Let's Talk About “High Functioning” and “Low Functioning”

3-Minute Read

For many years, terms like “high functioning” and “low functioning” have been used to describe autistic individuals.

“High functioning” typically referred to someone with minimal support needs, someone who could appear to navigate the world independently. On the other hand, “low functioning” was often used to describe someone who needed more visible or intensive support to manage daily life.

But these terms are not neurodiversity-affirming. So let’s talk about why, and what we can use instead.

Why do these labels fall short?

Describing a whole person as either “high” or “low” functioning invalidates their experience. It reduces a complex, dynamic human being to a single dimension and often focuses only on what they can’t do, rather than celebrating what they can do.

It also creates a false binary: you’re either capable or you’re not. And that’s simply not how autism works.

Autism doesn’t exist on a straight line from “more autistic” to “less autistic.” It’s more like a pie chart, each autistic person has a unique mix of traits, sensitivities, strengths, and challenges. One person might need many sensory supports but have strong language skills; another might need help with communication but thrive in social situations. Both are valid autistic experiences.

Neurodiversity-affirming therapists, educators, and caregivers are moving away from functioning labels and toward support-based language. This means focusing on what a person needs to thrive, rather than how well they appear to “function” in a neurotypical world.

Someone with low support needs may require fewer accommodations to move through their day. Someone with high support needs may benefit from more frequent or intensive support, like sensory regulation tools, communication systems, or routines that reduce overwhelm.

Both are valid. Both represent real, lived experiences. And both deserve to be acknowledged, supported, and respected.

~Chloe