Redundancy of "spectrum" word when talking about autism

Post Reply New Topic

Why there's tendency to use term "autism spectrum"? Isn't simpler to use just plain term "autism", and to expect that word "autism" implies possible spectrum of various traits related to ASD?

There's other various sets of conditions related to mental functioning like personality disorders, ADHD, psychopathy, disorders related to sexual sphere etc, Shouldn't we call them also like personality disorder spectrum, ADHD spectrum, psychopathy spectrum, sexuality disorders (paraphilias) spectrum?

If all various mental patterns and diseases can be viewed as spectrum, isn't using "spectrum" word redundant? Isn't simpler to move spectrum term into their definitions, thus in consequence sentences like "I have autism spectrum disorder", "I have diagnosed personality disorder spectrum" have the same meaning as "I have autism", "I have personality disorder"?

Does taking emphasis on word "spectrum" in context of autism have only something to do with promoting viewing autism as spectrum of various traits thus being only linguistic measure or does it have real scientific reasons?

Hans Asperger thought the four boys he studied to be autistic because they preferred not to join in with the social play of others. This was sufficient to be exterminated at the time. Classical autism was a brain malformation or damage.

The desire of those who make a living treating the defective decided that Aspergers should be lumped in with Autism allowing the use of the word "spectrum" to appease those who might object.

There is still the belief that there is a defect in the brains of "high functioning autistics" that has yet to be identified.

I would object to removing the term "spectrum" if only for the desire not to be loaded on to a train for disposal.