Autism Awareness Month: why Asperger’s Syndrome is an outdated term

April is Autism Awareness Month, and over the last decade much has changed in the way we understand and talk about Autism Spectrum Disorder.  

Many people on the spectrum identify as being ‘autistic’ or ‘having Asperger’s syndrome’. Before the DSM-5, the two were once considered to be separate disorders but now fall under the same umbrella of ASD.

So, why have the diagnostic categories changed over time and how has the language evolved when talking about people on the autism spectrum?

Image: Image: Pexels/ Nicola Barts

Produced By: Toni Pankaluic

Featured In Story: Dr Andrew Cashin- Professor of Autism and Intellectual Disability at Southern Cross University

First aired on The Wire, Thursday 28 March 2024