Some people say that Autism Spectrum Disorder is not a developmental delay, but w neurological difference. It's confusing!

It used to be that 'high functioning autism' required a delay in language acquisition and Asperger's syndrome was differentiated by there being no language acquisition delay. In the latest diagnostic criteria, for autism spectrum condition, such delays are not a requirement. If developmental delay were central to autism then there would, logically, be no older adult autistics, but there are, I'm one. So autism in all its forms is most definitely caused by neurological difference from the prevalent neurotype. Autism is often called a neurodevelopmental condition, but this refers to how the brain develops, mostly before birth, it does not refer to developmental delay, but developmental difference at the level of the wiring of the brain.

It used to be that 'high functioning autism' required a delay in language acquisition and Asperger's syndrome was differentiated by there being no language acquisition delay. In the latest diagnostic criteria, for autism spectrum condition, such delays are not a requirement. If developmental delay were central to autism then there would, logically, be no older adult autistics, but there are, I'm one. So autism in all its forms is most definitely caused by neurological difference from the prevalent neurotype. Autism is often called a neurodevelopmental condition, but this refers to how the brain develops, mostly before birth, it does not refer to developmental delay, but developmental difference at the level of the wiring of the brain.