A LOOK AT MILD AUTISM IN ADULTS AND WHAT IT CAN LOOK LIKE.

By Rachel ANDERSEN

Growing up, Megan struggled with her relationship with her father. He was loving, hard working, and a musical genius. As far as relationships though, things were as complicated as the intricate melodies he composed.

In order to have a productive conversation, it was as if she had to enter the all-encompassing bubble he lived in. Their connection was contingent upon his interests and knowledge base, which though extensive, often didn’t interest her. He often struggled to reciprocate and join her in the rest of the “world.”

One day, while doing research for her college psych class, Megan stumbled upon an article about mild autism in adults. Suddenly, her father’s life made complete sense! Megan set out on a quest to find out as much as she could to better understand autism spectrum disorders. In the process, she learned what I want to share with you today.

Is mild autism an official diagnosis?

Some autism research suggests that most people diagnosed with ASD as adults do not have the more severe forms. Mild autism has also been referred to as Asperger’s syndrome and high functioning autism.

Mild autism would normally be referred to as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), rather than a standalone diagnosis. This is because the current criteria shows, according to the diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM-5), autism spectrum disorders are a spectrum of symptoms, severity, and frequency. Mild autism would fall into that category.

However, adults medically reviewed as having more mild autism would have access to different treatment options, and possibly be more focused on comorbid conditions, than someone who has more severe forms of autism spectrum disorder.

“Some autism research suggests that most people diagnosed with ASD as adults do not have the more severe forms. Mild autism has also been referred to as A sperger ’s syndrome and high functioning autism.”

This is because their autism may affect their everyday life differently. Their symptoms may be less pronounced, easier to mask, and maybe even overlooked completely. It may explain why they were not diagnosed as children as well.