Autism umbrella chart-thoughts please

Post Reply New Topic

What are your thoughts about this ?


https://www.chatterpack.net/

I can't see exactly what it is, apart from the categories. I don't like the word "Mild" in conjunction with autism.

I picture salsa flavours, as if the opposite of Mild Autism is "Spicy Autism".

I'll have to read it further to see what it's benefit could be.

Splitting "functioning" into its different facets, I like. And I even quite like the umbrella metaphor (I don't like it that people often seem to think of the "spectrum" as just a single sliding scale of "autisticness".)

But both the categorisations and the scaling only mention "problems" and "difficulties". It's entirely a deficit-based model, and implies that neuro-typical behaviour should be the aspiration. Not so good!

As someone who struggles to see any personal plus points about the diagnosis I wasn't too upset about it being a deficit - model.

I found it hard to apply levels.


Speech delayed/absent=no

Understanding problems
listening, concentration
or understanding = mild. Better with written rather than spoken information

Frequent repetition of
words or phrases = mild? Have got into the habit of saying "FFS" to myself when something goes slightly wrong .

Taking things literally= moderate? Letter about post diagnosis appt said I took things very literally

Difficulty sensing or
interpreting peoples
feelings = mild (I think-?)

Difficulty expressing
feelings = moderate

Rituals or repetitive
behaviours = mild


Over or under sensitive
to sound, touch, taste,
smell or light = mild

Disliking changes
to routines = moderate

Difficulty making
friends and socialising = severe

It seems useful. How useful … I don't know yet.

Trogluddite's criticism was reasonable .