4. AS/HFA is a disability because of its associated medical conditions
Another argument may be that AS/HFA should be viewed as a disability because it carries with it an increased risk of medical conditions, such as epilepsy or mental retardation. For example, in classic autism, epilepsy occurs in one third of cases and mental retardation (IQ below the average range) occurs in about three quarters of cases . However, such associated medical conditions are clearly not specific to AS/HFA, and it is AS/HFA-specific features that are under discussion. Epilepsy or mental retardation may be justifiably seen as disabilities. These will require separate examination. But is AS/HFA (which by definition involves no retardation) necessarily a disability?
One might argue that some associated conditions are clearly disabilities. An example is language impairment. Many young children with HFA have little language. In some cases this applies to both their expression and comprehension. The combination of an autistic lack of social interest, together with little or no language, can be seen as a major disadvantage in a world of other people. Even if we down-play the importance of sociability, the child can still be regarded as disabled in being delayed in developing the ability to make his or her needs known. But whilst the notion of a disability may reasonably apply to extreme cases, the earlier point remains valid: that individuals with HFA need not necessarily be viewed as disabled as most of them will develop enough language even after a delay.

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