What You Should know About Mild autism: Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment

Autism is a spectrum, and a complex one for that matter. What do people mean when they talk about "mild autism" — a term that in no way represents any official diagnostic category? What diagnosis would someone with autism considered to be mild have, what are the symptoms, and does it require treatment?

What is 'mild autism'? What are the diagnostic criteria?

This question doesn't have a one-sentence answer, so pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee.

The previous edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, the DSM-IV, differentiated between Autistic Disorder and Asperger Syndrome — conditions that were described by different people historically and came to be seen as two different, though overlapping, clinical entities. While "Autistic Disorder" may have been seen, by some, as "severe autism", Asperger Syndrome could be seen as a milder form.

This all changed when the DSM-5, an updated version of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, was introduced. Autism Spectrum Disorder became a unified diagnosis, and those who would have been diagnosed with Autistic Disorder and Asperger Syndrome alike instead fell under the wider umbrella of ASD. Not everyone diagnosed as autistic has the exact same symptoms, however. 

To "qualify" for a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, a person has to:

• Face struggles in emotional and social communication and interactions — this may include finding it hard to share emotions and not being sure how to start a conversation or reply to something someone has said.
• Finding it hard to maintain relationships — this may include children not being interested in the same things as others and therefore having trouble with friendships, or not being sure how to live up to social expectations. 
• Differences in non-verbal communication, which can mean anything from not being able to make eye contact to having a posture and gestures that are considered "odd".

They also have to meet at least two of these four criteria:

• "Stereotyped or repetitive" behavior, referred to as stimming in the autistic community. This may include hand-flapping, spinning, repeating words, or flicking objects. 
• A very strong need for routines and rituals, and trouble coping with change. 
• Specialized and intense interests that are very important to the person, often to the exclusion of most other things.
• Over- or under-reacting to certain stimuli, such as loud noises, bright lights, large crowds, clothing textures, and so on. 

Let's take a peek:

• Level 1 autism might also be called high-functioning or mild autism. People diagnosed as having this kind of autism are said to require support to function optimally and navigate social relationships. Their inflexible behaviors, such as a strong need for routines and a hate of change, interfere with functioning.
• Level 2 might be called moderate autism. Here, people require substantial support and have differences in social communication, maintaining relationships, and dealing with change or stimuli that are immediately apparent to outsiders. 
• Level 3 would be called severe or low-functioning autism. Someone who would previously have been diagnosed with Autistic Disorder would be more likely to fall into this category. Rather substantial support is required, unexpected or unpleasant encounters cause extreme distress, and a person may be non-verbal or speak very few words.

Many people in the autistic community reject these levels outright, not just on the basis that they can be dehumanizing but also because they're not very helpful — it is entirely possible for one and the same person to function at a "level 1" level one day, while meeting the descriptions for "level 3" the next day. A person can also have traits from both level 3 and level 1; say, they're non-verbal but can write beautifully, communicate using alternative and augmentative communication devices, function very well in their daily environments, but face meltdowns in new situations. 

What should you know about treatment or intervention options?

In his book Autism and Asperger Syndrome (The Facts), researcher Simon Baron-Cohen notes that parents of children with autism, including those who would previously have been diagnosed with Asperger's, are constantly bombarded by a vast spectrum of treatment options. Not all are helpful to autistic people, not all are science-backed, and some are actively harmful. 

He points to a supportive family environment and special education as helpful interventions and mentions speech therapy, art therapy, music therapy, and explicitly teaching social skills and rules as potentially helpful. Baron-Cohen also urges parents to evaluate the merits of each intervention individually and scientifically, rather than jumping on the latest and potentially damaging bandwagon.