Neurodiversity: accepting autistic difference

'Insider' descriptions of living with autism in a world where most people are not autistic may at the same time inform and challenge a professional approach to what can be termed as 'autistic behaviour'. This article draws on the perspectives of the 'neurodiversity' mov...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inLearning disability practice Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 32 - 37
Main Authors Owren, Thomas, Stenhammer, Trude
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London RCNi 01.05.2013
Subjects
Autism
Environmental Influences
Guidelines
Physical Environment
Self Advocacy
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Summary:'Insider' descriptions of living with autism in a world where most people are not autistic may at the same time inform and challenge a professional approach to what can be termed as 'autistic behaviour'. This article draws on the perspectives of the 'neurodiversity' movement, people who themselves have diagnoses on the autistic spectrum but reject that autism is a disorder, choosing instead to fight for their right to be autistic. The authors include a case study to explore how such descriptions and perspectives can be applied to services supporting an autistic service user. They conclude that, regardless of whether autism is seen as a difference or a disorder, care staffproviding services to autistic service users may need to examine their assumptions carefully if they are to avoid discriminatory practices. 27 references
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ISSN:1465-8712
2047-8968