Can autistic children have some mental impairment?

krystalle1525 · Newbie Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 2

Hello! My friend has just found out that her sister’s child was diagnosed autism. She is very depressed because of it. I don’t know much about this disorder but I think that there are many things that can be done to improve the life of children with autism. My friend says that autism is always connected to mental impairment. I don’t think so. Can autistic children have some mental impairment?

carmencita · Newbie Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 3

Hello! Autism is sometimes connected with mental impairment. It has been estimated that around 75% of children with autism have mental retardation. But, there are some specialists who think this number is much lower since IQ tests are sometimes inappropriate, such as verbal tests with nonverbal children. Sometimes a child’s intelligence level has been estimated without any objective evidence. You are right; there are many programs and ways to work with autistic children. Autistic children will develop more skills as they grow older and appropriate programs of education will help them reach their true potential.

Can autistic children have some mental impairment?

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