Controversies about functioning labels in the autism spectrum: Encyclopedia II - Controversies about functioning labels in the autism spectrum - Political and social implications of the terms

Controversies about functioning labels in the autism spectrum - Political and social implications of the terms

While it is generally difficult for autistics of any kind to find services and accommodations, persons with an Asperger's label often have more difficulty finding services and accommodation for difficulties associated with autism, than those with a "low functioning" label. Because people with Asperger syndrome can often speak and write well, many laymen and professionals still consider them not to be severely autistic enough to need much support.

In addition, some people (including many parents of autistic children described as low functioning) see autistic adults doing things they don't believe children described as low functioning will ever be able to do and are offended and/or confused that they share a label with people they do not perceive as being disabled. They believe autism is strictly a severe disability and should be treated as such.

Autistic adults described as high functioning have responded to this by saying a "high functioning" label or the ability to speak and write doesn't mean their difficulties are mild. Autism is often called the "invisible disability" because the difficulties are not obvious and are difficult for neurotypicals without personal experience to understand. It is especially difficult for people to understand how someone with high intelligence and verbal skills can have difficulty with social functioning and daily living skills, as many autistics described as high functioning or Asperger's do.

Another perceived problem with the terms "high functioning" and "low functioning" is that they imply that less autistic behaviour is inherently superior to more autistic behaviour. The terms "Kanner" and "Asperger" (or "Aspie") are more neutral ways of labelling the parts of the spectrum. Such terms are used descriptively even by those who refuse to draw a sharp distinction.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Political and social implications of the terms", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki