Intelligence and Cognition in a Child with High Functioning Autism

Intelligence is assessed for ruling out mental retardation and to find out the relative cognitive strengths in autism. Of special interest is to know the nature of intelligence and cognition in high functioning autism. But very little is known how the assessments are carried given the deficits in communication, socialization in autism. This cross-sectional study aims to describe the nature of intelligence and cognition in a child with HFA and drawing implications for assessment in the Indian setting. Results indicate that there is no evidence for superior crystallized intelligence in HFA, though a jagged profile could be expected both across and within cognitive domains.