re: What does "on the autism spectrum" mean?

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(or even Asperger's)

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Has been clinically replaced with:

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"on the spectrum"

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That is in part why “on the spectrum” is getting more use.

Most of you are looking at this as a purely subjective matter. LSU-S psychology department is doing a really good job in measuring these issues in the objective framework. Children suffering from a low to medium degree of autism have a really good chance of improvement and living relatively normal lives IF their condition is found early.

I'm a pure analytical person. Psychology has always been a non-impressive field to me, mostly because of its subjectivity. It is currently being influenced by some objective people and hopefully will end up helping a lot of youngsters.

That Post probably sounded like I don't care.

I do care,for all kids that struggle in any way.With studies,reading,or with social interactions.

I have elementary aged G.Nephews and G.Niece.

So,I do care and hope that progress is made in teaching and in just life in general.

Most media claims about other people being "on the spectrum" are as much bull shite as most other "conjecture" topics they report. It's all just fodder to fill gossip show timeslots and 24 hr news coverage.

On the flip side, for individuals, particularly children, the spectrum is very real. In the past, a lot of these kids were simply called awkward or slow. Now, we have figured out that some of those kids aren't stupid, but they have deficiencies in their abilities to communicate. There is something physically different about spectrum kids' brains. It is a medical abnormality. They do not function the same way. They do not process information the same way. This can lead to some people having strange social ticks that seem out of line with ordinary people, experiencing aversions to loud sounds or light, having difficulties focusing around lots of different sounds, trouble understanding social cues, and a complete inability to understand emotions of other people. Many kids who aren't full blown autistic or Aspergers eventually adapt and grow out of it enough to be functional members of society, but many who are further down the spectrum need a lot more help and training to get to that point.

For example, both myself and a close friend of mine were very similarly on the spectrum when we were middle-school age. We were prone to outbursts, had no ability to read other people, had senses of humor that did not make sense to other people, struggled to communicate with others, and were simply baffled by other people. We went in opposite directions. I, sorta like Abed in "Community", learned to use tv and movies to understand people. I found that by mimicking certain tv characters in their body language, cadence of speaking, and facial expressions, that I was better understood. I used to how characters behaved on tv to learn the cues of others. I learned what kinds of behaviors were more and less expected of me if I wanted to fit in. I used tv to create a persona that could effectively interact with other people when before I could not. I didn't have that special medical professional attention, but I found a way to adapt. I'm now an attorney.

My friend went the opposite way. He decided that he didn't give two shits about being understood or accepted, so he just continued being himself. His family, however, put him on all kinds of medications. His personality would change drastically depending on what meds he was on. He was bullied heavily, had few friends, and fewer relationships when he was younger, but now is a physicist. He eventually found a niche for himself among other misfits, but still has immense trouble interacting with the general public.

On the flip side, I have met people who are full blown autistic, and it was like looking at my 12 year-old self times 1000. They really need serious professional therapy to have even the most basic understanding and coping skills for human interaction. They say inappropriate things with zero knowledge that they're out of line. They do not understand when they are/aren't being insulted. Facial expressions might as well be Greek, because they cannot comprehend what they mean. It is incredibly difficult to focus on one voice or one noise among many noises. They need routine and structure because everything outside of that routine and structure is incomprehensible and terrifying. However, within that routine and structure, they can be absolutely brilliant, learn faster, and perform better than others. I think that is why so many autists are coders. It is a structured, repetitive, monotonous task requiring complete precision and singular focus which can be done with little human interaction and among few distractions. It's as if the entire profession was designed just for them.

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Most of these people here don't GAF about anyone but themselves. They probably microwaved a puppy, dared someone to do it, or laughed while watching someone else do it

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You seem to be on the spectrum

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Eventually, they outgrow it.

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Surely you meant to say that it’s possible to outgrow it. Not everybody will.