Autism Versus Intellectual Disability
Three Main Areas Of Development
Autism is a neuro development disorder which very often has its effect upon three main areas that hamper a child’s development. The three areas of concern are social skills and levels of interaction and understanding, almost every aspect of communication and expressing, be it verbal or non-verbal and slower thought processing and behavioural skills, which may include problems with imagination.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Very often parents who talk about their child with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) share that during the early stage, their child had a difficulty in learning the language they speak at home. The child also had problems of making eye contact while talking to them and even had repetitive behavioural actions. What most don’t realize is, these are all the symptoms that add to autism.
The Possibility Of A Normal Life
It has been noticed that children and adults with autism are very different from each other. Also, two autistic individuals will never be completely alike. Some autistic people are even sensitive to sounds or touch, tastes and smells. Studies also reveal that over or under-sensitivity to light or certain colours may upset an autistic child or adult.
However, many autistic individuals who have been provided with great care while they were growing up, have turned out to be independent and try to live a normal life even though they may face some difficulty. However, this is not similar in the case of every individual with ASD, because some constantly need a specialist support which can continue for a lifetime too.
lQ In MR And ASD
Nevertheless, what differentiates intellectual disability or commonly known as mental retardation (MR) from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the below average intelligence a child or adult with MR has. An autistic person usually has a high IQ level, or at least IQ that is at par with any normal kid or adult. They can be taught how to adapt to life and living a routine.
However, this is not the case with a person who has an intellectual disability because he/she shows only a bleak chance of the same. They are slower too, at the beginning like children with ASD, but in this case, the slow process at times, never changes and it remains the same, in cases of MR.
ASD And Borderline IQ Range
It is said that a person tested for measuring his/her IQ out of a score of 100, usually falls between the score of 85 to approximately 115 at times. However, an individual with intellectual disability falls between the score of 60 to 50 and at times even lower, depending upon the severity of the condition. Individuals who have taken the IQ test with ASD usually tall between borderline ranges. They tend to score 71 to 85 which in fact is a good thing. And this is one of the major factors that sets them apart from individuals with intellectual disability.