Autism and the "genius" effect

This is the tenth post in my autism awareness month series. When people think of autism, they often think of Rain Man or Sheldon Cooper. On one end, the severely affected person who needs full-time care. On the other, the socially awkward genius whose extraordinary abilities more than compensate. When I tell friends I am on the spectrum, I often hear: "But you don't look autistic." Neither stereotype is wrong exactly. Both exist, but neither is representative. The vast middle is invisible, large