The 1001 definitions of autism

Translation of the French article "Les 1001 définitions de l'autisme".

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Estimated reading time: 2 to 3 hours.

When the meaning of autism gets lost in the tumult of discourse

Everyone shares their point of view on autism.

But with such a wide variety of interpretations, we come to the conclusion that autism no longer makes any sense.

Descriptions, definitions, explanations, confusions, …

Autism, autoerotismus, autistic thinking, schizoid personality disorder, autistic psychopathy, Kanner syndrome, Asperger syndrome, Early childhood autism, pervasive developmental disorders, psychoses, neurodevelopmental disorders, geek syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, autistic people, people with autism, autistic spectrum, atypism, autist, neurodiversity, autistic neurominority...

Autism and all its expressions have been given many names, often confused, divided, misjudged, denied, forgotten or exploited. For many years, researchers, doctors, politicians, charlatans, associations, parents, autists and non-autists have formed their own opinions about autism. Here is a summary of these different conceptions, from the most realistic to the most contemptuous, modern and outdated, combining knowledge, hypotheses, methodologies, beliefs and prejudices. A total of one hundred and twenty-six quotes. So many different opinions circulating in 2024 that, in the end, call into question the meaning of autism. This non-exhaustive list makes no value judgements, and there is no classification. The reader will be the sole judge of the comments made here.

Sommaire

Conclusion

ICD-11

The International Classification of Disorders No. 11 (ICD-11) was drawn up by the World Health Organisation. The official French translation uses the term Troubles du spectre de l'autisme (Autism Spectrum Disorder). This terminology reflects the recognition of a range of disorders associated with autism. Autism is not considered a disorder. Thus, ICD-11 shares only a description of autism disorders.

« 6A02 Autism spectrum disorder Mental. Listed in the category of behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorders

Autism spectrum disorder is characterised by persistent deficits in the ability to initiate and to sustain reciprocal social interaction and social communication, and by a range of restricted, repetitive, and inflexible patterns of behaviour, interests or activities that are clearly atypical or excessive for the individual’s age and sociocultural context. The onset of the disorder occurs during the developmental period, typically in early childhood, but symptoms may not become fully manifest until later, when social demands exceed limited capacities. Deficits are sufficiently severe to cause impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and are usually a pervasive feature of the individual’s functioning observable in all settings, although they may vary according to social, educational, or other context. Individuals along the spectrum exhibit a full range of intellectual functioning and language abilities.

Inclusions : Autistic disorder

Exclusions : Rett syndrome (LD90.4)

[...]

6A02.0 Autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language

6A02.1 Autism spectrum disorder with disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language

6A02.2 Autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and with impaired functional language

6A02.3 Autism spectrum disorder with disorder of intellectual development and with impaired functional language

6A02.5 Autism spectrum disorder with disorder of intellectual development and with absence of functional language

6A02.Y Other Specified Autism Spectrum Disorder

6A02.Z Autism Spectrum Disorder, Unspecified »

(Source : https://icd.who.int/browse/2024-01/mms/en#437815624)

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DSM-5

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders No. 5 (DSM-5) is an international classification of mental disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM-5 includes a description of autism disorders.

« Diagnostic codes 299.00 (F84.0). In the category of neurodevelopmental disorders
Autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder are grouped together under autism spectrum disorder. These disorders are not distinct and their symptoms form part of a single continuum ranging from mild to severe deficits in the two areas of social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviour/interests. […]
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive, see text):

1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.

2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.

3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.

Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted repetitive patterns of behavior.

B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):

1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).

2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns or verbal nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat food every day).

3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g, strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interest).

4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).

Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior.

C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).

D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.

E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/cJE4x5I)

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CFT-MEA

The French Classification of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents (CFT-MEA) constitutes a French medical classification system. The CFT-MEA is oriented from a psychoanalytic perspective. The CFT-MEA addresses autism.

« There is a controversy concerning the category 'autism,' classified among psychoses by the CFTMEA and among mental disorders by the DSM. The CFTMEA is largely inspired by psychoanalysis, which marks a difference from other international classifications. […] »

(Source: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classification_française_des_troubles_mentaux_de_l’enfant_et_de_l’adolescent#Critiques)

« The CFTMEA is published in France under the direction of Professor Roger Mises, and the 5th edition was released in 2012. It classifies autism in the category 'autism and psychotic disorders' along with schizophrenia and mood disorders. […] »

(Source: https://comprendrelautisme.com/le-diagnostic-de-lautisme/les-criteres/la-cftmea/)

« The category 1 'Autism and early psychoses' becomes 'Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), schizophrenias, psychotic disorders of childhood and adolescence.' This is a terminological change. The term 'psychosis' applied to young children is considered by many to be so stigmatizing that it seemed preferable to remove it from the nomenclature dedicated to PDD and autism. This change does not alter the aim of the CFTMEA in seeking to identify differential criteria characterizing children and adolescents from a psychopathological point of view. […]

1.0 Category: Autism and PDD

1.00 Early childhood autism

Typically begins during the first year with characteristic manifestations appearing before the age of 3. It involves major disturbances in the establishment of interpersonal and social relationships; qualitative impairments in communication (absence of language, specific language disorders, deficit and impairment of non-verbal communication); repetitive and stereotyped behaviors often including gestural stereotypes; restricted and stereotyped interests and play; a need for immutability (consistency in the environment); cognitive disorders.

1.01 Other forms of autism

Incomplete or delayed-onset autistic syndrome after the age of 3.

1.02 Autism or PDD with early intellectual disability

Combination of severe intellectual disability present from the start with autistic traits, particularly annihilating anxiety attacks associated with regressions and self-aggressive behaviors. The massive nature and immediate onset justify the individualization of these forms, knowing that in most cases of childhood autism or other PDD, intellectual disability or cognitive disorders coexist. Includes autism and PDD with early expression of deficits; evolving debility.

1.03 Asperger's syndrome

According to the CFTMEA, it corresponds to the presence of an autistic syndrome without cognitive developmental delay and especially without language development delay. The autonomy of this syndrome relative to childhood autism, especially to so-called 'high-level' forms of autism, is debated. Particularly in such cases, unique abilities in certain areas (memory, calculation, etc.) isolated from overall psychic functioning have been described. Includes autistic psychopathy.

1.04 Multiple and complex developmental disharmonies, psychotic disharmonies

1.05 Childhood disintegrative disorders

1.08 Other PDD

1.09 Unspecified PDD (NS) »

(Source: https://amzn.eu/d/3vDIinA)

« The SFPEADA [French Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Associated Disciplines] renews its support for this new edition [2020] and approves the necessary updates it includes. Particularly noteworthy is the interest in clarifying category 1, now titled 'Global and pervasive developmental and mental functioning disorders,' in which autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are distinguished from psychoses, with psychotic disharmonies being primary. […] It should be emphasized that a qualitative differentiation is maintained in severe and pervasive developmental disorders between those related to autism and those related to psychosis. […] It is also clarified what this term [Psychosis] encompasses, far from the stereotypes of destructive madness, while DSM 5 and ICD 11 confirm the overly broad grouping of these disorders under the term 'autism spectrum disorders' (ASD), preferring a differentiation by severity. […] While maintaining the psychoanalytic reflection that constituted the core of its foundation, it has progressively enriched itself through successive editions with contributions from other disciplines, such as attachment theories, systemic approaches, neuropediatric knowledge, advances in the field of childhood autism, and more generally, progress in the somatic field of pediatrics. Additionally, thanks in part to Bernard Golse, it has deepened the development of the very young child, its clinical aspects, and its interactions. »

(Source: https://amzn.eu/d/djPgspT)

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The Dictionary

The English and French dictionaries also provide definitions of autism.

« Autism:

A brain condition that affects the development of social and communication skills in ways that can be severe or slight, and that can make someone's behaviour and interests different from people without the condition:

Her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three.
Autism is not a medical condition with a "cure", but autistic people may need help with certain things. »

(Source : https://dictionary.cambridge.org/fr/dictionnaire/anglais/autism)

« Autisme:
(German Autismus, from the Greek autos, self)

1. Neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by impaired social interaction (pathological withdrawal), communication (language) and behaviour.

2. Figuratively, by exaggeration. Denial of reality which leads to isolation and a refusal to communicate and, in particular, to listen to others. »

(Source : https://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais/autisme/6565)

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La Gazette de l’Autiste

La Gazette de l'Autiste (The Autist's Gazette) is run by an anonymous autist author. The site offers a description of autism in the article ‘What is Autism?’

« Autism is a human diversity like freckles are. [...] Autism is differentiated from non-autism through microscopic analysis of the nervous system and its surroundings. Autists would function “more easily (?)” in a “more intense (?)” way. Knowledge and means (including imaging) are not sufficiently advanced to describe autism more precisely. In the meantime, autism can be explained, as best we can, as a “more sustained (?)” way of receiving, conceiving or transmitting information or a sensation. There are many theorys and questions, but we cannot do otherwise for the moment. Research is progressing. Autism is not a trait, a level of intelligence or a personality. Autism should not be seen as the strength or weakness of autists, but rather as the “neural stuff (?)” that influences, sometimes in different ways, the strengths and weaknesses of autists, because autism is expressed differently according to the autists (their character, their health, their experience) and their environment (the positive or negative influence). Some autists have autism spectrum disorders. These are disorders specific to autists. ASDs can evolve over time. Medicine, based on the current state of scientific knowledge, tries to describe ASDs as well as possible with the DSM-5 and the ICD-11. But progress remains to be made. »

(Source : https://www.lagazettedelautiste.com/autism)

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Handicap.gouv.fr

Handicap.gouv.fr is the French government's official website dedicated to disability, managed by the Secretary of State for the Disabled. The site provides a definition of autism.

« Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can be discovered before the age of 2 or throughout life. Autism is a lifelong disorder.

Today, there is no cure for autism, but with the right support, people can live better with the disorder. »

(Source : https://handicap.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/articles_falc.pdf)

« Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name given to a group of neurobiological disorders that affect the development of people with autism. ASD can be characterised in particular by dysfunctions in social interaction, communication, behaviour and activities.

The use of the word ‘spectrum’ makes it possible to include all the diversity of disorders and to signify the possible evolution of individuals within this spectrum. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects social and emotional communication. Autism is a set of symptoms. These symptoms can vary from one person to another.

The term ASD replaces PDD, Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Until 2013, the generic term PDD was used to categorize different types of autism.»

(Source : https://www.monparcourshandicap.gouv.fr/glossaire/tsa)

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Handicap.fr

Handicap.fr is an independent medium whose mission is to provide information for all those affected by disability and loss of autonomy. The site provides a definition of autism.

« Autism and autism spectrum disorders are neurobiological disorders manifested by difficulties in communication and interaction and restricted and repetitive interests. [...] The term ‘autism’ encompasses a wide range of conditions, making it difficult to establish a single definition, so today we often prefer to talk about autism spectrum disorders (ASD). ASDs are characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication, and restricted, repetitive and stereotyped interests.

Note that ASD should be presented as a neurological difference, a neurodevelopmental disorder or a disability, and not as a disease or pathology. [...]

Appropriate support and care, depending on the severity of the disorder, can limit its consequences and provide some relief in everyday life.

Cognitive and behavioural interventions from the earliest signs already help children with autism to become more independent and confident in society, and to develop communication habits.

People with autism may require socio-educational care, medical monitoring and, possibly, medication. »

(Source : https://informations.handicap.fr/a-autisme-et-troubles-du-spectre-autistique-6025.php)

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Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a free encyclopaedic service run by anonymous people. The site shares a definition of autism.

« Autism, formally called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by deficits in reciprocal social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Other common signs include difficulties with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, along with perseverative interests, stereotypic body movements, rigid routines, and hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input. Autism is clinically regarded as a spectrum disorder, meaning that it can manifest very differently in each person. For example, some are nonspeaking, while others have proficient spoken language. Because of this, there is wide variation in the support needs of people across the autism spectrum.

Psychiatry has traditionally classified autism as a mental disorder, but the autism rights movement (and an increasing number of researchers) see autistic people with low support needs as a part of humanity's natural neurodiversity.

[...]

Spectrum model

Before the DSM-5 (2013) and ICD-11 (2022) diagnostic manuals were adopted, what is now called ASD was found under the diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorder. The previous system relied on a set of closely related and overlapping diagnoses such as Asperger syndrome and the syndrome formerly known as Kanner syndrome. This created unclear boundaries between the terms, so for the DSM-5 and ICD-11, a spectrum approach was taken. The new system is also more restrictive, meaning fewer people now qualify for diagnosis [...] »

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_spectrum)

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GNCRA

The mission of Groupement National des Centres Ressources Autisme (the National Group of Autism Resource Centers), GNCRA, is to disseminate knowledge about autism and to help improve care for autists. GNCRA is run by professionals working in the field of autism. This network provides a definition of autism.

« Autism is currently considered to be a neurodevelopmental disorder with multifactorial origins, particularly genetic. […]

Autism definition

The characteristics of autism vary enormously from one person to another and cover a wide spectrum. The classification and diagnosis of autism are constantly evolving and have been the subject of much debate. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases are the two most common medical classifications. Since 2005, the classification recommended in France has been the ICD-10, pending the introduction of the ICD-11. The classification now recommended is DSM-5, in which the term ‘autism spectrum disorder (ASD)’ replaces ‘pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)’, which in DSM-IV covered several categories, including typical autism, Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).

In the DSM-5, ASD is characterised by two symptom dimensions:

‘Persistent deficits in communication and social interactions observed in a variety of contexts’
and ‘Restricted and repetitive nature of behaviours, interests or activities’.

[…] »

(Source : https://gncra.fr/autisme/historique-definition-en-cas-de-doute/)

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La Maison de l’autisme

La Maison de l'autisme (The Autism House) is a support and resource centre co-managed by the government, health professionals and service associations. This network shares a definition of autism.

« Autism is a very early developmental disorder in children characterized by difficulties in communication and social interactions. The characteristics of autism vary greatly from one person to another and cover a wide spectrum: that is why we speak of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Autism is classified within neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). [...]

Autism is a Neurodevelopmental Disorder (NDD) characterized primarily by:

Persistent deficits in communication and social interactions;
Restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders refer to the alteration of one or more brain functioning mechanisms: motor skills, sensory processing, language, communication, social interactions, etc. Among NDDs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disorders, or "dys" (dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysphasia...), and intellectual developmental disorders are also included.

Autism can manifest in individuals with a very wide variety of manifestations during early childhood, which persist throughout life. That is why the term "Autism Spectrum Disorders" (ASD) is used. For example, some autistic individuals may have a perfect command of language, while others do not speak at all.

Since 2013, international scientific classifications have ceased to classify autism types into large categories (typical or atypical autism, Asperger's, etc.), and have abandoned the long-used concept of "Pervasive Developmental Disorders" (PDD), in favor of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

This revision of terms is recent, so it is possible that some people still use this old vocabulary.»

(Source : https://maisondelautisme.gouv.fr/fiches-pratiques/qu-est-ce-que-l-autisme)

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Institut Pasteur

Institut Pasteur is an institution dedicated to biomedical research and the understanding of various diseases. Institut Pasteur is run by a community of researchers, scientists and healthcare professionals. This network speaks out on autism.

« Autism is part of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). It manifests in early childhood (before the age of 36 months) and has consequences at various levels and degrees on the developmental spheres of the child. The consequences often impact the autonomy, social interactions, and participation of the autistic individual. [...]

Given the highly variable expression of autism symptoms from one individual to another, the term autism spectrum is used to account for the heterogeneity of the disorders. The scientific and medical community agrees on defining an autistic dyad encompassing all these symptoms in the following domains:

Social communication and social interaction;
Restricted or repetitive behaviors, activities, or interests.

[...]

