What is it like to live with high functioning autism?

Like all people on the autism spectrum, people who are high functioning have a hard time with social interaction and communication. They don’t naturally read social cues and might find it difficult to make friends. They can get so stressed by a social situation that they shut down.

What challenges do people with autism Asperger’s face?

Challenges can include:

• Hypersensitivities (to lights, sounds, tastes, etc.)
• Difficulty with the give and take of conversation.
• Difficulty with nonverbal conversation skills (distance, loudness, tone, etc.)
• Uncoordinated movements, or clumsiness.
• Anxiety and depression.

What does it feel like to have autism?

find it hard to communicate and interact with other people. find it hard to understand how other people think or feel. find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable. get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events.

What does high-functioning autism look like?

People with high-functioning autism often appear neurotypical in certain situations, but not in others. Repetitive talking, pacing, or rocking can be calming for a child with mild autism, but confusing or upsetting to people who don’t know about or understand it. 3  Here are a few examples of what HFA can look like:

Can a child with high functioning autism have an above-average IQ?

Your child may score normally or above average on an IQ test and perform well in school, but she could still be autistic. Because children with HFA can have an above-average IQ and no intellectual challenges, High Functioning Autism awareness tends to be low.

What are the treatment options for high-functioning autism?

High-functioning autism can be challenging for people with autism and those in their lives. Therapies, such as speech-language therapy and social skills training, can help people with HFA to function more easily and effectively in daily life. Was this page helpful?

What is HFA (high functioning autism)?

Those with HFA—formerly known as Asperger’s syndrome, and sometimes known as “mild autism”—tend to be intelligent and capable as well. Hence, it may not always be obvious to people in your child’s life that they aren’t neurotypical.