Do all autistics have special abilities?

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I heard my two coworkers talking, and one was saying how her autistic nephew who is 3 could type a command into the phone for their electronics to work because he mimics everything. My other coworker said to her that she knew someone with autism who could memorize everyone's name in a large office building and how autistics have special abilities like that. It got me thinking, is that a qualifier for autism, or is it one of those savant type abilities that only some have? I sure don't have any special abilities like that, not that I know of.

Everyone has things they are good at and not good at. It's not limited to autistic people.

No, and I don't believe my " autism is a super power" either. Perpetuation of this myth has contributed to misunderstanding of the nature of autism in general.

We all have strengths and weaknesses.

The idea that every autistic person is a Rainman or a Thomas E dison or an Einstein is false. See above note about misunderstanding the nature of autism.

I don't believe my autism is a "gift". ditto.

My opinion may vary from others.

I don’t have any “special abilities.”

Like others are saying…I’m good at some things, and bad at others.

Agree with the others, this superpower thing is a myth.

>>> returns to boiling the kettle with laser beams shot from my eyes.

^prefer the self-contained, electric kettle which boils water within maybe a minute.

I think that many Autistic people have more abilities than they know b/c of invalidating, non-supportive environments. That in supportive environments they would find them. I can see that in too many classrooms Autistic children are treated as if they are incapable and they don't realize what they can do. Not every child would have savant abilities, but they would have solid abilities previously unidentified.

For those that do have "special" abilities how do they apply in real life, aside glaring lack of skills in other areas? I have superior visual processing - um, ok. My ASD BFF recalls people's birthdates and license plate numbers despite herself - again - um, ok. I was worked in design (until I was bullied out) and she works with information (and was bullied), so "special" skills maybe helpful?

The diagnostic criteria for autism say nothing about "special abilities"

Besides then you have to define "special abilities"

When you say "all" if there is one exception the whole statement, false

Practically every mother thinks her children are "special", and that their every act reveals their "special abilities".

Thanks for the replies, so it is a misconception. That is a relief because I sure don't feel like superwoman or anything. I guess my special abilities are being awkward and hating sudden loud noises.

NTs can have special abilities too.

I'm good at storing lots of memories from my past, enough to be able to write an autobiography about my life. It's just about the only thing my brain can store, apart from people's names, faces and birthdays. I can't store logical facts like other autistics can.

I'm good at spelling and writing articulately. And I have a very creative mind, I like working on art or writing projects (although it takes me a while due to short attention span). I can also play the keyboard but only with one hand.

I guess that's one way mothers can approach autism. My own mother flat out denies I have it and claims the psychiatric team which evaluated me (the same people who were pushing me to get a diagnosis) made a mistake. In my mother's world autistic people are crazy loners at the lowest stratum of society, worthy only of pity or contempt.

If we're talking about quirky abilities that can be pretended to be signs of genius, I can divide an B4 sheet of paper into two perfect halves with a 0.016% margin of error using only my eyes and a pen, but my mother would never boast about that.

To be fair on myself, I have a very good memory that is almost certainly part of Autism, because they've found that association between the two. It's the simplest explanation for why I have it. Of course, it comes with the deficits of Autism. It's one of those gifts and curses as I don't really forget anything, both the good and bad.

My special ability is being an absolute idiot. I'm pretty good at that.