Are there forms of mild autism or pervasive developmental disorder?
Children with mild autism or pervasive developmental disorder may have behaviors which are not so conspicuous. These children may, in fact, have normal or above-average intellectual ability. Their manifestations of autistic behavior may include a lack of any ability to make friendships with other children, although they can relate to family members and to adults. They sometimes seem to misunderstand or to have difficulty picking up how to speak or respond to others, they may misinterpret a social gesture, or they may have difficulty in enjoying a joke. Although their speech may be adequate, it may be hard for them to initiate or carry on a conversation even though they may indulge in a lengthy discourse on a single subject, regardless of the response or interest of others. See also Asperger’s Syndrome below. Individuals with mild autism, moreover, often have very restricted interests. When with other people they may recite facts about obscure subjects which have little or no relevance
