their jobs and living conditions. When living alone, they may need some assistance from other people. May have problems communicating verbally but are capable of talking. They often appear "special" to other people. Not impaired enough to be considered low-functioning but not intelligent enough to be considered high-functioning.


High Functioning: Those with high-functioning always have at least normal intelligence and often have way above normal intelligence. Verbal skills are usually normal but their non-verbal skills are not as good compared to a neurotypical. Those with high-functioning are capable of living independently, holding down a job, and even getting married. However because of their social skills challenges, they may have a hard time getting a job. They appear "normal" to untrained neurotypicals but may be accused of being nerdy, rude, uninterested, or weird because of their differences.

There are many autistic people who do not fit into one of these three boxes and have traits of more than one.

I agree. Those categories are too narrow.

It is a bit ironic how you can be considered 'high functioning' just for being of average or higher intelligence on the spectrum. I know of some autistic people who are considered 'low functioning' yet are much more happy and have a much better social life than me. Intelligence isn't everything, especially when it comes to actually functioning in society.

Sorry these catsgories are BS and stereotypes, over all they don't fit most people and there are many severely autstics who have very high IQs see Carly Flieshman, Oren it is troubles getting ones body to obey their brain that causes both full nonverbal but also horrible IQ test score!

Over all these categories don't work they are way to narrow! And indaviduals have a mix of all of these traits

I am verbal but I communicate full time through an AAC device because I loose functioning in more important aareas when I loose verbal speech! I test at an iq of 86 but I am engaged, living with a roomate however my last nueropsych that was only a few months ago found my general adaptive functioning to be in the "extremely low" catagory on the ABAS-II there are a lot of things I can technically do but need substantial promotin or need help to do safely, I deal with communication issues on a daily basis as well as sensory challanges, which I use a service dog for. People who know me have trouble believing my IQ is only 86, that is because IQ tests are not accurate at all, I also have a tendency to wander and I have meltdowns that often end in head punching. I am often unaware of what day it is if my routine has been thrown off too. And I will often meltdown or shut down if my routine is changed. My nonverbal communication skills are also pretty severly impaired, oh and apparently I am a near constant stimmed, but I always thought I kept those pretty normal and subtle but maybe not? Socially my friend all also tend to be autistic so........., hygiene wise I need some help and have much more severe impairments when I do get my period. There are several basic self care things like eating I also tend to forget to do, or sometimes I remember but I don't have the spoons to deal with making foos so I just go hungry for the day, so.........I guess I would fit in moderate best? Bit really don't feel I fit any of these and they are extremely restrictive and stereotyping I also have a lot of comorbid disabilities such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, face blindness migraines now predicable tic, anxiety depression ECT which many indaviduals in all ends of the spectrum also have!

I have a good friend who works hpbut has severe sensory issues and migraines that make that hard for her, she is one of the smartest people I know but she has sensory issues at the same level of someone with severe nonverbal autism! So functioning labels really don't work,

I am high-functioning.
I would even say that I was high-functioning before I learned speaking.

From my experience, it's more of a scale of how autism may hinder you in day to day functioning. The IQ limitations are antiquated, and don't seem to be a determining factor in diagnosis nowadays.

Additionally I want to add verbal speech is not linked to IQ or daily living skills or capacity for independent living, there are many who are highly verbal who will never be able to live independently and may pever require 2:1 care!


On the same route my roomate tested at a 210 IQ but she can't figire out how to move a box if something is ontop of it, so in the same right high IQ is not linked to daily living skills or capability to live independenly

In autism studies, higher language ability and higher IQ often go together, as does higher adaptive functioning.
These are general trends, so any individual can be eggseption, but I think it is not justified to dismiss idea that higher IQ is linked with higher language ability or higher adaptive functioning. Instead, it does seem to linked, as found in multiple studies over decades.
Another trend is that ASD+ADHD impairs adaptive functioning more than either alone, which makes sense.

Generally speaking, most people with autism will fall into one category. However there can be exceptions. I know a guy who is quite intelligent but because of his impairments, he has someone follow him around and he cant live independently. Despite his intelligence potential, I would still classify him as medium functioning because of his noticeable impairments.

People with high iq and are quite impaired may have additional issues and life circumstances contributing to their impairments, not only autism, they could have adhd, bipolar, etc, adding to the problems caused by autism alone.

I'm almost entirely the stereotype aspie but i got lucky in life.

I'm high functioning, but I can't get a job to save my life. I get frustrated by how slow life is, filling out a form is so difficult because i get stuck with questions such as "do you consider yourself to have a disability" because i don't. I consider myself a little eccentric and crass but disabled, not really. However, the evidence speaks for itself, I've been going to the same college/university for the last 15 years, I've studied, Math, Philosophy, Business, Japanese, Graphic design, Computing, Law, History (all between A-level and HND) and now am on the second year of an English degree. It just seems no matter what skills i have i've not got the experience to land a position. Though given a chance i can work really well, I volunteered at my local library and within 3 months was the acting chairman.

