[conservative cat]

I'm not sure I buy it. My daughter Caitlin is mildly autistic and is highly funtioning. While she shares many common autistic traits, ( repetetive behavior, social and language problems, no imitative play, emotional delay) she is one of the most compassionate people you will ever meet.

My son is also autistic and shares those characteristics. He may be clueless about social interactions, but he is very compassionate, too.

[King Prout]

in this usage, compassion and empathy are not equivalent.

case in point: I am a very compassionate man. I am also completely clueless when it comes to social interactions dependant upon interpreting the other party's emotional state.

hrmn...
my viva-voce verbal skills are awful.
my systems analysis skills are excellent.
I loathe telephones.
I hyperfocus on tasks.
hrmn...

The author of the book might consider me autistic.
*shrugging*

[tiamat]

One of the things you can say about autistic kids is that they are ALL different.

I have yet to meet one that is a "typical" autistic.

Tell you what: a lot of them are very bright, too. The notion that most show "some retardation" is bunk. Lots of autistic kids are smarter than average, and some of them are brilliant.

[cupcakes]

My 4 yr old son can be this way as well. If you even pretend cry, he comes and gives you a kiss.