What is Autism exactly?

Higher IQ isn't strictly accurate. A proportion may be above average, very few significantly above. Many, including those affected by comorbid learning disability will be below.

Diagnosis concentrates on the Triad of Impairments, a set of criteria used to distinguish autism from other conditions. The tragedy is that the professionals then go on to use the triad to define living with autism. The triad overlooks many things not considered crucial to diagnosis (for some bizarre reason), particularly environmental sensitivity and sensory overload.

The dilemma for the original poster is a common one. Just because you don't manifest textbook symptoms doesn't mean autistic spectrum doesn't apply.

Also there remains this grey area between disabling autism and non-disabling, that is made to feel like a cliff edge you can fall over and out of diagnosis. You can be diagnosed with high functioning autism and not be deemed disabled. That doesn't mean it isn't affecting your life, and many people not deemed disabled with it still endure many difficulties and limitations that impact on their lives.

Yet we still suffer from ignorance, laziness and downright unprofessionalism in the medical, psychological, health and social services spheres, who consider their responsibilities do not extend to those not classed as disabled by it.

Particularly, in this country, there are some real jumped up little wasters who pronounce and parade their expertise on autism, who blatently ignore all of us outside severe. 

Higher IQ isn't strictly accurate. A proportion may be above average, very few significantly above. Many, including those affected by comorbid learning disability will be below.

Diagnosis concentrates on the Triad of Impairments, a set of criteria used to distinguish autism from other conditions. The tragedy is that the professionals then go on to use the triad to define living with autism. The triad overlooks many things not considered crucial to diagnosis (for some bizarre reason), particularly environmental sensitivity and sensory overload.

The dilemma for the original poster is a common one. Just because you don't manifest textbook symptoms doesn't mean autistic spectrum doesn't apply.

Also there remains this grey area between disabling autism and non-disabling, that is made to feel like a cliff edge you can fall over and out of diagnosis. You can be diagnosed with high functioning autism and not be deemed disabled. That doesn't mean it isn't affecting your life, and many people not deemed disabled with it still endure many difficulties and limitations that impact on their lives.

Yet we still suffer from ignorance, laziness and downright unprofessionalism in the medical, psychological, health and social services spheres, who consider their responsibilities do not extend to those not classed as disabled by it.

Particularly, in this country, there are some real jumped up little wasters who pronounce and parade their expertise on autism, who blatently ignore all of us outside severe.