What should "Aspergers" be called?

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It seems the OP may just be another ASD Denier. Ignore him, and maybe he'll go away.

I'm amazed at how snarky and resentful some people get about official diagnosis just because they don't have one yet.

In fact, there are physical tests in which AS can be clearly seen, they're called MRIs. Generally, the symptoms are recognizable enough that it's not necessary to do an MRI to identify and diagnose High Functioning Autism, but it does demonstrably exist in a very specific area of the brain.

As to renaming the disorder, I wouldn't get overeager about jumping the gun on that - first, I don't think the Scientific Community is going to recognize a moniker designated by amateurs on an Internet blog, and second, I think both Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism are likely to be restored to the DSM in subsequent editions. Mental Health Professionals have not unanimously adopted the DSM-V at this point and there seem to be quite a lot of them who are not too pleased with many of the changes. I've been told by my own Therapist that many of them are refusing to use it as a diagnostic tool.

Personally, I'm fine with Asperger Syndrome as long as people pronounce Doctor Asperger's name properly. Ahz-Pair-Gur Syndrome is fine. "Ass Burgers" not so much.

I kind of prefer Aspergian to Aspie, but either is okay.

Good luck with that attitude! I'm not angry, I'm dumbfounded that people believe without question whatever anyone wearing a white coat tells them. I'm a scientist (and Aspie) who wants to understand a highly suspicious proliferation of diagnosis that are being handed out like bubble gum. Knowledge does not belong to one group or one person. The frontiers of human behavior are rapidly changing. I ask questions when people blindly defend the validity of making "aspergers" behavior into a disorder when from my research, the best that can be said is that it's a "social disease."

Anyone can mathematically manipulate data to get the result they want. If the data is bad to start with it's bad. That's not science...

Socially, I think I might like to experiment with something like this:

'You've heard that Autism is most probably a spectrum that extends all the way to 'normal,' right?'

Name calling is something I would expect from juvenile NTs. Hang on to your precious diagnosis - I choose to investigate and understand human behavior and the brain. It's an exciting and wide open field, especially since being Aspie and a scientist (hard not social) gives me a different type of insight into current questions. It often is an "outsider" who blows open closed doors. But you'd have to be interested in the history of science and western civilization to know that.

Yeah, I can kinda see how you would like to have something to blame it all on. Is this working out ok for you? Feeling somewhat better or still just really needing that validation?

Yes, your obvious calm and clinical demeanor tipped us off right away that you are a scientist. A real one. But not with a white coat. We gotcha.

being rude.

No actually, these people here have seen me rude and they can verify that I'm nowhere near it yet. At the moment I'm just being amused because you are so ticked off that you don't have something to blame your problems on that you don't want anyone else to either. But, you go ahead and rail at the medical establishment, because that'll show 'em!

To be honest, I'm pretty sure if you were engaged in some sort of valid scientific research regarding AS, you wouldn't be carrying it on in just exactly this way. Unless this is some new technique that's being tried and it's based on the TV show "Punk'd!" If that's the case I'd vote for Ashton Kutcher to step in and take over your role. Or maybe Hugh Laurie. That would probably be more fitting.

Anyway, I have other things to do, so you go ahead and fuss. Get it all out hon. Once it's out of your system then maybe you can work on what is really wrong.

Night!

To me, the Asperger's-Autism Spectrum is some or all of the following:

1) sensory issues,

2) intense intellectual or artistic interests,

3) patchy social skills,

4) stimming, and

5) (maybe) meltdowns.

============

This is better than DSM-5! In part, DSM is the work of a committee and it does show. And then they give short shift to sensory issues. How can they do that ? ? Well, they're on the outside looking in and what's most noticeable to them is the social differences and deficits. And some of the differences aren't even deficits, but they're classified that way.

And they don't really get stimming at all. Stimming is usually functional since it helps deal with sensory issues and helps maintain concentration. It also adds to joy of life as part of really getting into an activity. And yes, I'm all in favor of time and place and modeling for kids more discreet ways to stim and all that. But all the same, stimming is generally part of the solution, not part of the problem. And 'professionals' just don't seem to understand this.

And I bet you, too, can write a better definition of Autism Spectrum than DSM! Give it a shot and see what you come up with.

I think it's entirely okay to be skeptical of the medical establishment. For example, look at how poorly the medical establishment has treated many Lyme patients.

And I think we could come up with a number of additional examples unrelated to autism.

OP starts by asking a question and rapidly descends into attacking the diagnosis and status of that which she wants to rename.
As this is practically indistinguishable from outright denial, it ends now.