Addendum: To be clearer, it's usually short hand for the spectrum, or more accurately someone on the shallower end of the spectrum (like a Sheldon or a Sherlock/House to draw from pop culture versions of it) whose an adult who can deal with criticism, not like that kid or someone whose closer to what people think of as "Rain Man".

There is even someone in the comments whose Autistic who says they're fine with it, they're adults, give them more credit. the coddling betrays a lower opinion of them then an average person.