High-functioning autism is not a clearly defined medical condition. It is used to describe people with definite signs of autism, but not in the usual sense. If autism grades were scaled from one to 10, the high-functioning autistic would probably be at the higher end of the scale. They may be able to engage in normal behavior in almost all areas of their lives, with the exception of some behavioral abnormalities.
For example, they may not be able to exhibit appropriate social responses, maintain eye contact, or carry on conversations. In general, they are often able to attend regular classes, do household chores, have children, and otherwise behave normally. People with autism, including those who are high-functioning, can exhibit a wide spectrum of symptoms, and it usually varies greatly from individual to individual.
Some of the most common behaviors associated with high-functioning autism include ego-focused behavior, extreme shyness, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and what many would simply call distractibility. The high-functioning autistic will sometimes get lost in his own world and forget about the world around him. He may not respond when spoken to because he is too absorbed in what he is thinking. It is very difficult for these people to function on more than one level at a time. His ability to channel himself so successfully into a focused task has led some researchers to believe that autism might be a form of genius; some people even think that the German physicist Albert Einstein was a high-functioning autistic.
People with high-functioning autism are usually diagnosed at a young age or soon after they enter school. However, some people may spend their entire lives unaware that they have this condition. The symptoms are so borderline that the person is often labeled simply strange or eccentric. As children, their parents may not recognize that they are anything other than simply unusual and never bring any unusual behavior to the attention of a doctor.
Some experts think that high-functioning autism is the same disorder as Asperger syndrome. Unlike the typical developmental problems associated with autism, people with Asperger's don't seem to have any problems with language development or communicating their intelligence. They do not require constant supervision or care. As with people diagnosed with high-functioning autism, people with Asperger's have average to above-average intelligence. The two conditions are thought to be so similar that doctors are currently trying to determine if high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome are, in fact, the same disorder.