NASEN - Girls and Autism guide (opens PDF in new window)Over the years there have been many different terms and phrases used to describe autism, some of which are still in use today. However, more recently there has been a shift in understanding and changes and developments in how people talk about autism.
When you meet an autistic person, they might use different terms to describe themselves:
- ‘Autistic person’
- ‘On the spectrum’
- ‘Person with autism’
- ‘I have Asperger Syndrome’
People have different preferences of what they like used when describing them and autism, so it is always best to ask the individual themselves what their preference is.
Don’t assume what someone might be like because they are autistic but instead ask them or someone who knows them well what their strengths and differences and likes and dislikes are. Making assumptions about autistic people may impact on how we interact with them. every autistic person has their own profile of strengths and needs and is unique.
You may hear people talking about Autism using labels such as Asperger Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Condition or Disorder, Atypical Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder or High Functioning Autism. These have all been used as diagnostic labels to describe different profiles of autism.
You may have heard the term Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) or Demand Avoidant profile being used to describe autism. The existence of PDA as a ‘diagnostic term’ and how it fits within the autism spectrum is widely debated.
