Myth 1:

Autistics have very limited abilities and potential

• Autistics can't talk.
• Autistic people have severe learning difficulties.
• Autistics can't form relationships.

Thruth:

• Partially because of the myth that autistics can't talk, autism is largely ignored for when the children learn to speak, maybe later on but some definitely autistic children learned to speak very early.
• Autistic people appear to have a full range of intelligence. Parents often are told that children are retarded and that any abilities they show are just meaningless splinter skills. Later on often they are part of being gifted. IQ testing is not a useful measure for autistic people, if the are for anyone. Autistic people do tend to have more than the normal difference between our skills and deficits. Ability or inability in one area should not be considered indicative of overall ability or applied to any other area.
• Parents often are told their child never will love anyone. BUT Even very severe autistics can form bonds, show affection, and have concern for the feelings of others.

Myth 2:

There is a normal person trapped inside an "autistic shell"

Truth:

Then, the theory goes, a "cure" would release the "real person" who is trapped inside the autism, trying to get out. Autism is pervasive. It affects how they think, feel, perceive, process, comprehend, react, and interact. It's not possible to change all that. To wish away the autism, is to wish the autistic person were someone else.