Is ASD too broad?

Some psychologists think the definition of autism has become too broad. They say a term that encompasses people at all points on the cognitive curve is so broad as to be useless. That is the essence of debate around the “high functioning,” “low functioning” labeling so many autistics find offensive.

What is the correct way to describe autism?

In the autism community, many self-advocates and their allies prefer terminology such as “Autistic,” “Autistic person,” or “Autistic individual” because we understand autism as an inherent part of an individual’s identity — the same way one refers to “Muslims,” “African-Americans,” “Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/ …

Is autism being overdiagnosed?

The over-diagnosis may occur in as many as 9 percent of children, U.S. government researchers reported Friday. Early therapy could help others. Autism may be overdiagnosed in as many as 9 percent of children, U.S. government researchers reported Friday.

What does actually autistic mean?

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.

What is another term for autism?

Also called autistic spectrum disorder, pervasive developmental disorder .

Is autism and ADHD overdiagnosed?

Children with autism may be over-diagnosed with ADHD, new study suggests. Summary: Pediatric researchers report that children with ASD may mistakenly be diagnosed with ADHD because they have autism-related social impairments rather than problems with attention.

What is an autistic person?

Autistic people might be described as the “extremely tall” or “red-headed” people of the cognitive world. We are few in number but unquestionably part of the human tribe. That description stands at odds with how some psychologists see autism. To them, the word describes pathology. A person with autism has a serious communication disorder .

Is the term ‘high functioning’ too broad?

They say a term that encompasses people at all points on the cognitive curve is so broad as to be useless. That is the essence of debate around the “high functioning,” “low functioning” labeling so many autistics find offensive. Fact is, other descriptors are applied to people with all possible cognitive abilities.

Is the autism spectrum shrinking?

Yet a report this week claimed that the difference between people diagnosed with autism and the rest of the population is shrinking. The autism spectrum is so all-encompassing that experts are now finally starting to question the validity of the term itself.

Is the definition of autism getting too vague?

After studying the meta-analyses of autism data, Dr Laurent Mottron, a professor at Université de Montréal, concluded that: “The objective difference between people with autism and the general population will disappear in less than 10 years. The definition of autism may get too vague to be meaningful.”