Different words for autism
You may have heard people use a lot of different words to mean autism. In our team we use the terms 揳utistic� and 揳utism� wherever possible, as well as 搊n the spectrum� as these are usually preferred by autistic people themselves.
When we make diagnoses and in our formal reports, we also still use the term 揂utism Spectrum Disorder�.
At present, this is the formal diagnostic term that is given in the diagnostic manuals.
You can watch the video below to learn more about these and other terms you may have heard used. You can access a copy of the transcript .
You can find out more about the views of autistic people on terminology in this video,
There are a wide range of views on how to refer to those who have a diagnosis of autism, and there are no rights and wrongs. As there are a lot of differing views, you might find there are other terms being used by autistic and non-autistic people.
As a team we will try, where possible, to accommodate individual preferences when working with particular children, so please do discuss this with us if you feel strongly about which terms are used.
Last updated20 Jan 2025