Autism terminology keeps growing and confusing everyone
WHEN it comes to autism, jargon isn’t something that experts dream up deliberately to annoy people, although it sometimes seems that way.
It’s the result of writers and researchers trying both to define and refine our understanding of the condition.
On top of that, one-time fashionable views on autism are now outdated. Unfortunately, none of our former jargon has been thrown out.
So, what we’re left with is an overstuffed wardrobe full of autism terminology First thing’s first: What do the terms autism, autism spectrum disorder, autism spectrum condition, classic autism, ASD, ASC, high-functioning autism and severe autism have in common?
Answer: they are all names for the same thing – autism.
A desire to get across the message that autism varies hugely is what’s responsible for this jargon. The word ‘spectrum’ seemed to do the job nicely.
Then lots of us objected to the negative term ‘disorder’ and updated it with the term ‘condition,’ so the two are now used in tandem.
Others decided that ‘spectrum’ wasn’t quite enough and decided to use ‘high-functioning’ to describe some and ‘severe’ for others.
Oh wait, there’s more! In a formal autism diagnosis, you’ll be given the label of level 1, 2 or 3 to define where you are on the spectrum, too.
These terms can be misleading when you don’t know much about autism.
For instance, to assume someone is ‘high-functioning’ because they are articulate and able to shop for themselves is to under-estimate just how difficult it is for physically independent people to navigate our society in the social sense.
Just watch Chris Packham’s brilliant BBC2 documentary Asperger’s and Me for the proof.
On the flip side, if you term those who can’t speak and lack independence as having ‘severe’ autism, you’re in danger of thinking that they also lack intelligence.
You only have to read ‘The Reason I Jump’ by Naoki Higashida, who meets this criteria, to know that his intelligence is way beyond most of ours.
Autism is primarily a social-communication disorder, not an intellectual, physical or mental condition. It doesn’t make you automatically gifted, nor does a lack of social skills mean you’re stupid. It’s only when you get to know a person properly that you can be sure of their capabilities. »»Debby Elley’s book 15 Things They Forgot to Tell You About Autism is published by Jessica Kingsley this April and is available from Amazon.