Calling Autism a Disease?

[Luv Bunnies]

Twice recently - once in the newspaper and once on the TV news - I've read/heard autism referred to as a "disease." It always makes me cringe when I hear this. I always understood is was a "disorder." It's not something you can catch from another person. It can't be cured by medication. A person can be perfectly healthy and still have autism, unlike a disease.

Has anyone else ever heard autism referred to in this way? Does it bother you?

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Often, and I've never once thought about it. Disease does not necessarily mean contagious or curable. Example: I often hear MD called a disease.

 

[BeckyScott]

I've heard it called that before, but I've always kinda chalked it up to ignorance.

I think there are some things we do automatically that most people don't, and don't think about. Like I always do "person first" and find that most Outsiders (if you will) don't do that, but it's just because they don't know any better. Or helpfully mentioning that your kid is getting better, so maybe they'll outgrow the autism, I always love hearing that one.

I suppose if someone outright said to me, that autism was a disease, I would feel the need to correct them. But the only times I've heard it phrased that way was on tv or in magazines. Perhaps I shoulda written a letter, hmm.

 

[kaffinito]

I love hearing that "maybe he'll outgrow it" one!! Calling Autism a disease just rolls off my back. I suppose if the phrase was being used by a teaching or health care professional I would have to correct them. But it really doesn't bother me, I guess I just tune stuff like that out.

 

[MousekeMommy]

This is making me wonder . . . what constitutes a disease? My son is often referred to as having a heart "disease" (he has heart block--an "electrical" problem), but it is not congenital, contagious, nor progressive . . . I guess I'm just not very touchy about the term "disease"--I let that one go. But, similarly, when the insurance company labels him as "terminal" though . . . that sends me through the roof, since others with his exact problem (electrical issues only, corrected with a pacemaker) are living well into their late 30s and 40s at this point . . . it seems another case of an inaccurate term. In his case, it doesn't just make me cringe and think of unpleasantries (who wants to think of their child as "terminal"), it actually keeps us from getting life insurance and "red flags" his health insurance info . . . I suppose that "disease" and "terminal" may be labels used and popularized by insurance companies and public instituations to determine benefits, etc.? Makes me wonder, as well . . .

 

[merryweather20]

I wouldn't have thought it incorrect myself Merriam Webster's had it as:

a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms

I consider JRA a disease and it can't be caught from another person nor can it be cured by medication, so I wasn't surprised that those didn't show up in the definition. Disease seems applicable to autism given the Merriam Webster's definition.

My paper dictionary actually used "disorder" in its definition.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I have a son with Down syndrome and I have seen that called a disease as well, which stuck me as weird.

 

[bookwormde]

In the broadest definitions of “disease” Autism would be included, just as some one who lost a limb in an accident or has less than perfect eyesight would also be.

There are 3 very subjective words in the definition (condition, impair and normal) so it is exceptionally open to individual perceptions.

What it really is a non-progressive comples genetic neurovariant (the Brain is “wired” to have different capabilities i.e. less innate societal social skills, non-linear vs. linear memory and processing etc.).

It is just a part of the standard evolutionally process and only time will tell if is a successful branch (although it has already contributed greatly to the advancement of the human civilization).

bookwormde