Posted on 10/21/2025 1:54:18 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The idea of autism as a single spectrum has shaped thinking for decades, but the metaphor is misleading, says this public health expert.
The phrases “autism spectrum” or “on the spectrum” have become part of everyday language. They are often used as different ways of referring to someone who is “neurodivergent”. The term was coined in the 1980s by psychiatrist Dr Lorna Wing, whose work transformed how autism was understood in the United Kingdom. At the time, her “autism spectrum” concept was groundbreaking. Instead of seeing autism as a rare, narrowly defined condition, she recognised a wide range of traits and experiences.
But the idea of a single spectrum, which stretches from “mild” to “severe”, may be misleading. And some autism experts, including me, argue the term has outlived its usefulness. When most people hear the word “spectrum”, they may picture a straight line, like colours arranged from red to violet. Applied to autism, this suggests autistic people can be ranked from “more autistic” to “less autistic”. But that’s not how autism works.
(Excerpt) Read more at channelnewsasia.com ...
and more time taking tests in college.
people like having diagnosis because its an excuse for anything and everything....ptsd is another popular excuse..its amazing how all the WW2 guys came home without them claiming it..different breed of men.
Autism, like many other personality traits, is multi dimensional. The spectrum on one line was better than the previous one dot approach.
But it is better to recognize that rational ability, emotional ability, ability to function in society, etc can each have a range...a spectrum.
So true. There are some real cases, but in most cases, there's nothing wrong with the kids. Starting in the 2000s, more and more kids were diagnosed as "on the spectrum" or labeled with ADD/ADHD or some other new disorder. So many kids were being medicated that they were sometimes called Generation Rx.
Not even close to what it takes to raise a profoundly autistic child. Most of these children need 24-hour care throughout their life. Also most have numerous accompanying health issues. A parent raising a profoundly child can seldom hold down a job. Their job is caring for their child 24/7/365.
My best guess is that about half of MIT graduates could be called Asberger’s/Autist according to the latest fashionable description.
Asberger’s tends to be a genetic or familial trait, and true Autism tends to generally be environmental or medical misfortune (vaccine injury, etc), and there may be other yet unidentified causes
There are many women who are Asbergers and/or”neurodivergent”, but generally women learn more easily how to hide or mask their interests and intellectual abilities so they will “fit in”, and usually are harder to properly diagnose.
Many of these women, as they age, find “masking” tiring, and superficial socialization is really boring.
Your granddaughter may not be that socially awkward in a group of kids at her own intellectual level. Finding friends who function on her level is very hard to do, particularly in small towns. And teen girls can be truly nasty to other girls, just totally mean.
And, to help bring info to those who may not know about Asbergers, or Autism, as they want now to call it... here is what is said about women now, trying to clarify a bit...Copied and pasted from the link at the bottom, with me doing a bit of making it easier to read..
Common Traits of Female Asperger Syndrome
Social Motivation: Females often show a desire to form friendships, which may lead them to mask their autistic traits.
Communication Style: They may be more expressive than males and can engage in conversation, but may struggle with understanding social cues.
Friendship Dynamics: Females may have fewer friends but often maintain close relationships, sometimes misunderstanding social dynamics.
Emotional and Sensory Experiences
Internalized Symptoms: Females may experience anxiety or depression rather than external behaviors like aggression, which can lead to misdiagnosis.
Sensory Sensitivities: Many report heightened sensitivity to sensory inputs, such as sounds, textures, and lights.
Repetitive Behaviors: Interests may align with those of non-autistic peers, such as reading or crafting, but can be more intense or focused.
Camouflaging: Females often learn to mimic socially acceptable behaviors, which can lead to mental exhaustion and stress.
Sense of Identity: They may struggle with a strong sense of self, especially before diagnosis, and often feel different from peers.
Eccentricity: Many display unique personal styles or interests that may be perceived as quirky or eccentric.
Understanding these traits can help in recognizing Asperger syndrome in females, who are often underdiagnosed due to societal expectations and stereotypes.”
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=female+asperger+syndrome+traits&t=osx&ia=web
The author’s quibbling about semantics and bragging about her own expertise, hardly advances the problem. It appears to me that RFK is doing the right thing by dealing with facts, not profits. Who cares about what it is called.
Various psychiatric conditions also manifest differently in men vs. women. For example, there's increasing evidence that the alleged higher frequency of clinical depression in women vs. men is simply due to it being diagnosed at a higher rate in women. This is partly because depression in men is more likely to manifest itself as anger rather than stereotypical depression symptoms (sadness, crying), and because men are more likely to "man up" and hide the problem.
So what you say about Asperger's being more hidden in girls may very well be true, both because the symptoms may be slightly different, and because there's more pressure among girls to fit in. Contrary to Hollywood teen movies, most of the male nerds in middle and high school were not ostracized or viciously bullied when I was a kid - mostly just good-natured ribbing. In contrast, girls who were perceived as strange were completely ostracized by their peer groups.
Having said that, I'm not convinced that Asperger's should be considered a mental illness in need of any treatment or therapy. Most people with that diagnosis are fully functional, just strange. This is in contrast to real autistics, who are often nearly functionless.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.