For the majority of autistic individuals, there isn't a single identified cause through medical examination. Some environmental factors have been highlighted: neuro-inflammation, viruses, the intake of certain medications (cf. Depakine) during pregnancy... However, neither vaccines, nor celiac disease, nor the psychological characteristics of parents are risk factors for autism in children. The genetic component predominates, with, in some cases, a single mutation responsible for autism that may appear de novo; meaning it appears in the child while absent in the parents. In other cases, it's the combination of several genetic variations that increase the likelihood of developing autism. In addition to the 200 genes already associated with autism, new genes are regularly identified. Studies have also revealed that a significant portion of genetic variations associated with autism are shared by other conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intellectual disability.
[...]
An autistic individual may present, at any age, all or part of these frequent but non-exhaustive symptoms:

Restricted fields of activities/interests
Difficulty in social integration (social withdrawal or, conversely, present social solicitations, even numerous, but considered inappropriate)
Non-verbal communication disorder (e.g., avoidance of eye contact)
Difficulty in understanding/detecting others' feelings
Absent language or language disorders or language delay, or conversely, typical language development, even precocious (with rich language and elaborate lexicon, but 'peculiar' communication)
Tendency to repeat syllables, words, or stereotyped expressions (echolalia)
Repetitive behaviors (e.g., rocking, twisting limbs)
Difficulty in adapting to changes in routine/environment
Hyper- or hypo-sensitivity (to sounds, light, smells, tastes, etc.) »

(Source : https://www.pasteur.fr/fr/centre-medical/fiches-maladies/autisme)

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Autisme info service

Autisme Info Service is a national platform for information on autism. This initiative is run by health professionals and is part of the government's system. This service has provided a definition of autism.

« Autism is not a disease, but a disability whose manifestations are described as a neurodevelopmental disorder. The main symptoms of autism are impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive interests. These disorders can lead to inappropriate behaviour in certain situations. These signs can generally be identified before the age of 3. [...] Until recently, Autism Spectrum Disorders categorised different types of autism (Asperger's, Rett, Landau-Kleffner, PDD-NOS, etc.). This classification has now been replaced by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This formulation is now preferred, as it demonstrates the diversity of cases encountered. This ‘dimensional’ formulation has the advantage of signifying the wide diversity in the intensity of manifestations of autism, at cognitive, sensory, relational and communicational levels.

The main symptoms of autism:

Language and communication disorders.

Language and communication disorders affect both expression and comprehension, whether verbal or gestural.

Oral language may be absent or inappropriate, i.e. of little or no function, out of context, with syntactic or semantic defects. Non-verbal communication may also be disrupted. In particular, an autistic child will have difficulty pointing or using reactions adapted to certain situations (smiling, looking, imitating, using and understanding social gestures, etc.).

Relationship difficulties

This lack of communication leads to difficulties in building relationships with others. Autistic children have difficulty interacting and playing with their peers. They have little or no understanding of, or reaction to, the demands and emotions of those around them. This situation often leads to isolation and difficulties in socialising.

Repetitive behaviour and gestures

People with autism have a strong tendency to repeat gestures and speech. These repetitive behaviours, also known as stereotypies, can also be seen in unconventional activities and games. »

(Source : https://www.autismeinfoservice.fr/informer/autisme/definition)

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Autisme France

Autisme France (Autism France) is a parents' association recognised as being of public utility. This association has a shared definition of autism.

« Definition of autism

Autism is a very early disorder of cerebral development in babies (probably already in the foetus), characterised by difficulties in communication and social interaction, as well as restricted and stereotyped interests.

Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder, along with attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity, learning disability, intellectual development disorder and developmental coordination disorder.

Unfortunately, neurodevelopmental disorders can accumulate. 30% of people with autism have an associated attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity, 30% have an associated intellectual development disorder, 30% also have associated epilepsy, 60% have associated eating and sleeping disorders, and many also have major sensory difficulties.

The profiles of the people concerned are very diverse: we therefore speak of an autism spectrum; the level of severity of the disorders leads to a different level of need for help.

As far as we know, there is no cure for this disorder. People are born with autism and die with it.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been recognised as a disability since 1996. The people concerned and their families can therefore apply to the Maisons Départementales des Personnes Handicapées (Departmental Houses for Disabled People) to obtain a notification of aid: benefits, human assistance, referral to a service, priority cards. Autism is neither a mental disability (intellectual development disorder) nor a psychological disability (psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, severe depression, addictions, etc.). »

(Source : https://www.autisme-france.fr/quest-ce-que-lautisme)

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Vaincre l’autisme

Vaincre l'autisme (Defeating autism) is an association of parents committed to the fight against Autism Spectrum Disorders in their children. The association provides a definition of autism.

« Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain as well as the immune and biological systems. It also alters the ability to recognise expressions and social and emotional codes, and generates emotional hypersensitivity and behavioural disorders. »

(Source : https://www.facebook.com/188089237873384/posts/-lautisme-est-une-maladie-neurologique-qui-affecte-le-fonctionnement-du-cerveau-/3272081406140803/)

« Autism, or Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects :

communication (language, comprehension, eye contact, etc.)
social interaction (perception and understanding of emotions, social relationships, games, etc.) in various contexts
behaviour (restricted and repetitive nature, stereotypies, more or less severe behavioural problems, etc.).

Autism may be associated with :

an intellectual deficit in 31%* of cases (difficulties in reasoning, learning, planning, memorising or problem-solving) or unusual abilities
language impairment
another developmental, mental or behavioural disorder, or depression
a disease of genetic or non-genetic origin

Autism is not inevitable, but there is an urgent need to intervene to give children access to early, appropriate care so that they can develop their full potential.

[...]

The current prevalence of autism is estimated at 1 in 50 children born with autism*. It's urgent that we all take action. MAKE A DONATION!

It is important to stress that current prevalence figures are estimates, since only 10% of children with autism are diagnosed* and the diagnostic criteria are not adapted to women*(LB). The prevalence of autism is therefore likely to increase. »

(Source : https://vaincrelautisme.org/comprendre/lautisme/)

« Identifying Early Signs at Home
The symptoms of autism are manifold and vary depending on each individual with ASD. Parents are primarily the first to detect autism symptoms in their child, often as early as infancy.
Symptoms in infants:

No reaction to various stimuli around them (establishing eye contact, responding to hearing their name, looking at, touching, or pointing to a familiar person or object...)
Persistent focus on a specific interest to the exclusion of the surrounding world for extended periods

Symptoms in children:

General regression (sometimes despite an otherwise normal development)
Complete withdrawal, even to the point of total indifference to social contacts (family, friends, pets...)
Variable sensitivity to sensory stimuli, particularly touch and noise (resistance to hugs, kisses, agitation in response to loud noises...)
Need for routines and difficulty accepting changes (anxiety attacks...)
Complete lack of communication, whether verbal or non-verbal, difficulty understanding and displaying appropriate behavior in a situation (laughter when being reprimanded, lack of interaction or facial expressions in a conversation)
Strong stereotypies (engaging in unusual and repetitive movements that prevent concentration on the current activity)
Restricted interests, which become the sole means of communicating with others

The presence of at least two signs could have predictive value.
Symptoms in adults:
The symptoms are varied and difficult to detect, as manifestations of autism can be mistaken for shyness, anxiety, sensitivity, and/or the establishment of routines in daily life. These symptoms may include:

Persistent difficulties in social relationships (establishing connections, maintaining long-term relationships, understanding social codes, understanding humor and sarcasm)
Lack of empathy and difficulty deciphering the intentions of others
Hyper- or hypo-sensitivity (light, noise, smells, touch)
Specific interests and, in some cases, exceptional skills (mastery of certain subjects)
Routines (difficulty managing changes, which can cause a lot of anxiety. Establishing routines can reassure the individual and help anticipate events in their daily life)
Anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances »

(Source : https://vaincrelautisme.org/comprendre/le-diagnostic/)

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CLE autistes

Le Collectif pour la Liberté d'Expression des Autistes, (The Collective for the Freedom of Expression of Autists) CLE Autistes, is a militant initiative aimed at self-determination and social justice for autists and neurodivergent people. This collective speaks out on autism.

« Autism is all about us! What unites us are autistic traits and a shared life experience, rather than a diagnosis.

The feeling of being out of step with others all one's life, the fact of having a different development, the desynchronisation between thought, language and the body, the difficulty in maintaining relationships, engaging in conversation or carrying out simple tasks exist long before the diagnosis.

Our association is not based on a formal diagnosis, but on autistic life experiences, enabling us to take into account those that are not recognised.

We adopt an approach based on neurodiversity by talking about autistic traits, and in a crip / antivalidist way so as not to consider the diagnosis as a homogenous biological entity, but as a social construct that we can reappropriate and use to our ends.

Autism belongs to us, and we have the power to decide what it means. Anyone can identify with these traits and functioning if they feel they have a similar experience. Together, we can determine our real needs and respond to them, without the professionals. »

(Source : https://asso.cle-autistes.fr/qui-sommes-nous/nos-valeurs-statuts/)

« Autism is a neurological diversity that characterizes the way a person communicates and interacts with their environment in an "atypical" manner. It is a uniqueness, divergent from so-called "typical" social norms, affecting approximately 1% of the global population consistently throughout history. As a spectrum, autism encompasses a variety of situations and degrees of expression.
[...]
Autism is a situation of disability in a society poorly adapted to its specificities. However, autistic individuals possess personalities, character, and a unique worldview. They may also present with other associated conditions, such as attention disorders, speech disorders, or learning difficulties.
Autistic individuals have multiple identities (class, gender, LGBTIQ, ethnic minorities...) and varied experiences that interact with their autism.
[...]
What then are the peculiarities and needs of autistic individuals?
Varied sensory peculiarities
Diminished or heightened sensitivity to light, noise, intonation, and voices of others, difficulty interpreting internal physical sensations, different processing of sounds, touch, textures, or food tastes...
Profound intellectual output and passions for specific subjects
Autistic individuals have specific interests and varied expertise, ranging from knowledge of horse breeds to international monetary policy, geography maps, weather, or carnivorous plants.
A bodily language consisting of repetitive or atypical movements
Firstly, there are self-stimulatory and emotional regulation behaviors such as clapping, rocking, jumping, or hitting oneself on the head. Then there are coordination and execution difficulties such as dyspraxia.
A distinctive language and different verbal and non-verbal communication
There may be difficulty interpreting innuendos, implied meanings, sarcasm, and figurative expressions. Autistic individuals may repeat words or phrases immediately or after a delay in a loop. This is echolalia, a way to reassure oneself or learn language in their own way by storing vocabulary. Generally, there are also difficulties expressing emotions, intimate feelings, and handling concepts. Sometimes verbal language may be absent, but that doesn't mean the autistic person doesn't understand what you say or doesn't have another way to express themselves (gestures, specific interests, writing, art).
Needs for rituals and routines
Moments typically enjoyed by neurotypical individuals such as holidays or Christmas can be very anxiety-inducing for autistic individuals because they signify a disruption of usual routines (school or work). Conversely, autistic individuals may take great pleasure in classifying and organizing objects or topics that interest them.
Difficulties in understanding and conforming to typical socialization
Autistic individuals do not socialize according to societal norms, which means they may have delayed reactions to social stimuli or behave inappropriately in a given social context. Autistic individuals may not necessarily want to say hello or thank you, but may do so in another way (through a different gesture, they may also talk to you about their specific interests, which is a sign of trust). It is best for their well-being to respect their way of doing things.
Challenging behaviors.
These behaviors are more or less related to the previous characteristics but are seen as very problematic in our society, even dangerous for the autistic individual and others. They may involve hitting one's head against a wall or object (self-mutilation), playing with feces and offering them to you, screaming or shouting, crossing the street abruptly without looking, etc... These behaviors always have a cause and should be analyzed to prevent them. Self-mutilation can result from sensory overload, lack of stimulation, inability to communicate effectively, or self-inflicted punishment by autistic individuals. It is important to adapt their environment to reassure them and build trust; the assistance of autistic adults and specialized professionals (cognitive psychologist) may be necessary. Organic diseases (ear infections, food intolerances, allergies, and intestinal problems) can also induce these behaviors, requiring medical expertise.
Non-conforming learning and problem-solving strategies
Autistic individuals may have exceptional abilities in tasks requiring fluid intelligence and be mediocre in verbal tasks. Sometimes, autistic individuals may have moderate or severe learning difficulties, but this may result from a different way of learning not provided by traditional education. It is important to implement pedagogies and programs adapted according to the principles of inclusive education*. »

(Source : https://cle-autistes.fr/politique/autisme/)

« […] There are only autistic people and no autism. […] »

(Source :https://twitter.com/CLE_Autistes/status/1415564246633656322)

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PAARI

Les Personnes Autistes pour une Autodétermination Responsable et Innovante (The association ‘Autists for Responsible and Innovative Self-Determination’), PAARI, works to promote self-determination and innovation. The association speaks out on autism.

« People with autism face a number of difficulties that are intensified when they do not receive a proper diagnosis or are not sufficiently informed about how their characteristics may manifest themselves. [...]

One of the main characteristics of autism is rigidity of thought, a cognitive style characterised by rigid and repetitive patterns of thought, behaviour and routines. [...]

One of the characteristics of autism is an intense and obsessive interest in certain subjects or hobbies, also known as ‘special interests’. Special interests are a common feature of ASDs and can become all-consuming passions, giving individuals a sense of comfort, pleasure and control. [...]

Gender is often presented as a ‘social construct’, and one of the hallmarks of autism is a host of social challenges. Difficulty in adapting to ‘gender roles’ can contribute significantly to rejection of the perceived ‘gender role’, which can lead to rejection of their biological sex by extension. [...]

People with autism have social difficulties that prevent them from making and maintaining friendships, leading to isolation and depression, and this effect is compounded when autism is not diagnosed until adulthood. »

(Source : https://www.paari.fr/comment-les-traits-autistiques-peuvent-etre-confondus-avec-la-dysphorie-de-genre/)

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Alliance autiste

Alliance Autiste is an activist association that aims to defend the rights and interests of autists. Managed by autistic activists and their allies, the association speaks out on autism.

« 1/ Autism is a natural biological human characteristic (like albinism for example) present at least from birth, which is part of what we call ‘human biodiversity’. It is an intrinsic part of our nature, and has important qualities that must not only be protected, but also developed (particularly in terms of self-esteem and personal fulfilment on an original ‘life path’, not to mention the potential benefits for society). Wanting to ‘eradicate autism’ makes no more sense than wanting to make an albino person tan so that he or she looks ‘normal’ (and is less excluded).

2/ The specific difficulties and ‘disorders’ that characterise autism are not ‘autism’; they are :

Either ‘subjective disorders’, i.e. differences perceived as ‘deficiencies’ by non-autistic people when they are not or should not be (such as not being interested in superficial things, ‘not knowing how to lie’, preferring to remain isolated...) ;
Or problems linked to ‘impairments’ (inconsistencies, disharmonies or non-naturalness) which may be neurological (sensory or mental) and/or non-neurological (diet, substances, exposure to various physical factors, etc.).

These problems generate suffering (which is not due to ‘autism’, but to the damage imposed - even unconsciously - by non-autistic people and their systems), which is not understood and is therefore ignored and maintained, leading eventually to physical manifestations and/or crises, the only visible elements, which are then described as ‘autistic disorders’ (often confused with ‘autism’). [...]

3/ Finally, autistic disabilities (3) are the consequences of difficulties or disorders (2), which result from problems imposed (almost always unconsciously) by the non-autistic environment, due to a lack of understanding and incorrect consideration of autism (1). This implies that autism is not the direct cause of disabilities: it is society's failure to take autism into account that creates difficulties and disorders, which in turn generate disabilities. »

(Source : https://allianceautiste.org/distinction-fondamentale-de-l-autisme/)

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UNAPEI

L'Union nationale des associations de parents, de personnes handicapées mentales et de leurs amis (National Union of Associations of Parents, Mentally Handicapped Persons and their Friends), UNAPEI, is a network of French associations defending the interests of families with neurodevelopmental disorders, committed to living together. This network provides a definition of autism.

« Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose progression is constant and jointly dependent on the individual's potential and the implementation of the chosen interventions. [...] Given the importance of cerebral plasticity in early childhood, it is necessary to provide very early support for the development of ‘skills’ in small children. [...] People with autism are vulnerable, so the environment has to compensate, support and constantly adapt interventions so that they can live as well as possible with and among others. People with autism are all the more vulnerable to abuse, violence and mistreatment because they may have communication difficulties that prevent them from reporting what they are experiencing and they may not always be able to distinguish malicious intent. [...] So, whatever their form of autism, their degree of disability or the nature of their difficulties, people with autism benefit from continuous and benevolent attention from everyone working with them. »

(Source : https://www.unapei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/unapei-guideautisme_dossier5-1.pdf)

« The profiles of autistic people vary enormously, and Unapei's network supports autistic people with complex support needs. The situation remains alarming for these children and adults, who are all too often sidelined by so-called ‘inclusive’ public policies. In concrete terms, a large number of adults are neither identified nor diagnosed, and many young adults are kept in children's establishments for lack of a support solution, while others are placed in psychiatric hospitals, which in no way meet their needs. Thousands of children, teenagers and adults are also still ‘exiled’ in Belgium, where their support is cut off because there are too few teams able to support them. »

(Source : https://www.unapei.org/article/autisme-les-demandes-de-lunapei/)

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AFP

L'Association Française de Psychiatrie (The French Association of Psychiatry), AFP, is an organization dedicated to the promotion and development of psychiatry in France. The association has expressed some views on autism.

« This is rare; it took us two successive issues to explain about autism: a symposium organized by the French Association of Psychiatry associated with numerous complementary publications. I said 'autisms,' not that there are not many common signs, but it would be dishonest to put on the same level the early manifestations, secondary appearances, Asperger's syndrome, massive withdrawals, and from a therapeutic point of view, very early treatments, favorable developments, absence of language, autistic children, and the future of adolescents and adults. The battle around autism deserves several comments raised by numerous professionals and a few family associations for a long time.[…] »

(Source : https://psychiatrie-francaise.com/produit/2-12-autisme-i/)

« According to the Association française de Psychiatrie, Munchhausen syndrome by proxy can easily be found in cases where the child mimics autism, pushed by its mother. »

(Source : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-vincot/blog/160117/lassociation-francaise-de-psychiatrie-et-le-syndrome-de-munchhausen-par-procuration)

« According to Bernard Gibello, President of the French Psychiatric Association, the DSM-IV diagnosis of autism is now made two hundred times more often than with the criteria of the French Classification of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents (CFTMEA). »

(Source : https://www.senat.fr/rap/r12-249/r12-2490.html)

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Autistes Sans Frontières

Autistes Sans Frontières (Autists Without Borders) is a parents' association that strives to promote an inclusive society for all people, including those with autism. This association has shared a definition of autism.

« Definition: According to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition: "Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), characterized by abnormal or deficient development, manifested before the age of three with a characteristic disturbance of functioning in each of the following three areas:
1. Reciprocal social interactions,
2. Communication, both verbal and non-verbal
3. Behaviors with repetitive, stereotyped gestures, rituals, restricted interests"
[...]
Autism: a pervasive developmental disorder:
First described by Leo Kanner in 1943, autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that early affects the development of social skills and communication and leads to major social disability. For a long time, autism was thought to be the result of a lack of affection. Thus, it was recommended to separate the child from his family, and these families carried a heavy burden for many years and lived in guilt. Fortunately, those times seem to be over.
Autism, a neurobiological disorder:
In fact, autism does not have a single cause, but it is certain that environmental factors are not a cause and the personality of the parents or the mode of education cannot cause autism. Researchers today agree that the child is born with an innate inability to establish social relationships with others. It is therefore a neurobiological disorder, meaning that it concerns the functioning of the brain. The causes of autism have not yet reached a consensus within the global scientific community, but it is estimated that the prevalence rate affects 1% of the population.
[...]
The term "ASD" (Autism Spectrum Disorder) now replaces "autism" or "Pervasive Developmental Disorder" in order to emphasize:
1. The specificity of social development disorders,
2. The wide variability of individual symptoms.
The behavioral symptoms of the autism spectrum vary greatly from one individual to another, but also within the same person over time. »

(Source : https://www.autistessansfrontieres.com/autisme/quoi/)

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Already 20 different conceptions of autism and/or its expressions...

La Fondation Orange

The Orange Foundation is a philanthropic entity dedicated to supporting social and solidarity initiatives. It speaks out on autism.

« Autism: a long-standing sponsorship focus.

Since 1991, we have been helping people with autism, their families and professionals.

The Foundation's early support for research and information led to major scientific advances.

Today, we promote the education and inclusion of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through two programs:

The Autism and Digital program

Promoting the use of digital technology to facilitate learning and autonomy for people with autism. Providing content for professionals, families and people with autism.

The Inclusion program

Offering support and solutions in the fields of housing, training, work and leisure.

The aim of this program is to improve living conditions, train professionals and support families: www.autisme.fr . »

(Source : https://www.fondationorange.com/fr/la-sante-et-lautisme)

« What is autism?

Autism refers to pervasive developmental disorders (also known as autism spectrum disorders).

The term "pervasive" means "profound" or "acute". In other words, the difficulties invade many areas of the person's functioning, particularly all those that require or generate contact with the environment.

The characteristics of autism can be classified into three categories:

1. social relationships

2. social communication

3. restricted and repetitive behaviors

This is what we call the triad. »

(Source : https://www.autisme.fr/-qu-est-ce-que-l-autisme-.html)

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RAAHP

The Rassemblement pour une approche des autismes humaniste et plurielle (Gathering for a humanistic and pluralist approach to autism), RAAHP, is a network of associations for parents of autistic children. This network has expressed its views on autism.

« Autisms…
[…]

The dominant representations of autism conveyed by the media and certain parents' associations need to be questioned. Claims that autism is a genetic handicap involving a neurodevelopmental disorder, whose frequency is on the rise and which requires intensive behavioral methods that have proved their worth, should be put into perspective, given the heterogeneity of what is now termed autism. The enthusiasm for intensive behavioral methods should also be questioned in the light of current recommendations published in various countries that have used them for a long time.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's UK guideline (NICE, 2013) preambles that, contrary to some claims, there is no cure for autism, but states that there are interventions that can help address some of the symptoms, behaviors and problems associated with autism. [...]

In this way, the public authorities can provide guidance and control without creating a permanent structure. They fund private training organizations, which have a virtual monopoly on training professionals and parents. Parents, convinced of the benefits of ABA, become autism professionals (or rather, ABA professionals). Others, lacking the necessary social and cultural codes and vainly seeking help, find themselves in great difficulty. What's more, the most severe forms of autism find even fewer solutions, because the children are rejected by the school system and even by the specialized structures, which also want to achieve good results in order to report them to the public authorities and obtain funding once again.

In conclusion, current guidelines do not seem to meet the specific needs of autistic children, teenagers and adults, for whom adapted structures are sorely lacking, and the increased burden on parents makes family and professional life even more difficult, except when the parents themselves become autism professionals. »

(Source : https://www.autismes.info/les-autismes)

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Theory of double empathy

The Theory of double empathy, formulated by Dr. Damian Milton, explores the nuances of empathy in the context of interactions between non-autists and autists.

« […] While it's true that autistic people can struggle to process and understand the intentions of others in social interactions, when listening to the stories of autistic people, one could argue that such problems exist in both directions. The theory of autistic minds often seems to leave much to be desired, and we wouldn't need organizations like the National Autistic Society trying to raise awareness and understanding of autism if it were so easy to empathize with autistic ways of perceiving and being in the world. Since the earliest written accounts of autistic people, there have been many mentions of this lack of understanding on the part of others. It was this issue of mutual empathy problems between autistic and non-autistic people that led to the development of "double empathy" as a theory.

Theory of double empathy

Put simply, the theory of the double empathy problem suggests that when people with very different experiences of the world interact with each other, they will find it difficult to empathize with each other. This is likely to be exacerbated by differences in language use and understanding. I began publishing theoretical accounts of this problem in the early 2010s, although similar ideas can be found in Luke Beardon's work on "cross-neurological theory of mind" and that of philosopher Ian Hacking.

More recently, research by Elizabeth Sheppard and her team at the University of Nottingham, Brett Heasman at the London School of Economics and Noah Sasson at the University of Texas at Dallas, showed that, under experimental conditions, non-autistic people had difficulty reading the emotions of autistic participants or forming a negative first impression of autistic people. Such evidence would suggest that the prevailing psychological theories of autism are only partial explanations, at best. »

(Source : https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/double-empathy)

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The intense world Theory

The Intense World Theory, formulated by Dr Kamila Markram and Prof Henry Markram, suggests that autists perceive and process the world in an intense sensory way, which influences their everyday experience.

« Autism covers a wide spectrum of disorders for which there are many views, hypotheses and theories. Here we propose a unifying theory of autism, the Intense World Theory. The proposed neuropathology is hyper-functioning of local neural microcircuits, best characterized by hyper-reactivity and hyper-plasticity. Such hyper-functional microcircuits are speculated to become autonomous and memory trapped leading to the core cognitive consequences of hyper-perception, hyper-attention, hyper-memory and hyper-emotionality. The theory is centered on the neocortex and the amygdala, but could potentially be applied to all brain regions. The severity on each axis depends on the severity of the molecular syndrome expressed in different brain regions, which could uniquely shape the repertoire of symptoms of an autistic child. […]
The neurobiology of autism has been researched extensively with growing urgency and major strides and insights over the past 30 years (Rubenstein and Merzenich, 2003; Belmonte et al., 2004b; Courchesne, 2004; Casanova, 2007; Minshew and Williams, 2007; Amaral et al., 2008), yet no coherent neurobiologically based theory of autism has yet emerged to explain its entire heterogeneity. A wide range of interpretations, hypotheses, and theories has been put forward, each casting a different light on an important but specific aspect of autism. The central question is whether the spectrum of autism is due to a spectrum of neuropathologies or whether a single common pathology can explain the spectrum. Recently, we put forth a bottom-up hypothesis for autism that is neurobiologically grounded and works its way up from the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels toward the potential cognitive consequences, called the Intense World Syndrome (for extensive review see Markram et al., 2007b). […]
This theory is by far not a complete explanation of the cause of autism, but it provides a coherent multi-level framework for a complete explanation. On a neurobiological level, the Intense World Theory of autism proposes excessive functioning of neural microcircuits, with the main symptoms being hyper-reactivity and hyper-plasticity and together, hyper-functionality. On a perceptual and cognitive level this excessive functioning of local neuronal circuits may lead to an intensely perceived world, which may turn aversive and highly stressful if the amygdala and other parts of the limbic system are also affected. »

(Source : https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2010.00224/full)

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Monotropism

Monotropism, developed by Dinah Murray and Isabelle Hénaultest, suggests that autists have a particularly focused attention on specific centers of interest.

« Autism is still widely seen as mysterious – so much so that the most widely recognised symbol of it (unpopular in the autistic community) is a puzzle piece. Various psychological theories of autism haven't helped all that much, largely because all of the most established ones leave vast swathes of autistic experience completely untouched, and tend to leave people with harmful misconceptions. The one theory I think comes anywhere close to explaining the whole shebang – monotropism – has been largely overlooked by psychologists. […]
Monotropism provides a far more comprehensive explanation for autistic cognition than any of its competitors, so it has been good to see it finally starting to get more recognition among psychologists (as in Sue Fletcher-Watson's keynote talk at the 2018 Autistica conference). In a nutshell, monotropism is the tendency for our interests to pull us in more strongly than most people. It rests on a model of the mind as an 'interest system': we are all interested in many things, and our interests help direct our attention. Different interests are salient at different times. In a monotropic mind, fewer interests tend to be aroused at any time, and they attract more of our processing resources, making it harder to deal with things outside of our current attention tunnel. […]
Autism deserves good, well-evidenced theories, and while it is easy to point out major flaws in autism theories that psychologists have largely accepted, it makes sense that they would be reluctant to accept a newer theory from relative outsiders, however much it explains. Sue Fletcher-Watson, a psychologist in the field, points out that 'often in psychology a new theory is built on top of an empirical finding — this is what happened certainly with Theory of Mind which was rooted in a 1985 experimental study by Simon Baron-Cohen, Alan Leslie and Uta Frith. For non-autistic psychologists, there is no lived experience of autism out of which to build a theoretical model and so experimental data have to come first. This could be another reason why autistic-led theories, drawn at least in part from internal observations, struggle to make a big impact in mainstream research.' […] »

(Source : https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/me-and-monotropism-unified-theory-autism)

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Syndrome geek

The geek syndrome, explored by Steve Silberman, establishes links between the specific passions of geeks and certain autistic characteristics, thus contributing to an understanding of the increase in neurodiversity, particularly in fields such as computing.

« In the past decade, there has been a significant surge in the number of kids diagnosed with autism throughout California. […] The one thing that almost all researchers in the field agree on is that genetic predisposition plays a crucial role in laying the neurological foundations of autism in most cases. Studies have shown that if one identical twin is autistic, there's a 90 percent chance that the other twin will also have the disorder. If parents have had one autistic child, the risk of their second child being autistic rises from 1 in 500 to 1 in 20. After two children with the disorder, the sobering odds are 1 in 3. (So many parents refrain from having more offspring after one autistic child, geneticists even have a term for it: stoppage.) […]
It's a familiar joke in the industry that many of the hardcore programmers in IT strongholds like Intel, Adobe, and Silicon Graphics—coming to work early, leaving late, sucking down Big Gulps in their cubicles while they code for hours—are residing somewhere in Asperger's domain. Kathryn Stewart, director of the Orion Academy, a high school for high-functioning kids in Moraga, California, calls Asperger's syndrome "the engineers' disorder." Bill Gates is regularly diagnosed in the press: His single-minded focus on technical minutiae, rocking motions, and flat tone of voice are all suggestive of an adult with some trace of the disorder. Dov's father told me that his friends in the Valley say many of their coworkers "could be diagnosed with ODD—they're odd." In Microserfs, novelist Douglas Coupland observes, "I think all tech people are slightly autistic." […]
Clumsy and easily overwhelmed in the physical world, autistic minds soar in the virtual realms of mathematics, symbols, and code. Asperger compared the children in his clinic to calculating machines: "intelligent automata"—a metaphor employed by many autistic people themselves to describe their own rule-based, image-driven thought processes. In her autobiography, Thinking in Pictures, Grandin compares her mind to a VCR. […]
This affinity for computers gives teachers and parents leverage they can use to build on the natural strengths of autistic children. Many teenagers who lack the motor skills to write by hand find it easier to use a keyboard. […]
The Valley is a self-selecting community where passionately bright people migrate from all over the world to make smart machines work smarter. The nuts-and-bolts practicality of hard labor among the bits appeals to the predilections of the high-functioning autistic mind. The hidden cost of building enclaves like this, however, may be lurking in the findings of nearly every major genetic study of autism in the last 10 years. Over and over again, researchers have concluded that the DNA scripts for autism are probably passed down not only by relatives who are classically autistic, but by those who display only a few typically autistic behaviors. (Geneticists call those who don't fit into the diagnostic pigeonholes "broad autistic phenotypes.") […]
For parents employed in prominent IT firms here, the news of increased diagnoses of autism in their ranks is a confirmation of rumors that have quietly circulated for months. […]
One provocative hypothesis that might account for the rise of spectrum disorders in technically adept communities like Silicon Valley, some geneticists speculate, is an increase in assortative mating. Superficially, assortative mating is the blond gentleman who prefers blondes; the hyperverbal intellectual who meets her soul mate in the therapist's waiting room. There are additional pressures and incentives for autistic people to find companionship—if they wish to do so—with someone who is also on the spectrum. Grandin writes, "Marriages work out best when two people with autism marry or when a person marries a handicapped or eccentric spouse.... They are attracted because their intellects work on a similar wavelength." […]
That's not to say that geeks, even autistic ones, are attracted only to other geeks. Compensatory unions of opposites also thrive along the continuum, and in the last 10 years, geekitude has become sexy and associated with financial success. The lone-wolf programmer may be the research director of a major company, managing the back end of an IT empire at a comfortable remove from the actual clients. Says Bryna Siegel, author of The World of the Autistic Child and director of the PDD clinic at UCSF, "In another historical time, these men would have become monks, developing new ink for early printing presses. Suddenly they're making $150,000 a year with stock options. They're reproducing at a much higher rate." […]
For UCSF neurologist Kirk Wilhelmsen—who describes himself and his son as being "somewhere on that grand spectrum"—such statements cut to the heart of the most difficult issue that autism raises for society. It may be that autistic people are essentially different from "normal" people, he says, and that it is precisely those differences that make them invaluable to the ongoing evolution of the human race. […] »

(Source : https://www.wired.com/2001/12/aspergers/)

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The Neanderthal autist

The Neanderthal autistm theory, developed by autist Frank L Ludwig, explores the possibility of a prevalence of autistic traits among Neanderthals.

