it's a neurodivergence, literally being weird differently

sometimes it's mostly good, sometimes it's mostly bad, sometimes it's balanced

Spend time with my 5yo non verbal son and you’ll quickly realize it can fully be a disability. His teachers just told us he’s the smartest in his class yet he can’t speak, write, do math, use the bathroom on his own, and will elope into dangerous situations he can’t get out of without help.

Likes other says it's a spectrum.

Think about how a leg issue can be different;

• some people might walk perfectly normal but it starts to hurt after 5 min and they can't lift too much.
• some might have a limp.
• some might need a cane.
• some might need a wheelchair but can still walk a few feet.
• some might wheelchair and not be able to walk.
• some might not a leg
• some might not have either legs

No matter what it is, it's still a disability, just are some are more of a struggle than others.

Autism has a spectrum too, the problem is somewhere in the brain so we can't see it like we can see a cane or missing leg. Things like asthma or color blindness are disabilities too, but we can't see those either.

when my disability makes me unable to do something other people can do easily

I am high functioning. I'm one of those that people like to point to and say it's a superpower. I have a successful career as a network engineer because of my technical mind. I'm generally funny and can make people laugh. I've been happily married for 25 years. I'm not even bad looking.

I cannot drive without sunglasses. Light sensitivity means my eyes will tear up and force themselves closed in bright sun light. I wear flanged earbuds because I have auditory issues so loud sounds are painful and I can't filter out background noise so in even slightly crowded spaces I become virtually deaf. I have an extremely sensitive gag reflex and have thrown up while brushing my teeth enough to a point where I will usually just power through and finish brushing my teeth. I have severe IBS-D and have spent more time in the bathroom than anyone should (smartphones became a life saver when they came along.). I have a kidney transplant and spent three years on dialysis because I have an autoimmune disorder called IGA nephropathy. I am left handed.

It's not always what people view as the "main" issue, so much as all of the co-morbidities that go along with the issue.

Autism spectrum disorder can present in a really wide variety of ways. Sometimes it's severely disabling, sometimes it's a mixed bag of strengths, weaknesses and quirks.

For my kiddos it is a disability. 😕 They have amazing talents, but he world just isn't built for them.

With social behaviour under control, it's a superpower in my line of work.