Autism was considered a general disorder for many years, but now with recent research, it has been discovered that there are many types of autism, among which is high functioning autism.

Lets define what high functioning autism is? When a person has this type of autism he may only have some symptoms of autism or very mild symptoms. He may only suffer from very mild social problems. These sufferers are able to speak and communicate and do most normal functions. The symptoms can often be confused with Aspergers Syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

Children who suffer from high functioning autism will have only some problems when trying to communicate with others, you may also distinguish the disorder by small movements and kids will want a certain routine and feel lost without it.

When your child is diagnosed with autism it may seem as if the world has come to an end, but there are actually some advantages to high functioning autism, and many of the symptoms can be reversed, or minimized allowing your child to live a normal life. If you notice any of the symptoms, it is extremely important that you get help immediately. A pediatric neurologist and a child psychologist can give you the techniques that you can use to train and treat your child’s symptoms.

Certain kinds of therapy can help your child live a normal life. These therapies help them learn how to interact socially, control their motor behavior, and learn communication skills. This type of therapy may include a more individualized education and behavior analysis. In some instances medication may be needed to control the childs anxiety and hyperactivity. That is why its so important that you seek help from specialists in the field.

The medical field diagnoses a child with high functioning autism when the condition is present but the symptoms are not severe. Most of these children have the same intelligence as others, and in some cases even higher. They have an adequate vocabulary but their learning comprehension is sometimes behind others. People with high functioning autism wont express very much detail and aren’t very emotional. The have a hard time interpreting body language and non verbal instruction.

Be careful that your doctor does not confuse high functioning autism with Asperger’s Syndrome. Many doctors tend to differ in their definitions and these are not the same condition, although many of the symptoms are similar. These conditions need to be treated differently.

There really isn’t a defined area that suggests your child has autism or high functioning autism. Some doctors use IQ tests to help them with the diagnosis, but there are other key elements too, like the use of language, and the way a child behaves, even non verbal details need to be taken into account to determine the level of autism the child has. The IQ test cannot be used definitively because there are many elements on the test that autistic children struggle with. So the key is in finding the right doctor and psychological help for your child and that may mean consulting with several specialists in the field.