Visuals to Explain Autism

> I really have to disagree with this newfound thing with newly diagnosed adults with autism who say that autism isn't a spectrum disorder

This implies that the only people who don’t view autism as a scale rather than a spectrum are newly diagnosed. This isn’t true.

> They just have not been exposed to people that are just non-functional with autism.

This isn’t plausible, since the view is also prevalent amongst researchers who we know have had this exposure.

> It 100% is a linear spectrum it just becomes less linear when you get into the more functional in everyday life part of the spectrum.

This is a misunderstanding of the spectrum concept.

Someone can be very disabled because they have a profound intellectual disability, but nevertheless be able to speak.

Someone can have no intellectual disability and mask as normal for short periods but be very non-functional because sensory issues are too profound for them.

Obviously some people with autism are profoundly disabled. It doesn’t follow that autism is a linear scale.