Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means individuals are disabled to varying degrees.
Some people's autism is so slight as to rarely attract notice. One example is lecturer Temple Grandin , who has a Ph.D. in animal science, although she still struggles with the sensory perception and social interaction aspects of autism. They seldom marry. For people like my son, autism is a devastating disability that hampers their ability to function in almost all areas of life. The character in the movie Rain Man, for example, needed a great deal of assistance, although he could communicate a few needs.