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Terminology

B

Are there any particular aspects of autism related terminology that bother you?

Here are some of mine:

1.

ND -v- autistic

NT -v- allistic

The above terms seem (from reading here) to have become interchangeable but, to my mind, they shouldn't be.

Autism is under the umbrella of neurodiversity but so is Tourettes (for example).

Here is a wheel of ND but I've seen some with more 'conditions' included:

If ND is used instead of 'autistic' (when it's actually autism in particular that is probably the subject) I find it hard to follow the arguments/discussion.

2.

Another is the autism spectrum.

I don't know how it was meant when it was first termed, but my understanding of it isn't that there are ends of it that are less autistic, and more autistic, ie becoming more extreme, but rather than we (autistic people) can be less and more extreme as we dip in and out of the symptoms/characteristics:

Below is a link to an article that I think explains it well:

https://neuroclastic.com/its-a-spectrum-doesnt-mean-what-you-think/

3.

Also, if other people say 'we are all on the spectrum, all a little bit autistic etc' then I think it's important to bear in mind that a diagnosis is only given if the characteristics of autism that we match to are disabling to us.

How do others see the above and also, are there any other terms that you find difficult/confusing?

Parents

  • I think that people use 'neurodivergent' over 'autistic' when they want to be inclusive of all neurodevelopmental conditions.Also, 'neurotypical' as a term is more widely understood than 'allistic'.

    Sometimes neurodivergent is a more accurate term to use than autistic. Although I am only clinically diagnosed with ASD, I also have a 'niche' form of dyscalculia - I cannot do mental arithmetic. Though my fine motor skills are very good, my gross motor skills are very poor. Me run and interact with a football and kick it somewhere accurately? That's not happening! So, in addition to autism, I also have forms of two other neurodevelopmental conditions, viz dyscalculia and dyspraxia.

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  • I think that people use 'neurodivergent' over 'autistic' when they want to be inclusive of all neurodevelopmental conditions.Also, 'neurotypical' as a term is more widely understood than 'allistic'.

    Sometimes neurodivergent is a more accurate term to use than autistic. Although I am only clinically diagnosed with ASD, I also have a 'niche' form of dyscalculia - I cannot do mental arithmetic. Though my fine motor skills are very good, my gross motor skills are very poor. Me run and interact with a football and kick it somewhere accurately? That's not happening! So, in addition to autism, I also have forms of two other neurodevelopmental conditions, viz dyscalculia and dyspraxia.

Children
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