Published on 12, July, 2020
One thing I've always struggled with since being on this forum and understanding more about autism, is the fact that levels are no longer used.
I understand the idea of the spectrum and that we can all shoot off at angles and pick up where something affects us deeply.
However, levels were to do with the amount of support required, so how much a person's functionality is impacted by autism.
Level 1, 'Asperger's Syndrome', 'high functioning' were for people who had what was then termed as 'mild' autism.
I realise that 'mild' probably isn't appropriate for us.
However, there are threads on this forum relating to a 'solution' for autism and 'acceptance'.
I can answer for myself and my own struggles but I feel sometimes that the people who are without speech (some of whom I think are actually on this forum, from reading profiles), who cannot live independently without support, are not taken into account.
This is a reason why I actually find it quite hard to answer these questions, because I see myself as 'level 1', high functioning and I can't answer for people whose lives are so very deeply impacted by their autism and their carers.
There is a LOT of discussion out there about labels and bringing them back.
The Pro: those who need more immediate help can get access
The Con: We begin to properly identify others complexities and "co-morbidities" or added disabilities rather than assign Autism a label of Disabled. Autism is a different way of thinking and perceiving. Just like NeuroTypical, one can have added difficulties. Being highly sensory or having a hyper-focused brain, the ability to specialise and using language different should be matters of biodiversity NOT a disability.
But for now, I agree, as others do, a better system might aid the current model.
JuniperFromGallifrey said:There is a LOT of discussion out there about labels and bringing them back.
I didn't know that.
If you have any useful articles to link to that would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
This is all news to me. I suppose because of the way I was told by the people who diagnosed me that ‘we’d have in the past said Asperger’s but now it’s level one’ that I was right up to the minute with appropriate terminology! But now it seems I’m behind. I doubt that (NI) wouldn’t adopt a UK standard as that’s how it is for most things here. So I admits that I am confused and a little unsettled, though certainly glad that it’s been raised as I want to be getting this right and not embarrassing myself with outmoded ways of talking about my identity.