« The Autistic Neanderthal Theory is the only unifying theory of autism since it is able to explain every facet as well as the heterogeneity of autism. […] Neanderthal DNA (besides possibly that of other archaic humans) causing resistance to social conditioning (i.e. autism and related neurological orientations) would mean that we all are indeed, as some people claim and science has demonstrated, ‘a little autistic’, on a spectrum that ranges from extremely individual humans to extremely social ones. Basically, our inner Neanderthal tells us to do the sensible thing while our inner Homo sapiens tells us to do what everybody else is doing or what we are told to do (which, going by the consistent results of the Milgram Experiment, is the choice of two thirds of all people). It is no coincidence that autism was first pathologised in Nazi-occupied Austria and the United States in the early 1940s, in countries and at a time that saw the ruthless enforcement of conformity and compliance and the perception of individual expression as an act of treason or a sign of mental illness. (And the more the world slides back into authoritarianism, the more people will be diagnosed with autism.)

[…]

In my Autistic Neanderthal Theory I have demonstrated that Homo sapiens, being of a social nature, were quite unremarkable until assimilating the highly sophisticated Neanderthals who were of an individual nature, resulting in the emergence of modern humans, and that autism is the manifestation of a predominantly individual personality (as opposed to the predominantly social nature of mainstream people) due to Neanderthal DNA. »

(Source : https://franklludwig.com/neanderthal.html & https://franklludwig.com/progressiveneanderthal.html)

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Autism Genetics

"Autism genetics - an overview" by Jiani Yin and Christian P. Schaaf was first published on October 15, 2016. The article discusses the basics of autism genetics.

« Autism spectrum disorder is a clinically and genetically complex group of disorders. More than 800 ASD genes have been identified to date. Clinically, the development of chromosome microarray analysis and WES technologies has revolutionized the approach to patients with ASD, and a genetic cause of ASD can now be identified in 6–37% of cases, with medically complex cases more likely to have an underlying genetic cause identified. [...]

Complex patterns of inheritance (such as oligogenic inheritance) and gene–environment interactions may account for a sizable fraction of all cases, particularly the high-functioning and non-syndromic forms of ASD.

The etiologic complexity of ASD is humbling and raises the question of whether ASD research should try to tackle “one gene at a time” or whether systems biology and complex network approaches are more promising, as they build on the relationships between biological elements among heterogeneous components.

This becomes even more relevant when we consider that little of the progress in autism research has been translated into successful therapeutic and pharmacological interventions. The next steps in autism research may involve the identification of shared functional networks across genetic entities, attempts to identify compounds that allow mitigation of the respective functional alterations, and the question of how best to conduct efficacy testing of potential pharmaceutical treatments, using quantifiable outcome measures that are sensitive to short-term changes in behavior, in order to allow for successful translation back to the bedside, with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life for the affected individuals and their families. »

(Source : https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.4942)

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Florian Forestier

Florian Forestier is a curator at the Bibliothèque nationale de France and holds a doctorate in philosophy. He will remind us that there is no definition of autism, during a seminar entitled "Autism and the human and social sciences: research issues and prospects".

« He reminds us that there is no definition of autism; there are identification criteria that refer to what has been defined as a spectrum. In the 1940s, the category of autism was invented for a much smaller population: severely handicapped people. Gradually, the autism category expanded to include more autonomous people.
Moreover, sub-categories have disappeared, as autism falls within a generic spectrum in which it makes little sense to define sub-categories. There are no categories of autism, which is why the Asperger's category has disappeared from the latest version of DSM2. Classifications are made in terms of levels of associated disability, not in terms of forms of autism.

Today, diagnosis is based on observation, assessment and biographical questionnaires. New techniques (genetics, artificial intelligence, deep learning, etc.) are opening the door to the idea of independent identification of disabilities. Autistic traits and autism-related disabilities are distinct. A distinction must therefore be made between the nature of autism and what, in autism, gives rise to disabilities. Autism is part of a global developmental trajectory, which begins with the genome and causes the brain to specify and connect in a particular way. The particularities of functioning are linked to this different structuring.

On this subject, Florian Forestier presented two opposing approaches: autism considered from a medical deficit point of view, and autism considered from a neurodiversity point of view. As autism is identified in a clinical context, it is most often diagnosed on the basis of deficits. But shouldn't these deficits be understood more generally in the light of studies on this particular functioning? Indeed, if an illness is something we suffer from, we can also suffer from a difference. It's more a question of understanding what causes this suffering. »

(Source : https://www.iresp.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Synth%C3%A8se-du-s%C3%A9minaire-autisme-et-SHS-13-02-2020.pdf)

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Catherine Barthélémy

Catherine Barthélémy is a professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Tours, specializing in autism. She talks about autism.

« The cause of autism is unknown. But there is a growing understanding of these developmental disorders. Sufferers have difficulty establishing social relationships and adapting to change. It's not a psychological problem. It's a disorder in the brain, probably linked to a problem of connections.

For a long time, the genetic approach was the priority. The second axis is neurophysiological. And the third is environmental. This is currently under study. The brain is always interfaced with the outside world, so the products we breathe or swallow may have a link with this disorder? »

(Source : https://www.essentiel-sante-magazine.fr/sante/droits-et-patients/autisme-point-catherine-barthelemy)

« Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which, from the very first months of a child's life, alters his or her functions of social communication and adaptation to the environment. Thanks to clinical observation practices using technologies for dynamic analysis of infant behavior (video, eye-tracking), it is possible to detect very early on fine anomalies in reciprocal adjustments in autistic babies. These are linked to prenatal abnormalities in the development and basic functioning of the neural networks of the "social brain". Before the age of 4, these neural systems are endowed with maximum "plasticity". »

(Source : https://www.cairn.info/revue-contraste-2020-1-page-221.htm)

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John Constantino

John Constantino is a healthcare professional, physician and researcher specializing in autism. He speaks about autism.

« Autism, like intellectual disability, represents the severe end of a continuous distribution of developmental impairments that occur in nature, that are highly inherited, and that are orthogonally related to other parameters of development. »

(Source : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21289537/)

« Most of the time, autism is hereditary, but the search for biomarkers is hampered by the diversity of the condition. According to John Constantino, part of the problem may be that the biological factors that determine whether a person is autistic differ from those that influence the severity of the condition. […]
Spectrum : How do researchers traditionally define and search for biomarkers in autism, and what’s the conundrum in how that has played out?
John Constantino : Biomarkers link a biological signature — for example, variation at the level of genes and DNA, brain signatures from neuroimaging or serum markers — to a neuropsychiatric trait or outcome. An outcome could be an autism diagnosis, or it could be autism severity. But a conundrum is: Are you relating your biomarker to a cause of autism or to an effect of autism?

Based on our work with identical twins and families, we think researchers may sometimes assume that their biomarkers relate to causes of autism when actually those biomarkers signal effects of autism, and that biomarker associations therefore might not always be what they seem. »

(Source : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-vincot/blog/040821/questions-et-reponses-avec-john-constantino-resoudre-lenigme-des-biomarqueurs)

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Laurent Mottron

Laurent Mottron is a healthcare professional, doctor and researcher renowned for his expertise in the field of autism. He talks about autism.

« The distinction between autism with and without intellectual disability is fundamental, and is involved in the definition of what we call autism, and in most decisions made about it. It does not cover the distinction between high and low functioning autism: prototypical autistic children, during their pre-verbal period, have an apparent low level of functioning, but do not present a true intellectual disability. This is why I will attempt to subvert the distinction between high vs. low-functioning autism with the distinction between prototypical vs. syndromic autism, drawing on current advances in the genetic and neurocognitive neurosciences of autism.
[…]
The main distinction to be made in the autistic phenotype is between prototypical autism and syndromic autism. Prototypical autism is no more associated with intellectual disability than the neurotypical condition. Prototypical autism is characterized by perceptual hyperfunction and expertise in specific domains, associated with a reorganization of the cortical areas allocated to these functions. The intelligence of an autistic child is only accessible through non-verbal tasks during the preschool period. The autistic brain reorganizes itself according to its expertise in a class of material specific to a particular individual. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/dNHbiZT)

« Autism is not a difference, or a disease, or a condition, it's an asymmetrical bifurcation. [In other words, there are a number of situations in human biology where, without significantly changing the biology of the organism, you can take two different paths. [...] We decide that autism has nothing to do with a genetic error. [...] You have left-handed families, just as you have autistic families. But there is no biomarker for autism, it's a completely random sum of common variants [...] All commercial attempts to identify risks of having an autistic child during pregnancy are scams. All that can be identified during pregnancy right now is whether the child is a mutation carrier. And this mutation is associated with a number of problems, including autism. But that currently corresponds to 7% of autistic people. It doesn't apply to prototypical autism. So we can't predict autism, we can only predict identifiable neurogenetic conditions, which is quite different. »

(Source : https://octopus-formations.fr/evenement/autismes-osons-le-dissensus/)

« Now that it has been established that autism is no longer a mental illness, i.e. that it is not a transient condition that alters a previously normal state and can be cured by a return to that previous state, it is generally accepted that autism is a disability. According to the WHO definition, this means an impairment that limits activity and social participation. In the case of autism, this impairment has two aspects. One is what defines the person as autistic rather than non-autistic - their diagnosis. This would specifically limit participation in social activity. The other is the performance rank that the person occupies in relation to other autistic people, which defines him or her as having normal intelligence or as carrying an intellectual limitation. Ten years of research into the cognition of autistic people without intellectual disabilities, the clinical evaluation of several hundred such people, and professional collaboration with some of them, has led us to move from a conception of autism as a handicap to autism as a difference, and to profoundly question the place of intellectual disability in autism.
[…] All over the world, autism is the subject of highly virulent positions. In France, these positions revolve around psychoanalysis and the role of psychiatry. In fact, the same vehemence marks, in North America, the polemics for and against the widespread use of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the systematic judiciarization of parents' societies who take legal action against the state, and the battles around etiological models or parascientific therapeutics that circulate around the planet before being replaced by another (vaccines, gluten, secretin, facilitated communication, heavy metals, etc.). We don't know why autism arouses such violent thought, and why the press is so keen to cover it - compare the level of public information on autism with that on schizophrenia, for example. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/cKUUNfI)

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Frank Ramus

Frank Ramus is an engineer and researcher in cognitive sciences at the CNRS. He talks about autism.

« How can autism be explained? The most credible hypothesis in the eyes of the international scientific community points to various anomalies in the structure and functioning of the brains of autistic people. But many grey areas remain. […]

What do we know today about the structure and functioning of the brains of autistic people?

Observations have been made at several levels of description. The best-known result concerns the growth of the brain: at birth, it is rather smaller than average, but its growth is abnormally rapid. By the age of two, it had become larger than average. The underlying mechanisms are unknown. There are several hypotheses: an abnormal increase in the number of synapses or dendrites, a defect in synapse pruning... They are very difficult to test. Regardless of volume, microscopic properties have been identified. Dissection studies, based on donated brains, show a range of abnormalities affecting multiple regions, notably the cerebellum. But the brains dissected in this way are few in number, so data is limited. What is more affordable, albeit with much lower resolution, is brain imaging, both anatomical and functional. It shows that, depending on the region, there is more or less grey matter than in control subjects, and that connectivity, via white matter, is atypical. There is also under-activation of certain regions involved in perception, in particular of social stimuli such as faces or voices, or in theory of mind, i.e. the ability to attribute mental states to others. The organization of the cerebral cortex is different. »

(Source : https://www.scienceshumaines.com/franck-ramus-pourquoi-l-hypothese-neurodeveloppementale-s-impose-pour-l-autisme_fr_28699.html)

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Thomas Bourgeron

Thomas Bourgeron is a geneticist and autism researcher. He talks about autism.

« While autistic people share disorders of social interaction and restricted, stereotyped interests, there is no single form of autism, as these symptoms can vary in intensity. Autism is also often associated with other conditions such as intellectual disability, epilepsy or mutism. This heterogeneity complicates the study of autism, particularly when researchers want to understand how much genetics is involved in these disorders... For the first time on this scale, we can go beyond the simple association between a gene and autism. We can understand the effect of the different genetic architectures of autism on the different components of this complex syndrome. »

(Source : https://www.pasteur.fr/fr/journal-recherche/actualites/autisme-influence-genetique-symptomes)

« Thomas Bourgeron (Institut Pasteur): "Genetics show that there is no single type of autism".

[...] Why look for genes?

Finding genes allows us to identify biological pathways that function atypically in autistic people. The first genes we found (NLGN, Shank, NRXN) form a synaptic pathway; another pathway is that enabling gene regulation via chromatin remodeling. In each case, it seems that the consequence of these genetic variations is to modulate neuronal and synaptic plasticity; the property of synapses to strengthen or weaken the ability to transmit from one neuron to another. [...]

What role can genetics play in therapy?

We are working on animal models in the hope of understanding how atypical brains communicate or why they are more vulnerable to epileptic seizures, and thus improving certain cognitive abilities or reducing comorbidities. [...]

Is there a role for genetic testing in a screening strategy?

They can't be used on their own to diagnose autism (which must be carried out by a multidisciplinary team), but they can be used in support of a better understanding of the category of autism to which an individual belongs, particularly with a view to including him or her in clinical trials.

You are involved in a number of European research projects. Which ones are they?

The Aims-2-Trials project, funded by Europe and pharmaceutical companies, involves three cohorts to follow people (aged 0-30) over a long period of time, to see how autism develops and to search for biomarkers.

A second project, Candy, studies comorbidities in autism, focusing on siblings.

The R2D2-Mental Health project (Risk, Resilience, Developmental Diversity in Mental Health), funded to the tune of 10 million euros and bringing together 20 research centers, aims to understand the trajectories of people with neurodevelopmental disorders. Our aim is to change the too-simple equation: risk = diagnosis. […] »

(Source : https://www.lequotidiendumedecin.fr/specialites/genetique/thomas-bourgeron-institut-pasteur-la-genetique-met-en-lumiere-quil-ny-pas-un-seul-type-dautisme)

« The genetic contribution to autism is very strong, with heritability estimates of over 80%. Part of this genetic component to autism is shared with the genetic component of other disorders such as ADHD. But these heritability studies tell us nothing about the genes involved, nor about the number of genetic variations involved, their nature and their frequency in the population. [...] The genetic dimension of autism is indisputable for us scientists, but certain theories have made life difficult for parents. [...] As far as autism is concerned, the genes we have identified play an important role in the formation of the synapses that establish the connectivity of neurons, but it is genetic variations in these genes that modulate this connectivity and increase the probability of being autistic. The expression "autism genes" is a misnomer. [...] At the time, the scientific community agreed that autism is necessarily polygenic: it is the consequence of several genetic variations in one person. My contribution was to show that sometimes, a single variation in a single gene can be enough to cause autism. […]
Autism is positively correlated with schizophrenia (correlation value equal to 0.2), depression (0.4), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (0.3) and neuroticism (a personality trait defined by a persistent tendency to experience negative emotions) (0.3). This does not mean that these traits are necessarily more present in people with autism, but that some of the genetic variations that contribute to these psychiatric disorders or personality traits also contribute to the heritability of autism. […] »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/6I9FHwd)

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Julie Dachez

Julie Dachez is an autist, author, PhD in psychology and autism activist. She declared in 2017 in her book "Dans ta bulle!" (In your bubble!).