Being high functioning can be really disheartening at times so i can relate to the phrase 'ignorance is bliss' but at the same time i feel that our way of living is more empathic, we react more strongly to emotion charged situations. It is like our minds are more sensitive to the world and yet we are more distant from it. I can stand in a room and imagine the texture, smell and appearance of almost anything i've seen (more often than not the taste as well as i have a bit of a twinge for licking random object, mainly soap, i lick a lot of soap because i think it smells nice). This sort of thing i would never want to give up to be normal.

Theres aspects i enjoy and one i don't but i follow kaizen (continuous improvement) as a life philosophy and it gives me a sense of motion in a world largely static for me, i never holiday, rarely leave the town and only just have had life happen (i found a fiance on my english course and had a new baby this January). now i realise that who i am and what my values were as an autistic have made more so much the better as a parent, i understand the psychology of babies and children, the concepts of ethics and languages. i can express so many wonderful ideas to my child born from my own fixations, so what if society thinks i'm a waste because i don't work or fit in very well. I am not interested in that anymore, I realise that all the awkwardness of being nerdy and isolated has made me far more concerned for the well being of my child.

I hope you all find what i have, even if you like me sit alone at night and still beg to be normal.

Aperta Verbum
http://apertaverbum.weebly.com/

I'm high IQ, have a job, have been in a relationship for 8 years.

I could not get the job myself, was completely unemployable for years (like vocational rehab deemed me unemployable and they were not supposed to keep working with me, but my caseworker did anyways, because I was trying so hard), and need support in order to keep a part time job. I will never work a full time job.

I cannot live alone. If I live alone I'll do things like not eat. Currently I struggle if I'm left alone too long because I'll forget to eat and end up too hungry and having issues because I'm too hungry - meltdowns come a lot easier, and I get migraines. Oh, and the whole lack of eating itself is a problem. Food intake at all is a good thing.

On the other hand, when I do have others with me, I don't need them to do that much. I struggle with getting myself food, but I can be mostly independent for self-care as long as I'm not alone. I need people around me because I need the passive prompting of people doing self-care for themselves in order to do it for myself. Without the prompting I don't do it. It doesn't matter how hard I try without prompting, and setting up a daily routine doesn't work (I've tried ), I need prompting.

I have sensory issues that mean I dissociate, lose senses, stop being able to use words, chew myself.

I can't drive (legally). I need help with many IADLs.

I also graduated college early.

I go back and visit the college I went to. I'm socially involved with the club I was a member of still. I am someone who will teach social behaviors to people. I'll do it in ways that are socially awkward and not realize that it was until weeks later. (But my way was better anyways. The people who were trying to help that I interacted with awkwardly didn't understand and weren't going to explain it in a way people got, so I just ignored them and treated them like they weren't there and actually explained it to the people who needed help. Thinking back, maybe it was awkward to completely ignore people who were talking, even if I then did teach what was being taught efficiently, when nobody else had any clue how to.)

I'm a nerd and a geek, and visibly so. I don't understand how to act in ways that are that way. I don't see a reason to do otherwise.

I have times where because of overload that I can't leave bed for weeks.
Yet I work in a school.

I go through the halls handflapping, one hand on the wall, following it so that I have any clue where I am, and to keep my balance.
And am told by people that I'm so articulate that I teach them all sorts of things related to autism that they can use to help others.

I'm visible.
And at the same time, I'm someone in a job, relationship, and who's graduated college.
I require assistance.
And yet, I give it out to others.

I'm high functioning. I have average intelligence. I got my drivers license when I was 17 which is actually a lot earlier than people with HFA. In high school there was only me and one other kid out of 17 people with Aspergers who drove to school. Even when older, a good percentage of 20 year old autistics dont have their drivers license.

I still live with my parents but im still relatively young at 20 years old. A lot can happen in 5 years but I would like to be living on my own, have a stable job, and be in at least 1 relationship by the time I reach 25. Getting a girlfriend part will probably be the hardest for me since I am shy and not a good talker around girls.

I have an IQ that's too split to be measured accurately (nonverbal: 94, verbal: 134) but both subscores are within the average to gifted range. I attend university full time and will be graduating with a bachelor's degree in psychology this spring; I intend to go back for my master's after a year or so to develop work experience. I also have a part time job decorating cakes at Wal-Mart, and drive independently.

That said, I didn't get my driver's license until I was 21, and still live at home with my parents. I don't know how to cook beyond using a microwave and a stove top to heat things up (although I'm pretty good at homemade desserts), don't know how to pay bills or clean a house, or even recognise (beyond picking things up off the floor and putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher) when it needs cleaning. I can do laundry, but forget about it and leave it in the washer for so long that it gets musty and needs washing all over again, and I'm inconsistent with personal hygiene (brush my teeth once a day, but go for days at a time before realising I need a shower.) I like to think I'd probably get by okay if I had to live alone, but the overwhelm at having to remember everything that needs doing and when it needs doing by may prove too challenging to do independently.