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There is a broad spectrum of autism. I have people in my family with autism, with autism that is sometimes highly functional but sometimes so extreme that they are in their late-20s and function as though they are 14-16. They have low functioning jobs and an inability to live on their own, inability to utilize their high school diplomas, inability to read a book on their own that was written with elementary school students in mind, and inability to have a full and coherent conversation with adults their age.
Therefore, I agree that autism is a "disease" and "disorder". It is far from being just "difference". I have no problem with organizations that view and research autism as a "disease and disorder".
The highly functioning people with autism and aspergers (there are also people in my family with aspergers) are closer to "difference".
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