The American Psychiatric Association changed the term autism to autism spectrum disorder in 2013. ASD is now an umbrella term that covers the different levels of autism. The autism spectrum includes conditions that providers used to consider separate, including: Autism.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
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/ ...
First, we propose the term autism spectrum disorder because there is widespread agreement that autism is a spectrum that varies among different individuals and even within individuals during their lifetime. It is particularly variable among individuals with different intellectual levels or language abilities.
The term “Asperger's syndrome” was long used to describe a “higher-functioning” or “less severe” manifestation of autism spectrum disorder; today, it is no longer classified as a medical diagnosis on its own.
As of 2013, Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism are no longer terms used by the American Psychological Association, and have instead both been merged into autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As of 2021, the World Health Organization also retired the terms and merged them into autism spectrum disorder.
The reason behind the reclassification of Asperger's syndrome was its similarity to autism, and the fact that it was distinguished from the latter based simply on a lack of language and cognitive delay — which, interestingly, isn't something every individual on the spectrum experiences.
The name for Asperger's Syndrome has officially changed, but many still use the term Asperger's Syndrome when talking about their condition. The symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome are now included in a condition called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is now the name used for a wide range of autism-like disorders.
If you still hear people use some of the older terms, you'll want to know what they mean: Asperger's syndrome. This is on the milder end of the autism spectrum. A person with Asperger's may be very intelligent and able to handle their daily life.
“On the spectrum/autism spectrum” is also acceptable. Some people with autism may call themselves and others an “autie” or an “aspie”, referring to asperger's syndrome.
Using "autism" or "autistic" as a slur or insult is also never acceptable. A person's diagnosis should never be mocked. Members of the autism community deserve to be treated with respect and accepted by their communities.
Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
ADHD is not on the autism spectrum, but they have some of the same symptoms. And having one of these conditions increases the chances of having the other. Experts have changed the way they think about how autism and ADHD are related.
Inheritance. ASD has a tendency to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is usually unknown. People with gene changes associated with ASD generally inherit an increased risk of developing the condition, rather than the condition itself.
People with the BAP have some traits common to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but not enough to have the disorder. But it's not comedians who have drawn scientific scrutiny for having the BAP: it's the parents and siblings of people who actually have autism.
Some individuals with borderline autism may be referred to as “high-functioning” autistic. This may because they live independently, function or functioned well at school and/or work, and do not have any observable behaviors such as those exhibited through language or developmental delays.
It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life. Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a "cure".
In 1980, "infantile autism" was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and separated from childhood schizophrenia. By the late 1980s, the term in the DSM was changed to autism disorder and included a checklist of symptoms for diagnosing autism.
Each person is different, and it is up to each individual how they choose to identify. Some people with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome may choose to keeping using the term, while others may prefer to refer to themselves as autistic or on the autistic spectrum.
Background: In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association removed Asperger's Disorder from the DSM, offering instead the new DSM-5 diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Rather, doctors place children on a spectrum according to severity. Asperger's syndrome is now considered “related to by distinct from autism.” Children with Asperger's syndrome are the highest functioning on the spectrum. Children with limited communication skills and behavioral regulation have low functioning autism.
This group of related disorders shares some symptoms. Even so, lots of people still use the term Asperger's. The condition is what doctors call a "high-functioning" type of ASD.