« Normality is only a social construct, it doesn't exist in itself. [...] So it's best to say it from the outset: for me, autism is a difference in functioning, pathologized by a society obsessed with normality. That's not to say that being autistic is easy, far from it! Being directly concerned, I'm well placed to measure the extent of the difficulties that can be encountered when one is autistic. But many of these difficulties are created by the environment in which I live, and by social pressure to conform to that environment, whatever the cost. [...] To put it another way: I've never suffered from being autistic, but I have and still do suffer from the way society looks at me, and from the fact that social structures are not adapted to my way of functioning. [...] We are stigmatized and excluded at all levels of society. This is what causes us to suffer and sometimes even lose our lives. Autism in itself is not disabling. It's society's maladjustment to our way of being that creates situations of disability. [...] I see autism as a particularity, a way of being, and I advocate social change rather than the psychiatric treatment of individuals. I see autism as a social issue, rather than a health issue. [...] Instead of seeing autism as a clinical condition, instead of focusing on its preconditions, I see it as a social issue, rather than a health issue. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/2Nans7V)

« The etiology of autism is complex and multifactorial, meaning that there is no single cause, but many. To date, researchers have identified two main categories of cause: genetic and environmental. As far as genetic causes are concerned, researchers have not identified one autism gene, but several. And the role of heredity is very important in autism. [...] As for environmental causes [...] the older the parents, the greater the probability of having an autistic child. During pregnancy, certain drugs ingested by the mother (such as thalidomide and valproic acid) increase susceptibility to autism. And still during pregnancy, if the mother is overweight, has an autoimmune disease, diabetes or a feverish episode due to an infection such as rubella, this will also increase susceptibility to autism. At birth, prematurity, lack of oxygen to the baby and cerebral haemorrhage also play a role. Other hypotheses concerning fetus exposure to indoctrinated disruptors, air pollution, pesticides and antidepressants are also being investigated, but are the subject of debate and require further research. […] »

(Source : https://www.julieacademy.com/formation-l-autisme-autrement)

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Annette Wood

Director of Kansas Windmill Press, Annette Wood speaks out on autism in 2016 in her book "Temple Grandin: Voice for the voiceless".

« We now know that autism is caused by neurological abnormalities that prevent the child from receiving neurotypical hugs and kisses. The Cuddle Machine enables autistic children to be touched and hugged in a way they can accept without experiencing overly strong physical sensations. It is currently used in many classrooms for autistic children. [...] Another gift of autism is the ability to see details. In her book Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, Temple lists eighteen minute details that frighten farm animals, including reflections on smooth metal, metal noises and sudden color changes in equipment. She used her ability to pay attention to detail to build equipment for the animals. [...] Temple also asserts that autism is caused by "a complex heredity of many interacting factors". Siblings, parents and other close family members often show milder traits. Traits that appear to be associated with autism include intellectual giftedness, shyness, learning difficulties, depression, anxiety and alcoholism. […] Autism is a family disorder. This doesn't mean that all family members are autistic, but if one person has severe autism, the whole family is affected. There is a strong genetic component, so there's a good chance that one or more members of the extended family have Asperger's syndrome. The Grandin family model - a mother very involved with the autistic child, a distant father who probably had Asperger's syndrome, and siblings who don't express themselves - is unfortunately very common. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/3T3iC7s)

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Kevin Rebecchi

Kevin Rebecchi est un docteur en sciences de l’éducation et de la formation. Il s’exprime sur l’autisme, notamment dans son livre « Autisme, Les écrits fondateurs d’Hans Asperger » (Autism, The seminal writings of Hans Asperger).

« What is autism (really)?

In my opinion, the various current conceptions (not necessarily mutually exclusive) of autism are :

A pathology or disorder characterized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) symptom dyad, which is found in many genetic syndromes or developmental disorders, and which is not associated with any strength, ability or advantage (this is the majority and current conception, and within this framework, debates over the use of the term "disorder" or "pathology" or "disease" - or others - are in my view unfounded, as the conception remains the same). This is Lorna Wing's view in particular. [...]
A specific, not necessarily abnormal, state of mind (Schröder - Chapter X - defines it as the capacity to be with others, the perception of what a person emits and radiates towards oneself, and which enables one to commit oneself to that person, or even to attach oneself to that person with love and loyalty), which is the complement of the state of being in communication with people, and whose passage between this previous state and the state of autism takes place freely (even if with difficulties or discomfort). This is George Frankl's conception.
An (altered) state of consciousness (Dittriche - 1980 - defines it as a marked deviation in subjective experience modifying an individual's psychological functioning, and causing changes in moods, perception of self, environment, time and space).
A personality type (defined as "The dynamic organization within the individual of common traits, behavior patterns, values, interests, plans and motives, self-understanding and worldview, abilities and emotional patterns that determine characteristic behavior and thinking. All the systems of the individual that develop and interact to create the unique and shared characteristics of the person", Matsumoto, 2009) see a new dimension of personality (Wakabayashi et al., 2006) in addition to openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism (McCrae & Costa, 1990).
A set of traits and characteristics present in everyone to varying degrees. This is Plomin's vision. […] »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/19EA60d)

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Judy Singer

Judy Singer is a renowned autistic sociologist and writer, and the main author of the neurodiversity theory. She writes about autism in her book NeuroDiversity: The Birth of an Idea.

« While Autism is associated in the public mind with images of rocking, emotionally cut-off, intellectually impaired children, and “Rainman” like savants, a range of people who are not intellectually impaired, and may even be intellectually outstanding, are recognising themselves as being “somewhere” on a continuum between “normality” and Classical Autism. [...] But from the point of view of autistics themselves, these definitions puts the cart before the horse. They look superficially at autistic deficits, while ignoring their underlying causes. Autistic people argue that autism is above all characterised by a hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, which necessitates withdrawal from a world of overwhelming sensation. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/eBPG9Qb)

« Neurodiversity Today

“I was very clear in my thesis that I was only talking about Asperger’s,” Singer told me. And in fact she couldn’t have been more explicit: In an early section entitled “Notes on language,” she wrote, “I want to make it clear that when I used the term ‘autistic,’ I am referring only to people with what is called High-Functioning Autism (HFA) or Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), that is, people who have normal to high ‘intelligence.’” Singer made this distinction because it was obvious to her that the challenges faced by the “brainy but socially inept nerds” at the center of her thesis were both qualitatively and quantitatively different from the profound impairments that characterized classic autism. “What is now called autism isn’t a unitary condition, and I only know Asperger’s – I can’t speak for severe autism.” […] »

(Source : https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inspectrum/202306/an-interview-with-neurodiversity-originator-judy-singer)

« On the one extreme, we have a handful of “Rainbow People” who, it seems to me, want to define “Autism” as whatever it is that they like about themselves. And who want to expunge the word “severe” from the lexicon.
Rising up against them in inevitable reaction, come a handful of "Angry Young Men" (OK, not all men, and maybe not all young, but I couldn't think of a better phrase) who storm against the idea of Neurodiversity. Again, just my perception, they seem to want to leverage the real hardships associated with autism for their own emotional need for recognition.
Each feels silenced by the other. But they are both factions of the Neurodiversity Movement whether they like it or not, part of the evolving dialogue. »

(Source : https://neurodiversity2.blogspot.com/2019/05/neurowars-what-neurowars_21.html)

« The official definition of Autism IS a cluster of traits. It is not a unitary condition. Either the definition gets tightened up, or ppl are very much entitled to support and understanding for traits which cause them to be excluded. Ppl who identify with traits shdnt be dissed. »

(Source : https://x.com/singer_judy/status/1256354383744299008)

« Autism is a term devised by psychiatry with a specific meaning whether we like it or not. True, they’ve so muddied their own waters with such a vague defn that everyone seems free to define #Autism however they want, which means the word will soon lose all cred. »

(Source : https://x.com/singer_judy/status/1309981880943439872)

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Stephanie Seneff

Stephanie Seneff is a researcher and scientist with a PhD in computer science and artificial intelligence; she is also an anti-GMO activist. She speaks out on autism.

« In 2013, she coauthored a paper that associated the herbicide glyphosate with a wide variety of diseases such as cancer and disorders such as autism. Discover magazine writer Keith Kloor criticized the uncritical republication of the study's results by other media outlets. Jerry Steiner, the executive vice president of sustainability at Monsanto, said in an interview regarding the study that "We are very confident in the long track record that glyphosate has. It has been very, very extensively studied." Seneff's claim that glyphosate is a major cause of autism and that, "At today's rates, by 2025, half the kids born will be diagnosed with autism," has also been criticized. For example, Pacific Standard noted that, contrary to Seneff's claims, many scientific reviews have found that the rise in autism rates over the past 20 years is due to changes in diagnostic practices […] »

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Seneff#Biology_and_medical_topics)

« Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide on the planet, and its increasing use over time in the United States aligns well with the increasing rates of autism determined by the Centers for Disease Control. Based on the known mechanism of glyphosate toxicity, we hypothesize that a pregnant woman's exposure at mid-pregnancy to glyphosate-formulated herbicides (GFH) may produce, in her unborn child's brain, anatomic alterations of cortical neuron layering remarkably similar to those found in the brains of humans with autism. […] Cortical neuron disarrangements have been produced in the brains of offspring of rat dams fed an iodine-deficient diet, and such foci of disordered cortical neurons are characteristically found in human autistic brains. While the research literature on glyphosate's endocrine disrupting effects is limited, diverse evidence from animal studies reveals effects that suggest impaired thyroid function. If our hypothesis can be substantiated by a focused research effort, it would provide further justification for reducing or, ideally, eliminating glyphosate-formulated herbicide exposures in pregnant wome. »

(Source : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291186663_Is_there_a_link_between_autism_and_glyphosate-formulated_herbicides)

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Charles Durham

Charles Durham is a psychologist specializing in autism. He talks about autism.

« People with autism are more likely to see the world in a fragmented way. They are less quick to establish coherence in what they observe. Because of this lack of central coherence, they perceive the world as chaos. These people seek security in repetitive acts, and are in search of routines and structure. People with autism lack the natural propensity to coherently group together vast amounts of information about events, objects, people and behaviors. They may therefore have a vague idea of what the other is thinking, but never understand all the elements. [...] People with autism clearly have difficulty processing all information at once. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/4b2Eqcg)

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You have just read 40 different conceptions of autism and/or its expressions...

Isabelle Soulières

Isabelle Soulières is a clinical neuropsychologist and researcher specializing in autism. She spoke about autism in a podcast.

« Autism is a very broad subject. The definition of autism has expanded over the years. It's evolved a lot since the first descriptions of autism in the 40s. Then, it was recognized as an official diagnosis in the 80s. Since then, there have been several transformations in the criteria. What's left now on the autism spectrum, there must be two areas of development that are not the same as in other children or adults. It's social interaction or social communication that's different. Then, on the other hand, repetitive behaviors, interests that are more intense or perhaps more focused or more atypical than others. [...] It's difficult to say something that will be true of all people on the autism spectrum. Because we're putting together people who are less and less alike. The first descriptions were more homogeneous, without being completely so, but the people were more similar to each other, and more different from the general population. Then, over time, the notion of autism expanded to include people who didn't have an intellectual disability (which is increasingly common), or who were less and less atypical of the general population. As a result, the autism spectrum has perhaps been broadened a little too much. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/p0DXmT1ZHPg)

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Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault

Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault, a professor and child psychiatrist specializing in autism, writes about autism in her book "Trouble du spectre de l'autisme" (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

« Autism is now recognized as a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects children from an early age, primarily by affecting the development and functioning of their social communication. Autism is now also referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). [...]

At the start of the 21st century, autism is recognized as a neurodevelopmental syndrome, and is included alongside specific learning disorders in the international classifications of diseases (DSM-51 and ICD-112). Autism is a syndrome with a neurobiological determinism, as originally envisaged by Léo Kanner in 1943, when he wrote that autism resulted from "an innate inability to establish the usual affective contact with people, biologically intended, just as other children come into the world with physical or intellectual handicaps". […]

Autism is now part of a spectrum, and the term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by a central deficit in the functioning and development of "social communication" associated with a limitation of centers of interest. [...]

ASD is linked to a disorder of cerebral development and functioning. Most of its origins are genetic, but genetics does not necessarily mean heredity or determinism. In the case of ASD (as with other neurodevelopmental disorders), the genetic factor is said to be complex (intervention of several genetic factors whose "weight" is more or less important), which also interact with various environmental factors, not all of which have been identified (infectious factors, endocrine disruptors, obstetrical complications, etc.). […]
The primary definition of ASD in girls is similar to that of ASD in boys, characterizing a cardinal deficit in social communication. There are few differences between boys and girls in the expression of ASD when it is diagnosed early. Differences between girls and boys are more likely to emerge during adolescence, with girls adopting "camouflage strategies" to mask their autistic idiosyncrasies as best they can, "putting on the best clothes of normality" to mask the social naivety they become aware of earlier than boys. They are also big consumers of TV series, which enable them to draw on communication recipes and prepare conversations in advance for the people they will meet. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/fBoxHXK)

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Luc Montagnier

Luc Montagnier is a French researcher and virologist. He talks about autism in his book "Autisme - On peut en guérir" (Autism - It can be cured).

« Autism is a developmental disorder that manifests itself during the first three years of life, sometimes even from birth. The signs, which vary in intensity from one child to the next, are essentially characterized by communication disorders that can go as far as the absence of language. [...]

Autism is a disorder with many variations. Each case is unique. However, it is possible to divide the disease into two categories: syndromic autism, whose origins are thought to be genetic and which frequently appears from birth, and regressive autism, probably caused by environmental factors. Possible causes are diverse, ranging from genetic abnormalities to infectious or toxic conditions, and may be cumulative. [...] of autism. Autism is a multifactorial disease. But it is logical to think that the combination of exposure to dangerous products modifies our biochemistry and disrupts the proper functioning of our immune system. [...] Thus, the disturbing presence of heavy metals in the environment is undoubtedly a major factor in the genesis of autism. Indeed, one factor clearly implicated in autism is mercury poisoning. [...]

Autism is a life-changing experience for all the families involved. [...] Understanding also means acting and treating. Autism is potentially curable if it is detected and treated at a very early stage, and if the treatment is accompanied by intensive, specific, structured education. [...] As we saw earlier, autism is defined on the basis of behavioral criteria. There is no objective biological marker on which to base the diagnosis, and evaluation criteria vary over time. [...]

Autism is a polygenic, multifactorial and environmental disease.

Perhaps autism is the alarm bell warning us against "progress". »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/ieeVQat)

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Éric Lemonnier

Éric Lemonnier is a doctor and researcher specializing in autism. He writes about autism in his book "Traiter l'autisme avec le bumétanide" (Treating autism with bumetanide).

« Drawing on the authors' converging expertise in brain development, ASD treatment and brain imaging, this book offers a new vision of these disorders, validated by experimental imaging and extensive clinical trials, culminating in the first major final Phase 3 pediatric trial (on 400 children in EU countries and the USA) using a repositioning of a drug used for decades to treat hypertension and edema. After explaining the mechanisms underlying ASD, we describe specific cases of children who, after treatment, significantly improved their sociability and reduced their agitation. The book also discusses the skepticism the authors have encountered from proponents of pure genetics and psychiatry, and the reasons why the abysmal paucity of information on developmental disorders has hampered progress in understanding and treating ASD. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/5nh2IRX)

(Development : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-vincot/blog/070921/bumetanide-et-autisme-echec-des-essais-de-phase-iii)

« In partnership with Prof. Yves Aubard's gyneco-obstetrics department at Limoges University Hospital, Dr. Lemonnier is gathering data on the particularities of autistic children during pregnancy, in order to identify them earlier, and by cross-referencing these data with those on care, to arrive at a better sub-categorization of these disorders. The aim is to make explicit all the implicit learning acquired by children at an early age (three months), and thus to refine psycho-educational care protocols. However, according to France Bleu, his work also aims to "predict autism" before the child is born. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Éric_Lemonnier)

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Fabienne Cazalis

Fabienne Cazalis is a researcher in cognitive sciences at the Centre d'Analyse et de Mathématique sociales, and devotes her work to the study of autistic intelligence.

« First of all, I don't agree with any of these terms for so-called "low-level", "highly deficient" or "severely symptomatic" autistic people, because they stop at what we can see, at what we have access to, i.e. people with very limited motor skills, for whom it's very difficult to develop oral language. That's not to say that verbality is inaccessible to them, but it's more a case of verbality in writing. So we're too quick to conclude that these are people with cognitive deficits, since these are our two ways of assessing someone's level of cognitive efficiency. But we may be missing something.

