Holes

People on the Autism Spectrum tend to have uneven development. They may excel far beyond their peers in one area, yet lag far behind their general developmental level in another, while a skill you would assume they would have, given their development in other areas, may be missing entirely. These "holes" or "gaps" can give results on cognitive and social developmental tests that have been compared to Swiss cheese.

Before enrolling GL at the local high school this fall, we took him to his doctor for a checkup and to get the immunizations recommended for a high school freshman. In the exam room, a nurse set out a copy of the same developmental questionnaire we answer at all his checkups, the one for typically-developing 0-6 year olds. GL picked it up and began reading the questions aloud. The nurse said, "Maybe I should get the 6-12 year old form."

GL answered, "No, I still can't cross the street by myself."