> I would say this is because the experience of someone with “high-functioning,” or whatever euphemism we prefer now, autism is utterly different than that of s

> I would say this is because the experience of someone with “high-functioning,” or whatever euphemism we prefer now, autism is utterly different than that of someone with nonverbal autism (which is often comorbid with profound mental retardation). So different that they may as well be different conditions. I've definitely seen this as a challenge in describing two of my boys, who both have autism that additionally presents with being nearly non-verbal. You say to someone that they have autism, and in their mind they're thinking 'oh, like Sheldon'. But it's as you say, it's not nearly the same. Sheldon is closer to NT than he is to my boys.