The research program I'm coordinating ("Mapping Autistic Cognitive Abilities", https://www.maca.community) aims to explore what autistic people are capable of doing and producing. This is the official term, and perhaps the least pejorative, because these are people who need support because of their motor and verbal problems, and because their acquisition of the social information they need to achieve autonomy is severely hampered. Sadly, especially in France, these people are often placed in institutions with relatively little psycho-educational care. Fortunately, this is changing. But until recently, it was at best occupational. My hypothesis is that these people have much higher levels of cognitive ability than is generally believed. [...] For example, to return to music, we have good reason to suspect that some autistic people have auditory perception capacities well beyond the usual frequency spectrum, towards the infra-bass and ultra-sounds. We can also assume that their ability to discriminate between frequencies is much higher than that of neurotypicals, or that they have abilities to identify patterns of sound or tempo that neurotypicals do not have.

Autistic people are often very good at spotting patterns. No two autistic people are the same, it's a question of neural equipment that's always very unusual. We're in for a big surprise every time. [...] There are also language difficulties specific to autism, even in very high-level people who are capable of learning six or twelve languages. There are still subtle difficulties, problems of pragmatics: difficulty in putting language into the right context, for example. Language disorders can be found all along the autistic spectrum. [...] So my hunch is that the emotional spectrum is different: they'll react much more strongly to things that neurotypicals consider unimportant, and will be very indifferent to things that neurotypicals consider important. This applies to those who have access to their emotions. But half of all autistic people are afflicted with something called alexithymia. This is the inability to identify one's own emotions (this inability can also exist outside autism, but is very common in autistic people). »

(Source : https://haizebegi.eu/entretien-avec-fabienne-cazalis-par-lucille-lisack/)

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Éric Fombonne

Eric Fombonne is a psychiatrist and epidemiologist. He talks about autism.

« Issues of adult diagnosis are beyond the scope of this Editorial, but two aspects are considered here. First, with its destigmatization, a common lay concept of autism reduces autism to a simplified trait or (neuro)psychological characteristic (being weird or quirky, a ‘nerd’ or a loner, etc.), almost akin to a personality style. Adult outcomes of several psychopathological syndromes include constellations of relationships and communication difficulties, repetition and rigidity, rumination and reduced interests, and broad functioning impairment, a final common pathway that can be mistaken for (simplified) autistic traits and erroneously mapped onto autistic trajectories. For example, reduced eye contact, social awkwardness, and a preference for being alone are overlapping symptoms of autism and social anxiety disorder. The principle of equifinality whereby different atypical child developmental trajectories may converge toward similar adult outcomes makes the task of autism diagnosis in adults exquisitely difficult and requiring more advanced skills and expertise in differential diagnosis that is necessary with young children. Reliance on autism tools such as the ADOS Module 4 is insufficient even when administered by ‘research level reliability’ trained staff. As it has now been abundantly shown, scores of both questionnaire and diagnostic tools commonly used in autism research are seriously confounded by co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, including ADHD, anxiety, and mood problems (e.g. Havdahl et al., 2016). Evidence exists that the ADOS Module 4 has reduced specificity in adults when administered in the context of co-occurring schizophrenia, bipolar, or mood disorders (Matsuo et al., 2015). Thus, pretty much as we require a language and cognitive assessment in diagnostic evaluations of young children, assessment of adults should include detailed measurement of adult psychopathology in order to correctly interpret the results of autism-specific instruments. This is equally true for dimensional and categorical–diagnostic measurements. »

(Source : https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpp.13296)

« Evidence that ASD symptoms cause impairment is another mandatory diagnostic criterion. Yet, social impairment is a non-specific feature of ASD and occurs in the context of most psychiatric disorders. However, social impairment arising due to autism is not quite the same as social impairment resulting from other psychiatric disorders. For example, peer relationship difficulties may result from anxiety or fear of social evaluation in an anxious child, from disruptive and aggressive behaviors in individuals with externalizing disorders, or from a lack of social motivation or know-how in a child with autism. Attributing impairment specifically to ASD symptoms in the context of comorbid presentations requires clinical acumen in autism, in general psychopathology, and experience in the differential diagnosis. »

(Source : https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.13806)

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Laurence Robel

Laurence Robel is a doctor in Professor Bernard Golse's department. She describes autism in her book "100 Questions/Réponses l'Autisme" (100 Questions/Answers on Autism) and in an interview with France info.

« Autism regularly hits the headlines, sparking passions and controversy. Several theories have been put forward in an attempt to explain the onset of this pathology, which affects children from the first 3 years of life, severely impairing their social interaction and communication skills.

Whereas autism was considered rare 20 years ago, its prevalence has steadily increased, as the criteria for diagnosis have been modified. At the same time, the introduction of earlier, more targeted treatments has changed the prognosis for this lifelong disorder.

This book presents the latest knowledge on autism, and attempts to provide simple, precise answers to the questions that families, professionals and, more generally, anyone interested in autism may have. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/61XU0yA)

« Francetv info: What is autism?

Laurence Robel: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that appears in children before the age of 3. But it's important to understand that there is no such thing as "one" autism. It's not a disease, but a polymorphous and heterogeneous syndrome, linked to a number of factors. It covers a wide range of clinical situations, but can be recognized by three common signs. It impairs the ability to communicate, verbally or non-verbally, and to interact with others. It is also associated with what are termed "restricted interests", almost obsessive in nature, manifested notably by repeated behaviors. Autism is the result of a multitude of combined factors: genetic vulnerability, but also various environmental causes. In short, there is never just one cause of autism, but several factors that converge towards the same result, an alteration in brain function.

Can autism be cured?

The answer is complicated. The definitive diagnosis of autism can be made around the age of 3, although clinical signs can appear as early as 2. In around 10% of diagnosed cases, without mental retardation, children emerge from the autism spectrum between the ages of 3 and 6. But it's hard to explain why. If autistic traits are still present after 6 years, recovery is unlikely. On the other hand, improvement is always possible, with educational and therapeutic care. »

(Source : https://www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/ameliorer-le-quotidien-des-enfants-autistes-est-toujours-possible-avec-une-prise-en-charge-educative-et-therapeutique_865133.html)

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Marion Leboyer

Marion Leboyer is a professor and head of a psychiatry and addictology center. She also heads the FondaMental Foundation, which describes autism.

« Autism is not just about the pain it causes, it's also about words. As there are as many forms of autism as there are cases, the profession has settled on the term "autism spectrum disorders" (ASD). In DSM 5, the old categories (PDD, Asperger's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder) have been abandoned in favor of a single spectrum. Intensity is now emphasized, and is assessed according to functional impact and the level of support required.

Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by abnormal neurological development. They generally appear in the first few years of life, and are predominantly found in boys (three boys for every girl). Today, these pervasive disorders affect 1% of the population, or around 600,000 people in France. But recent worldwide data point to a marked increase in this disorder: whereas in the 1970s it affected only one child in three thousand across the Atlantic, today it affects one child in sixty-eight... [...] Autism is thought to be a disease with multifactorial origins, strongly influenced by the weight of genetic factors. […] Numerous research data have established that children with an autistic sibling have a 20% greater risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than the general population. Research on monozygotic twins (identical twins) has shown that a child with an autistic sibling has an 80-90% risk of developing ASD. The influence of family history therefore weighs heavily in favor of a genetic origin for certain forms of autism. This hypothesis was confirmed in 2003 by a French research team led by Prof. Thomas Bourgeron (CNRS, Institut Pasteur, member of the FondaMental network), who were the first to identify mutations in two genes involved in synapse function. Since then, many other autism susceptibility genes have been discovered, leading us to consider autism as a polygenic and multifactorial pathology. In the case of autism with impaired intellectual development, genetic research now makes it possible to determine the genetic cause of the disorder in 20-30% of cases. [...] Support for research is essential to promote the discoveries that will enable us to offer treatments to people with autism. Research is currently exploring various avenues._»

(Source : https://www.fondation-fondamental.org/les-maladies-mentales/troubles-du-spectre-de-l-autisme)

« Autism spectrum disorders are a highly heterogeneous group of pathologies that begin early in childhood, and for which we currently have no curative treatment. These pathologies are defined by the presence of two major dimensions: on the one hand, abnormalities in social interactions, and on the other, stereotyped behaviors, which may be associated with a whole series of other dimensions such as mental retardation or language difficulties, or the association of somatic medical pathologies such as gastrointestinal disorders or immunological abnormalities, or psychiatric pathologies such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders or sleep disorders. Today, the number of reported cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder has risen considerably, although the causes are still unknown. Around 1975, the prevalence was estimated at 1 in 5000, whereas today in the United States in particular, it is 1 in 68. No precise figures are available for France. We believe that the estimate may be of the same order. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/XIWTZaevnyM)

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Yehezkel Ben-Ari

Yehezkel Ben-Ari is a neurobiology researcher specializing in brain maturation processes. He talks about autism.

« Autism could be due to abnormal chlorine levels affecting the child in utero. This would require diuretic treatment. This is the hypothesis of neurobiologist Yehezkel Ben-Ari, who presents his arguments here. »

(Source : https://www.scienceshumaines.com/autisme-la-piste-du-chlore-entretien-avec-yehezkel-ben-ari_fr_35053.html)

« Autism is a heterogeneous condition with diverse syndromes. It has long been misunderstood and misdiagnosed. It was said to be the fault of women who didn't love their children enough. This is not true. It was said to be a genetic disease. Yet, of the 800 mutations possibly linked to autism, the relationship between the mutation and the syndrome is rarely causal. Similarly, there is no compelling evidence that screens trigger autism. Autism is a developmental disease whose origins lie in the effects of the environment during pregnancy and childbirth (prematurity, intra-uterine inflammation, etc.). »

(Source : https://www.liberation.fr/checknews/2019/01/18/l-autisme-virtuel-lie-aux-ecrans-existe-t-il_1684701/)

« This research is a world first," boasts Yehezkel Ben-Ari, researcher and CEO of Neurochlore, B&A Oncomedical and B&A Biomedical. We are collecting data from four maternity hospitals and, thanks to the participation of a child psychiatrist, are analyzing the files a posteriori. As a result, we expect to collect data from around 1,000 children diagnosed with ASD between the ages of 3 and 5, and 3,000 children with no neurological or psychiatric problems. We are developing a Machine Learning-type program to automatically analyze the images and count the number of neurons in each structure marked with antibodies. »

(Source : https://www.laprovence.com/article/economie/6133924377489615/marseille-lintelligence-artificielle-au-service-de-la-recherche-sur-les-troubles-autistiques)

« I explained what I had discovered, namely that young neurons differ from adult neurons. And one of the properties that differentiates them is the level of chlorine inside them. This greatly modifies their activity. Whereas adult neurons have very low levels of chlorine inside. [...] And I explained that in various pathologies, adult neurons are immature. In other words, they have immature electrical properties. As a result, one of my child psychiatrist colleagues, Lemonnier, came to see me and said: "If the hypothesis is correct, we should be able to treat autistic children by giving them a product that reduces the level of chlorine in the brain. [...].
I'm not a child psychiatrist, and DSM-4 isn't my thing. But what I do know is that the DSM-IV criteria, and soon the DSM-5, are being modified as we come to understand them. One thing I do know is that all attempts to characterize diseases or syndromes solely on the basis of genetics and mutations don't work. For autism, it's so heterogeneous, we have around 600 mutations. And now they've finally recognized that there's no mutation specific to autism, even though they keep telling me it's a genetic disease. Simply because you can't separate genetics and environment. Genetics is never just a sensitivity that may or may not manifest itself according to life's criteria. [...] Maybe one day, we'll say that autism is made up of X categories, one of which, those who have such and such a property, identifiable by the fact that they respond to Bumetanide, which is one of the subtypes, which is not impossible at all. And this would make it possible to put a little biology into this classification, which is purely clinical and necessarily a little subjective. […]
Autism born during pregnancy and childbirth, basically. I thought, if that's the case, we could identify babies with autism very early on. Why is this important? Because the earlier you intervene, with psycho-educational methods, the more likely they are to work. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/OiMRjohH5ZY)

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Simon Baron-Cohen

Simon Baron-Cohen is a psychologist and professor of developmental psychopathology, known for his work in the field of autism.

« In 1990, Baron-Cohen proposed that difficulty with theory of mind is a core feature of autism — one that gives rise to other social challenges. As such, he said, autism could be described as a “cognitive disorder of mind-blindness,” and he went on to write a popular book, “Mindblindness,” to support the claim. [...]

[In 2004], Baron-Cohen updated his theory of mindblindness accordingly, suggesting that theory of mind is just part of the larger skill of empathy. In autism, he proposed, there is an imbalance between empathizing and systemizing, or the ability to understand how systems, rather than people, work. [...]

[After the discovery of the double empathy hypothesis] :

This new way of thinking can bring new insight to the field, Frith and Baron-Cohen say, but they stand by the idea that autistic people have difficulty with theory of mind in ways that shape the condition’s hallmark social behaviors. »

(Source : https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/theory-of-mind-in-autism-a-research-field-reborn/)

« The extreme male brain theory believes that more males are autistic because they have a ‘systemising brain’, and females are less likely to be autistic because they have an ’empathising’ brain. Simon believes that extreme levels of autistic people’s ‘systemising thinking’ made them autistic and concluded that autism is an extreme version of a ‘male brain’ (Baron-Cohen, 2002). Simon has also created two tests called The Systemising Quotient (SQ) and the Empathising Quotient (EQ). These tests claim to measure people’s systemising and empathising levels (Greenberg et al., 2018). »

(Source : https://autisticallysarah.com/2022/02/13/a-brief-overview-of-simon-baron-cohens-autism-research/)

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Caroline Demily

Caroline Demily is University Professor and Hospital Practitioner in Psychiatry. She talks about autism.

« For example, we know that autism is associated in a certain number of cases with point mutations in the PTEN gene, and we know that treatments that regulate the mTOR pathway, which is associated with the PTEN gene, have a favorable impact on autism spectrum symptoms. In other words, a monogenic diagnosis, in particular of a point mutation in a gene, opens the door to the study of all the consequences of this mutation, which are all possible therapeutic avenues one day for children. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/o8SHWI7jyQE)

« The definition of autism. Autism affects just over 1% of the general population. In the forms identified, more boys than girls are affected. These are data that tend to be called into question a little at present. Because girls are considered to be under-diagnosed in autism. Autism is a particular condition that combines communication disorders (people who have difficulty communicating with those around them), social relations disorders (who have difficulty maintaining relationships, reaching out to others, or interacting to create a network of friends, to fit in with work, or to integrate into the family) who have what we call restricted interests (meaning that they polarize on subjects that may seem atypical, for example polarizing on planets or polarizing on the First World War, or polarizing on certain mathematical formulas) also present stereotypies (meaning repetitive movements, which may be of the hands, trunk, feet). Autism can be associated, in 1/3 of cases, with intellectual development disorders (what used to be called intellectual disability) and it's important to know, because it's an important misconception, that autism and giftedness are not necessarily very strongly associated. So there are people with autism who have a high intellectual potential, but this does not represent the majority of autistic people. Broadly speaking, there are two forms of autism. Autism without intellectual development disorders, previously known as Asperger's syndrome. And autism with impaired intellectual development, which often corresponds to what we call a "syndromic" form of autism, meaning one associated with either impaired intellectual development, potentially epilepsy, or other malformations, and it's in this group that we often find diagnoses of genetic disease. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/_gmWOZZNwE8)

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Isabelle Hénault

Isabelle Hénault is a sexologist and psychologist specializing in autistic women and autistic sex education.

« The importance of sex education for people with autism and Asperger's is really to give them access to basic knowledge. Most adult teenagers lack knowledge, and often have less relational experience than neurotypical peers. So sex education will compensate for these shortcomings, and also help people to behave better socially, and acquire desired sexual skills. People with ASD or Asperger's syndrome have the same needs as everyone else, so they have sexual desires. They want to have boyfriends and girlfriends, but social awkwardness and difficulties linked to theory of mind, i.e. decoding the intentions, thoughts or emotions of others, are often lacking. This is why people mistakenly believe they have a taste for being alone and isolated, when it's quite the opposite. They often want to have boyfriends/girlfriends and later, as adults, to have a lover. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/1Asu1vHdXNM)

« For me, it's very important to recognize the female profile of autism. As you know, the current worldwide statistic is about 2-3 boys for every girl/woman. And more and more, we have access to grids and questionnaires that have been validated for the female profile. What explains the under-diagnosis of autistic women is that, for a long time, we have had grids and questionnaires based on male profiles. [...]

