The largest confusion with Autism is the ever changing definition from one DSM to the next where whole areas are suddenly included and others excluded.
It seems in the DSM 5 the definition was narrowed specifically to focus on two performance deficits: 1) immediate harms either to the inflicted or to those they interact with due to social interactions, 2) catastrophic academic failures due strictly to input/output perception irregularities not otherwise explained by neuro-transmission disorders (things that can be treated with drugs) or low intelligence measures.
That excludes a massive host of social and perception abnormalities that do result in less immediate social rejection and abstract reasoning failures.
It seems in the DSM 5 the definition was narrowed specifically to focus on two performance deficits: 1) immediate harms either to the inflicted or to those they interact with due to social interactions, 2) catastrophic academic failures due strictly to input/output perception irregularities not otherwise explained by neuro-transmission disorders (things that can be treated with drugs) or low intelligence measures.
That excludes a massive host of social and perception abnormalities that do result in less immediate social rejection and abstract reasoning failures.