You said — “I wondered about autism when it was revealed that the kid had never really “talked” to anyone at anytime in his life.”
He had no problem “talking” — when he wanted to. It was simply that he *refused* to do so. His dorm-mates said he could talk when he wanted, but pretty much all the time he never wanted to.
And if you think he was somehow incapable or had some impediment that prevented him from speaking very well — just listen to his video “manifesto”. You can see *immediately* that he has absolutely no problem talking.
Regards,
Star Traveler
P.S. — That doesn’t mean that he did not have a problem talking when he first came to this country. Apparently he did. But, he has gotten past that a long time ago (as far as his “capability” is concerned). However, he may have retained the emotional baggage from that time...
Here's some info from the Autism Society:
Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. They may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Their communication is often described as talking at others instead of to them. (For example, monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_characteristics