system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is Autism such a problem?

I've asked this question to quite a few people and I've only received responses such as "you can't ask that!"  As such, I've done a little research and from what I can gather, there is decreased social activity, but an increase in understanding, sometimes resulting in savant-like intelligence.  As someone with an almost non-existent social life, that seems like a very good trade off.  What else does Autism do that is so heartbreaking?

**edit:** Thank you everyone for your stories and explanations.  This cleared up a lot for me and I feel I can better understand the plight of the Autistic, although I don't presume to ever understand it completely without first hand experience.  It must take a person with very strong character to struggle through seeing someone you care about affected so terribly, and even stronger character to voluntarily help someone cope with it.  Hats off to all of you.
gpt
A very small percentage of children with Autism have savant-like intelligence. A slightly higher percentage (still small number) of people with Asperger's have savantism. It can be a misnomer because people with both tend to get fixated on one specific thing. If you spent every day all day thinking and talking and researching clocks many people would consider you a clock savant when in reality you just like them. 

Autism is diagnosed when a language delay is present (not present in Asperger's). This delay can be as simple as learning to speak later than normal to being completely nonverbal. 

People with both can have mild to severe sensory responses. For example physically unable to tolerate the feeling of velcro or the opposite where it brings such great calming/pleasure they can't stop stroking it.

It isn't as simple as no social skills. It is the complete in ability to understand other people have feelings and thoughts that determine their actions. Severe cases view other people as interactive objects, present only to bring food and possibly velcro...