Generally speaking, as autistic girls and women have fewer social networks and fewer friends, they are often left to their own devices and sometimes even socially isolated. As a result, they have fewer experiences and less sexual knowledge. When you have less knowledge, you're more at risk of being abused or mistreated, because you don't even know what healthy sexuality is. [...] And also, one of the characteristics of autism is what we call theory of mind. This ability to imagine thoughts, intentions and emotions in others. So if I'm autistic, and I have difficulty recognizing intentions in others, I'm even more at risk of being taken advantage of, because I'm likely to project my good intentions onto the other person. And this naivety and candor found in autistic women/girls, unfortunately, increases the risk of abuse. »

(Source : https://www.lindependant.fr/2018/11/14/toulouges-jusqua-70-des-femmes-autistes-sont-victimes-dabus-sexuels-selon-la-sexologue-i-henault,4861198.php)

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Sophie Robert

Sophie Robert is a documentary filmmaker specializing in the critique of psychoanalysis. She speaks out on autism.

« The intestinal scientific community recognizes autism as a neurological disorder resulting in a handicap in social interaction. All autistic people have abnormalities in one area of the brain, the superior temporal sulcus, identified in 2000 by Dr. Monica Zilbovicius [...].

For psychoanalysts, autism is a psychosis, in other words, a major psychic disorder resulting from a poor maternal relationship. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/PS2dlJh5U60)

« [...] A quick word on the profile of autism, because it seems to me that one of the major difficulties for outsiders in understanding autism is the variety of the spectrum. And there are still a lot of professionals who don't know autism very well and who make mistakes. [...] What can we say about that? [...]

[Alexandra Lecestre] You can't make generalizations, because for some people, it's going to be complicated to generalize what they've learned, to give back what they know, and for others, it's going to be comfortable. So we can't generalize about autism. It's just that they have certain points in common, which have a lot to do with the difficulty of communication, but they all have a very heterogeneous profile. [...]

(Source : https://youtu.be/Jhr4SjF9ap0)

« […] I'll start with the first questions. Is autism a pathology? Is it a disability? Is it a neurodevelopmental disorder? What words should we use? […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/Ox0NvoMpKN0)

« […] Because there are people out there listening to us who don't, uh, know anything about autism, who don't know anything about Asperger's syndrome. That's kind of the basis. Autism is a problem of social communication [...] So, there are also particularities of autism, which can help us understand why so many people, and young women in particular, let themselves be taken in by the idea that they are trans people. Problems of interception and proprioception are specific to autism. [...] It's easy to say to yourself "I was born in the wrong body" when I feel out of step with my bodily sensations. That's typical of autism. [...] And proprioception, i.e. the way we move in space, is also typical of autism. It's the perception of oneself in space. In a neurotypical person, these things are encoded naturally, they're integrated. With autistic people, it's not at all obvious. Even if it's less noticeable in women. […] I think it's important to point out that the autism clinic, for Asperger's syndrome, has calculated it on men, on the male profile, like many other disorders. But in men, not all the time, it's much more visible. Like walking in a slightly gangly way, with an unnatural swaying of the body, something like that. With women, there's a camouflage. We're talking about camouflage, because today, 2/3 of trans-identified people are in fact women, and Asperger's women have a particularity in that women are less autistic than autistic men. Or at least, there are no obvious external signs that contribute to this identity confusion. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/5V2u-gpXE9I)

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Monica Zilbovicius

Monica Zilbovicius is a psychiatrist specializing in autism spectrum disorders.

« Autism is a developmental disorder in children, which mainly concerns aspects of social relationships. Autistic children have great difficulty relating to others, or to their parents, or to other children or colleagues. They have great difficulty relating to others. Today, we talk more about autism spectrum disorders, because we have children who can be very different with the same diagnoses. Sometimes with children who have significant mental retardation, or who don't speak. Sometimes with children who are very intelligent or who speak very well, like Rain Man. What they all have in common is that they have trouble relating to others. [...]

I have to say that 20 years ago, we used to diagnose very typical cases, at the time called Kanner autism. I remember when I started my thesis, we used to say 5 cases per 10,000. Today, it's almost 1%. It's HUGE. Is there an autism epidemic? A virus? The answer isn't that, it's that the diagnostic criteria have been greatly broadened, for example to include people like Asperger's, who at the time weren't diagnosed as autistic at all. So we've broadened it, and that's why we talk about a spectrum. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/9J2BKlpE8T4)

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David Cohen

David Cohen is a doctor and head of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière. He talks about autism.

« As a doctor, my view of autism is one of compassion, because it's always a difficult event for a family to announce and deal with a child with autism. After that, it's also a developmental viewpoint, because I believe that you can't approach the question of autism without knowing the child's development and all the vicissitudes that can occur when you're dealing with autism. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/QpzmQCo2nF4)

« The second dimension [of music psychotherapy] is the use of music to stimulate interaction, and this is what we do, for example, with children or adolescents with cognitive deficits or autism. And incidentally, I believe that in the field of music therapy, the most important study published in JAMA concerns autistic children, many with intellectual disabilities. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/j82_4d3zE98)

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Bernard Golse

Bernard Golse is a psychoanalyst, child psychiatrist and Professor Emeritus of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Université Paris Cité. He talks about autism.

« In December 2016, he opposed a proposed law aimed at banning psychoanalytic practices in autism, submitted by MP Daniel Fasquelle, whom he described as "a fanatical opponent of psychoanalysis".

Bernard Golse has on several occasions spoken out against the relevance of two nosological entities relating to autism, present in the international medical classifications ICD-10 and DSM-5: pervasive developmental disorders and autism spectrum disorders. In his book Mon combat pour les enfants autistes (My fight for autistic children), he argues that "mixing everything up in ASD, autism spectrum disorder, creates a major problem". He also writes that "I am one of those who believe that autism, in the strict sense, remains extremely rare", and describes the classifications he criticizes as "nosological misdeeds". [...]

During the 7th Colloque on the ages of life, organized on October 6 and 7, 2017 by Catherine Bergeret-Amselek and sponsored by Anne Hidalgo, Bernard Golse declares that cases of Kanner autism (see infantile autism) concern only one child in 5,000 (he declares one or two births in 10,000 in his book), which allows him to call them "rare diseases". »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Golse#)

« On the subject of autism, which is an area for further reflection, monozygotic twins have only a 70% chance of both being autistic. But it's not 100%, because the part of genetic vulnerability is shared by both of them, but then, for each of them, there's a different history that means they're not 100% alike. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/__BudrgAYeY).

« For example, autistic children, even very autistic ones [...] autistic, autistic children, for whom the other doesn't mean much; when they're in a properly planned and equipped space, when we put words to what they seem to be going through, when we interpret their atypical behavior, when we try to give them a slightly containing look, we get the impression that it would do something for them. As if they hadn't asked for it, but were waiting for something. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/nv3AcYL_kWs)

« Today, there's a huge effort being made to identify children with autism or at risk of autism, and that's a very good thing. Because the earlier we intervene, the greater the chance of helping them to become enmeshed in the autistic picture. [...] When you take care of an autistic child very early on, it's not true for everyone, but there are a certain number of children who progress quite well. Cured, I don't know what that means, but they'll do much better than when we start looking after them at 6 or 7, that's a fact shared by the whole world now. [...] The real problem in diagnosing autism is the second year of life. The second year of life. [...] When a mother says: "With him, I can't simply create a relationship. It's ah low! At the end of the first year, the beginning of the second year, that's the big sign [of autism]. [...] And then the third year, it's not that it's too late, but it's already very late. In the third year, we have almost the complete autistic picture, if the child is autistic. In other words, stereotypy, absence or very great difficulties with language and withdrawal, autistic withdrawal. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/IKW085lF-Lw)

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Marie-Ève Lefebvre

Marie-Ève Lefebvre is a doctoral student in educational sciences at the Université de Montréal. She talks about autism in a preface for Matthieu Lancelot.

« Being autistic or "having" autism? There are many expressions to describe the autistic population. The words used to describe autism are a reflection of our conceptions, we might think. And there are a lot of them! So it's safe to assume that our representations are just as diverse. Beyond this lexical diversity, it is possible to observe that words around autism generally differ according to two perspectives. In the first, the use of the verb avoir implies a diagnosis of autism. It is then more common to hear people with autism, than people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or even people with ASD. The second is more concerned with autism as a dimension of the individual - presented as a facet of identity - than with autistic people. These two approaches echo the conceptual models most widely used in autism research, namely the medical model and the social model of disability. Some individuals (autistic, allied or non-autistic) prefer one or other of these positions, often presented as two opposites. […] It is possible to have a diagnosis of autism, hence the expression "to have autism" in some languages (to have autism, tener autismo). However, the verb avoir can be criticized, since autism is not an object from which the person can dissociate. Until proven otherwise, one cannot stop being autistic: a person either is or is not. [...] In this sense, we should not reduce people to being autistic or to their autistic traits, but rather be cautious about generalizing about them. Of course, not everyone is autistic in the same way. These people are differentiated by the characteristics associated with autism and by their individual traits. [...] Given that no single term can embrace the diversity of the autism spectrum, it would seem inappropriate to prescribe a formulation or to rank terms in order of importance. Just like autism, these expressions are not quantifiable and are positioned differently and qualitatively on a lexical and comprehensive spectrum of autism. [...] The medical conception is caricatured by the perception of autism as a deficiency, which makes a person responsible for his or her obstacles. […] In some cases, an autistic person can be supported in a supportive environment, as when he or she asks for support services and is listened to by those around him or her. In this case, we say that there is a match between the two parties. In other cases, the autistic person may have other abilities, but the environment is unable to accommodate them: there is a mismatch between the individual and his or her environment. This means that the person has his or her own characteristics, and the environment may or may not be adapted to them. This model, compared with the medical model, clarifies the role of the environment in the life situation of an autistic person. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/8mXnN0V)

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Pierre Delion

Pierre Delion is a child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst committed to the renewal of contemporary psychiatry. He talks about autism.

« How does an autistic person represent reality?

Representing reality requires the ability to symbolize. But people with autism have difficulty accessing symbolization. To help them overcome these difficulties, we need to clarify the specific mechanisms involved. Peirce's work complements Freud's with the concept of the iconic sign. Some clinical examples illustrate the theoretical proposals. »

(Source : https://www.psychanalyse.be/article/comment-un-autiste-se-represente-t-il-la-realite/)

« He investigated how autism appeared in children, and concluded that it was different from schizophrenia. He practiced child psychiatry in Le Mans, where he observed that autistic children were neglected and suffered from hospitalization, and then in Angers, where he advocated the idea that medical-psychological teams should intervene early, both therapeutically and preventively. His book on packing - which he helped to develop and study - was awarded the 2009 special prize from Évolution Psychiatrique. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Delion#Autisme_et_controverses_autour_du_packing)

« Autism is a condition that we now call a pervasive developmental disorder. In other words, it occurs very early in the life of a little baby, and then follows a development that will lead his or her life, from the age of 3, to have great difficulty communicating with those around him or her, and difficulties in reciprocal social interaction. [...] And this will lead to behaviours that are often somewhat restricted, impoverished, stereotyped and repetitive, making life very difficult for this child. After all, the basis of our existence as human beings is, to a large extent, our relationship with others. And this child is going to be radically deprived of this skill, and it's going to be very difficult for him to develop satisfactorily. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/xDDydku_QAI)

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Michael Fitzgerald

Michael Fitzgerald is a psychiatrist and professor of child and adolescent psychiatry. He talks about autism.

« All human evolution was driven by slightly autistic Asperger's and autistic people. The human race would still be sitting around in caves chattering to each other if it were not for them. This very conversation we are having would not be happening without the advent of mild autism in people. It wouldn't!
Well, it's just that Asperger's and autistic people were the ones who spent enormous amounts of time and energy in developing the first refined stone tools. Then they went on to metals. They were the people who observed the seasons and developed farming. The scientific and industrial revolutions happened because of Asperger's people. They invented computers and now run the IT computer world that we all live in today. All these advances were driven by Asperger's people. Those who don't have Asperger's might choose to spend a lot of time socialising instead. They don't stick at tasks they set themselves in the same way. If you're chatting all the time, you're not going to be creative. […]
I'm reluctant to name names of living people but there is no doubt that politicians are often Asperger's types. There was Jefferson in America, Keith Joseph and Enoch Powell in England, and Hitler in Germany and the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. These people are all dead, but obviously the genes don't die out, so what was true in the past is true in the present as well. There's no doubt about that. And this understanding does offer great insight into certain political leaders of today. But I'm unwilling to name them.

It's a myth that they are always boring, uninteresting, dreary, and so on. They can be the most fascinating people on the face of the earth, because they have such original ideas and such vast pools of knowledge. and. of course, they have certainty as well and that is very powerful. The obvious example is Einstein. Everybody in the world knew about him at the time — he was a superstar, a real celebrity! Everybody wanted to meet him and he had unbelievable charisma. […]
Many of our leaders are autistic and they create autistic government. We should not be taken in by all the sloganising that goes on. This is where psychologists have a role in educating people. »

(Source : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276062156_Autistic_Tendencies_The_Consequences_for_Our_Culture)

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Ariane Giacobino

Ariane Giacobino est une généticienne qui, avec la participation du psychanalyste François Ansermet, a écrit le livre « Autisme ; à chacun son génome ».

« Today, more than ever, autism raises questions. Everything that has been developed to date is subject to radical criticism. It is claimed that there has been an error or deception, and genetics is invoked to rule out the idea of psychic causation. Is the genetic cause of autism as established as we are told? Let's take a closer look. Ariane Giacobino and François Ansermet explain the results of this cutting-edge research in a simple, lively way. The genetic code does not provide an unequivocal causality. On the contrary: while every autistic person is genetically determined, these determinants are variable, multiple and heterogeneous. Such research comes up against the specific features of each case. Psychoanalysis, on the other hand, places the singularity of each individual, autistic or not, at the heart of its practice. An unexpected crossroads between genetics and psychoanalysis, where everything seemed to be in opposition! »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/cHfOFzf)

« _ You point out that, paradoxically, while the spectrum of disorders considered autistic has broadened considerably, science is now focusing on the search for "the" original gene.

_ Ariane Giacobino: Every six months or so since 2008, Nature has published a cover article claiming to have found the autism gene. It's annoying. Or they talk about the 370 variant genes that could explain 10% of disorders. But it's still sold as a breakthrough in determination. But if you read all these articles in a row, it becomes extremely heterogeneous. I find that the message is often misunderstood, including by patients and parents' associations, who each time believe that the origin of autism has been found. [...]

_ Wasn't the autism debate first sparked by the questioning of the psychiatric approach? [...]

_ A. G.: In any case, downstream from all that, there's an autistic child. What do we do with them? Even if we were to identify a genetic origin for the disorder, that doesn't mean we should opt for the same treatment for all carriers of the same variation. In all genetic diseases, whether cystic fibrosis or Down's syndrome, the treatment must be individualized. Origin does not define an identical future for all. We need to move forward, perhaps separating ourselves from what has been the determining factor, and ask ourselves how the person can get better. For me, psychiatry and some of its therapeutic tools are still part of what can help. »

(Source : https://www.letemps.ch/sciences/rappeler-singularite-autiste)

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Well done, you've survived 60 different conceptions of autism and/or its expressions...

Penny Spikins

Penny Spikins is an archaeologist who, with the help of child psychiatrist Barry Wright, has written the book "The prehistory of autism".

