A new paper by Professor Dame Uta Frith, Autism Spectrum Disorder: Has it lost its meaning and is it leading to misdiagnosis? has been published today. Our full response to the paper is included below.

Our response:

Mel Merritt, Head of Policy and Influencing at the National Autistic Society, said: “Research consistently shows more people are seeking an autism assessment and being diagnosed because of increased awareness and understanding of autism. 

“Research about subtyping autism is growing, however these ideas remain entirely theoretical. They currently have no clinical value, diagnostic relevance or practical application. There are substantial concerns about further categorising of autism and the inaccuracy of subtypes in the past meant they ceased be used. We fear that it’s unhelpful and may lead to more stigma and discrimination, labels being misinterpreted and jeopardising access to support. We do not want any autistic people to be penalised because of a lack of resources; we want all autistic people to be able to access the particular care and support they need and deserve.

"Diagnosis involves a specialist team of clinicians who must all agree that a person meets a specific set of medical criteria. These criteria only change following a lengthy process which involves careful review of all the latest research and thinking. The process from start to finish of going through an autism diagnostic process can be long and intense, and the wait can take many years.

“Autism is understood as a spectrum. As the article points out, in the past people thought the spectrum was a straight line between ‘more’ and ‘less’ autistic, but this isn’t right. Today we understand the spectrum to mean each autistic person has a unique combination of characteristics. Terms such as ‘milder traits’ may be misleading or unhelpful in reflecting the difficulties and impact of navigating daily life for so many. Autistic people can be very different to one another, each with a unique set of strengths and challenges. This should not take away from or ‘neglect’ people with high levels of support needs.
 
"Autistic people need better access to quality autism assessments and tailored support. The real debate about autistic people is how to address the chronic inequalities they face. It is unhelpful and a false choice to pit autistic people against each other – getting the right support early and better understanding makes a big difference to all autistic people.” 
 

Further information

Read our blog about challenging misinformation about autism.
Read more about autism.
Read our advice and guidance about diagnosis.