Understanding autism

Autism spectrum disorders — factsheet

A short, plain-language overview from the World Health Organization covering what autism is, how common it is across countries, the range of strengths and support needs, and the public-health context.

World Health Organization (WHO)

Autism

A lifelong way of experiencing the world — autistic people typically communicate, learn, and process sensory information differently from non-autistic people. Autism is a spectrum, which means no two autistic people are the same. It is not an illness and not something that needs curing.

Autism spectrum

The phrase reflects the wide range of strengths, needs, and traits among autistic people. A "spectrum" does not mean a line from "mild" to "severe" — it means autism shows up differently in different people, and each person's profile can shift over time and across situations.

Neurodiversity

The idea that human brains vary in how they work — including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others — and that variation is a normal part of being human, not a defect. The neurodiversity movement emphasises acceptance and accommodation rather than fixing or curing.

Identity-first language

Saying "autistic person" instead of "person with autism." Many autistic adults prefer it because autism is not a thing they carry separately — it is part of who they are. Some families prefer person-first ("person with autism"); both are acceptable, and you can ask what someone prefers.

DSM-5

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Many clinicians use the DSM-5 criteria to diagnose autism — it is the version that consolidated earlier categories (including Asperger's) into a single "autism spectrum disorder" diagnosis with levels of support.

ASD (autism spectrum disorder)

The clinical term used in the DSM-5 and many medical contexts. Most autistic adults and autistic-led organisations prefer simply "autistic" — "disorder" can imply something is wrong, when many autistic people experience their autism as a difference, not a deficit.

Asperger syndrome

A former diagnostic label for autistic people without significant early speech delay. It is no longer a separate diagnosis in the DSM-5 — those people are now diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Some adults still use "Asperger's" to describe themselves; many have moved away from it given the name's historical baggage.

Person-first language

Saying "person with autism" rather than "autistic person." Some families and professionals prefer it because it places the person before the diagnosis. Many autistic adults prefer identity-first language ("autistic person"). Both are acceptable — when in doubt, ask the person.

"High-functioning" / "low-functioning"

Outdated labels Soira does not use. They paper over which specific things a person finds easy or hard, often underestimate support needs of seemingly "high-functioning" people, and dismiss the strengths of "low-functioning" ones. Better to describe specifics — communication style, sensory needs, daily-living support.

Allistic

A non-autistic person. The word is useful in conversations about autism because "non-autistic" can feel like defining people by what they lack. Allistic does not imply anything about other forms of neurodivergence — an allistic person can still be ADHD, dyslexic, and so on.