« Were individuals with autism influential thousands of years ago? In this ebook we ask what technological and innovative skills, moral qualities and other contributions autism might have brought to human societies, and consider the archaeological and anthropological evidence for the influence of autism in prehistoric art and artefacts.
In light of our findings, we argue for a new perspective on autism spectrum conditions and their integration in modern society. […]
Communities need traits of autism – because autism contributes a unique and valuable way of seeing the world, unique technological talents and focus, and abilities in imposing the rules and fairness that encourage cooperation. […]

And at the same time, individuals with autism need communities – because communities provide support, guidance, complementary talents and a source of respect and appreciation. […] »

(Source : https://roundedglobe.com/books/391da86c-665f-49be-bfa0-9942b52ebc08/The%20Prehistory%20of%20Autism/)

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Louis Tremblay

Louis Tremblay is an autist comedian and host. He spoke about autism.

« It seems there's a funny walk associated with autists: physical clumsiness. They say lack of empathy, but I don't quite agree. Because empathy is there, it's just different, perhaps a little delayed at times. »

(Source : https://ici.radio-canada.ca/tele/tout-le-monde-en-parle/2016-2017/episodes/365487/marc-andre-grondin-louis-t-alexandre-cloutier-jean-francois-lisee-martine-ouellet-paul-st-pierre-plamondon-marc-seguin-joesee-blanchette-stephane-allix)

« Weird, peculiar, overly rational, inadequate, clumsy, insensitive... These are words and adjectives I've heard all my life, from a very young age [...] I have Asperger's syndrome; those also described as high-functioning autistic. Those are the words of my psychiatrist, because according to my girlfriend, I never do anything at home. But that's another subject. »

(Source : https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/nouvelles/201609/28/01-5025174-louis-t-decouvre-quil-est-autiste.php)

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Daniel Tammet

Daniel Tammet is an autist writer, poet and hyperpolyglot. He speaks out on autism.

«"My brain breaks everything down into concrete, tangible elements," he explains. It's the intangible that I have trouble understanding." Tammet suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism evident from birth. [...]

He possesses many of the talents associated with autism: he can copy a drawing with as much precision as if he were tracing it, and he constructed the outline of his book without taking a single note. [...]

Luck and willpower both played a part in the journey that tore him away from the loneliness imposed by autism. "I was lucky enough to be part of a big family and the eldest of nine children. I was obliged to interact with others. I couldn't just take refuge in numbers. My mother worked with me all the time. She reminded me to look ahead when I walked. And look people in the eye, even if it was painful for me." […] »

(Source : https://www.ouest-france.fr/bretagne/rennes-35000/ecrivain-autiste-daniel-tammet-sublime-les-mots-5671067)

« "I had the feeling that I was born in a country that wasn't mine, in a family that was foreign to me, as if I were an alien [...] As a child I had a lot of trouble speaking, expressing myself, learning social codes". But he speaks of an "exciting struggle": guided by "the desire to reach out to others". »

(Source : https://www.rcf.fr/articles/culture/daniel-tammet-raconte-son-combat-passionnant-pour-aller-vers-les-autres)

« There was no medical definition of "high-functioning autism", so no one knew what I had. It was hard for me to make friends. Numbers and words, on the other hand, were understandable to me; I played with them constantly, with their colors. To get closer to people, I thought a certain person was round, like a 3, or tall, like a 9. I thought I was close to a 4, which for me represents shyness. I don't have the same relationship with these numbers today. They're childhood "friends": we'll always stay in touch, but it's not the same. Today I have real friends. […]
I have a particular background. I had a lot of stimulation from an early age. It was difficult, but it gave me a lot. Literature helped me get out of my prison. I have a career, I speak several languages, I travel, I'm in a couple, I'm the first autistic person to make a living from his pen... While I'm aware that my words carry weight, I don't feel in any way qualified to be a spokesperson for autistic people. I believe that many autistic people have talent, ambition and important qualities, and that society must mobilize and help them, otherwise society as a whole will be impoverished. However, I do not deny the real and serious suffering of some autistic people. In such cases, medication and medical assistance seem to me to be extremely appropriate. We need to proceed on a case-by-case basis, because when we talk about autism, we're not talking about mental illness, but about atypical brain development, with its advantages and disadvantages. Because the number of possible brain connections is almost infinite, autism is extremely complex. Every autistic person is different, unique and original. So what's good for me is not necessarily good for someone else. »

(Source : https://zebreandco.com/entretien-avec-daniel-tammet/)

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Thibaud Moulas

Thibaud Moulas is an autist who has written a popular science essay entitled "L'Autisme expliqué par un autiste" (Autism explained by an autist). He talks about autism.

« [...] a description of the autism spectrum, by autists.
Autism does not cause suffering. Autism is a genetic variant, which is not rare and creates atypical (and viable) behavior in society remarkable for :

1. Atypical functioning:

A high level of intensity (either very high or very low; nuances require more effort) in actions performed, emotions, senses or interests.

2. Atypical relationships:

More rational behavior (more easily objective, less impacted by the community) and less instinctive (emotions and social codes based on the implicit may be poorly integrated).

Autism affects men and women equally. Autism does not identify strengths or weaknesses, but may amplify them. Autists with problems deserve to be helped, without confusing their autism with the problem. The means used to help them need only take into account the atypical functioning of autists to be more effective. Autistic traits can be graded in the same way as neurotypical traits: from "0: Requires no support" to "3: Requires a great deal of support". Autists can evolve thanks to the cerebral neuroplasticity common to all humans, and at any age. Autistic traits are influenced by the autists (his or her character, intelligence quotient, knowledge, state of health, etc.). »

(Source : https://www.editionsmardaga.com/products/lautisme-explique-par-un-autiste)

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Hugo Horiot

Hugo Horiot is an autist actor and writer. He talks about autism.

« At the international scientific commission on autism held today at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, in preparation for the Autism 4 plan, the following question was asked:

"_ Is autism a disease?"

Here is the scientific committee's response:

"_ The latest developments in genetics will tell you that it's a genetic variant. If you define autism by traits, there are people who have a lot and others who have less. And the moment you say the advantages are less than the disadvantages, that's arbitrary. It's a poor scientific explanation to define autism as a disease on the same level as a flu or tuberculosis."

Association and professional leaders who continue to hold this rhetoric and spread the idea of an "autism disease" in the media are now free to sound stupid and scorn science. Today, autism has won a battle against those who intend to defeat autism. But the fight is not over. #AutismWillWin ! »

(Source : https://www.facebook.com/hugo.horiot/posts/10211910174205294)

« One notion that's important to come back to is that there are certain language notions that are quite detrimental to the whole autism spectrum. For example, it's wrong and inaccurate - and often confusing - to talk about severe or mild autism. It implies that a person described as severe autistic would be doomed not to be able to evolve favorably, and that mild autism would have no problems, etc. There is no such thing as severe autism. There is no such thing as severe or mild autism. It would be more accurate to speak of the degree of severity of disorders, which is not the same thing. And the behavioral disorders that will be generated in an autistic population whose cognitive system is out of step with a norm, will increase, develop and even become dangerous for the person and those around them. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/fwiLHqGXShg)

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Éric Lucas

Eric Lucas is the founder of Alliance Autiste, an autist activist. He speaks out on autism.

« When you eat a nut, you don't eat the shell. To confuse autism and autism disorders is generally to see only the disorders, i.e. to see only the shell of a closed walnut, and to believe that it is inedible.

Autism is not a handicap; autism is characterized by specific "disorders" and difficulties which, in a social environment devoid of Correct Autism Consideration, very often lead to handicaps (i.e. disadvantageous impediments).

These difficulties and handicaps specific to autism result from the consequences of "Non-Autistic Disorders" (defects of which the more autistic you are, the less you are endowed with), i.e. "Socio-generated Impairments" (sensory, mental, or other), which are difficult for most Non-Autistic People to understand because of standard, diametrically opposed non-autistic functioning ("detailism"/approximation-confusion. truth/illusion, naturalness/artificiality, etc.). »

(Source : https://allianceautiste.org/distinction-fondamentale-de-l-autisme/)

« What I'm proposing is a distinction between autism as a biological, neurobiological, human characteristic; and disorders - I could say a lot about that, I've already written some things - and disability. Because if we mix everything up, autism = disorders = disabilities, and I really don't see how we can discuss it. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/_8s6hxcg6Rg)

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Anne Cossé

Anne Cossé is an autist woman and author who talks about autism in her book "Et si VOUS étiez Autiste?" (What if YOU were an autist?).

« Autism is wired differently, generating different cognition and sensitivity. [...] Autism itself is a communication disorder, so just the realization that I had it made me much more socially anxious. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/hEPiEP9)

« It promotes the paradigm of autism as a natural neurological variant rather than a dysfunction or disease. »

(Source : https://www.millavois.com/2021/09/22/millau-et-si-vous-etiez-autiste-rencontre-avec-anne-cosse/)

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Sophie Janois

Sophie Janois is a lawyer specializing in the defense of autistic families. She talks about autism in her book "La cause des autistes" (The autistic cause).

« Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects an estimated 650,000 people in France, and 8,000 births per year. Little is known about its origins, which are multifactorial, both genetic and environmental (linked in particular to pollution). [...] Autism is a disability, although the debate on the subject remains slippery. [...] There are as many forms of autism as there are autistic people. Nevertheless, four or five main categories have been identified: severe, moderate and mild autism. We also speak of Asperger's or high-functioning autism. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/1b0jY48)

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Lali Dugelay

Lali Dugelay is autist and specializes in disability in the workplace. She talks about autism.

« Asperger's autism is known as high-functioning autism. It is characterized by all the features of autism, except that there is no intellectual disability. So, on a day-to-day basis, it affects my social relations, because I have a deficit in social skills. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/1CqP8I7hje4)

« As a preamble, I'd like to say that autism is not a disease, there is no cure [...]. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurological disorders that affect the development of autistic people. These disorders are characterized in particular by dysfunctions in social interactions, verbal and non-verbal communication, behaviors and activities. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/lQ29O-w_k7U)

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Florence Mendez

Florence Mendez is an autist humorist. She speaks out on autism.

« I would never have become a comedian if I hadn't been autist. »

(Source : https://www.lavoixdunord.fr/1349804/article/2023-07-07/florence-mendez-je-n-aurais-jamais-fait-ce-metier-d-humoriste-si-je-n-avais-pas)

« I have an autism spectrum disorder with no impairment, so I'm Asperger's autistic. I was diagnosed five years ago, so very late in life. I was diagnosed following a fairly severe episode of mental illness called panic disorder. [...] I laugh about my autism, about the incongruous things it can lead me to do, I laugh about my panic attacks: when I find myself in the emergency room for the 17th time, when I form bonds with the nursing staff. The wonderful thing about the human condition is that even in the worst of times, little flowers of beauty manage to grow. All I did was pick them and offer them to the audience of my show. »

(Source : https://www.moka-mag.com/articles/florence-mendez-1)

« We have this image of autism as a person who is very closed off from the world, very shy, very withdrawn. In girls, autism spectrum disorder goes more unnoticed. What are the differences between an autistic person and someone who isn't? There are sensory differences, for example. [...] A difference in social codes. There are things that, for a person with no autistic disorder, would be fairly obvious from a reaction point of view, from an understanding of the relationship with others. But for autistic people, they are completely alien and difficult to understand. It can also be a problem understanding the second degree. For me, it's a bit of a paradox, since I'm very good at second degree. But for example, I have trouble understanding it. […]»

(Source : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1033978267243961)

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Edith Sheffer

Edith Sheffer is a historian and author who campaigns on behalf of her autist son. She speaks out on autism.

« My beloved son, Eric, wanted me to dedicate the book to him; I do so with pleasure. Eric was diagnosed with autism when he was seventeen months old. He struggled with great difficulties over the years, and showed more gumption and tenacity than I have seen in anyone else. At thirteen, Eric chafes against the idea of autism. While many, of course, identify with the diagnosis, Eric wanted to add his voice to this book: Autism is not real; we all have issues. However, some are more noticeable than others. Autism is not a disability or diagnosis, it is a stereotype for certain individuals. People with autism should be treated like everyone else, because if they are not, it will make them be even less social. Parents of all children, whether or not they are autistic, should think of their children’s perspective and help their children based on their perspectives. In fourth grade, I saw autism represented as a cartoon of a child playing around with toy trains, I thought, that’s kind of like me because of the symptoms I noticed such as lack of eye contact, and lack of social behavior. It made me feel humiliated, and I wanted to put an end to the label of autism.
As this is a book about the act of classification, Eric’s words suggest the effect labels can have on those who are labeled. Whether or not others share Eric’s perspective, we can agree that labels are powerful, with histories and consequences that reach far beyond the individuals who issue them. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/frSBvv1)

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Josef Schovanec

Josef Schovanec is an autist writer and philosopher. He speaks out on autism.

« Autism is a neurological disorder caused by abnormalities in the brain. [...] The spectrum of autism is very broad, ranging from severe autism (the child will never learn to speak) to a different form such as Asperger's syndrome (the child will speak with often excellent speech). [Autism is a neurobiological condition that brings with it many challenges in life, but can also be a real gift. [...] Autism is a neurobiological condition that brings with it many challenges in life, but can also be a true gift. [...] Autism is a set or "basket" of behavioral symptoms that extend along a continuum from normal to abnormal with a few dividing lines. [...] genetic. It is now clear that autism is a neurobiological disorder with genetic roots; parenting plays no role in the onset of autism. [...] Given that autism is classified as a neuropsychiatric disorder, it may be useful to look at the role played by the immune system in a very similar pathology. [...] To date, the role of viruses in autism is poorly understood, and these questions remain unanswered. [...] The biomedical approach to autism is based on a different idea - that autistic children have metabolic problems that doctors can diagnose and treat. Fixing the faulty biochemical mechanisms improves the immune system and helps heal the gut, making the child feel better physically. Biomedical thinking insists that by paying attention to children's health (not just psychiatric problems) and related psychiatric and educational aspects, caregivers and doctors can significantly improve children's quality of life and level of functioning. [...] Autism is, after all, a medical problem. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/dC7pbsS)

« We need to put an end to the belief that anyone can, after declaring themselves autistic, define autism according to their whims or beliefs. In particular, to cite the most frequent errors of our time, no, autism is not linked to the energies of the astral body, nor to the oppression of women under the patriarchy... [...] Schematically, if we only consider adults whose claim is personal, in the sense that it does not emanate from a third party, we can reasonably estimate that two-thirds of new diagnoses are false or dubious. This is a fairly new phenomenon; ten or even five years ago, this rate was negligible. In the case of children, on the other hand, I believe that most diagnoses are fairly reliable. »

(Source : https://tapsychophobiemenvahit.wordpress.com/2020/02/28/josef-shovanec-et-les-faux-autistes-reponse/)

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Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is an autist professor of animal science. She speaks out on autism.

« Temple Grandin defends the existence of a continuum in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and declares herself to be little attached to "labels" (Asperger's syndrome, high-functioning autism, infantile autism, unspecified pervasive developmental disorder...) in this field. She considers that autism is not "caused by a psychological injury", but "by a lesion of the central nervous system", and that its cause is not "psychological", but "physiological". She asserts that autism "is linked to a poor interconnection between neurons, which makes the central nervous system hyperactive and over-reactive to external stimuli". She advocates recognition of autism as a disability, rather than a mental illness. She also defends neurodiversity, opposing any eugenicist policy aimed at eliminating autism from the human gene pool, since the existence of people who are not interested in social relations, in her view, enables major advances in science and art. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin#Conception_de_l’autisme)

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Paul El Kharrat

Paul El Kharrat is autist and a champion of the TV show "Les 12 coups de midi" (The twelve strokes of noon). He talks about autism in his book "Bienvenue dans mon monde : Moi, Paul, autiste Asperger" (Welcome to my world: I, Paul, Asperger's autistic).

« I am not ill. No, autism is not an illness or a pathology. Yet I sometimes find myself saying: "I'll never get better. No doubt, because I know I'll never reach the normality of everyone else. If that's even desirable, to be "normal". [...] Because autism is a neurological wiring different from "normal" and not a psychological illness, most doctors don't detect it on their radar. [...] I'm not sick either, since autism is not a disease. So is it a handicap? The society we live in considers anything that's not normal to be a handicap. So, yes, being a carrier of autism is disabling... And, by extension, it becomes a handicap. This is still the best definition today for trying to understand autism, in other words, what we experience. [...] Autism can be seen as a closed world, a prison that makes those who live inside it suffer. It can also be seen as a secret garden that today's world would like to smash to smithereens, preferring by far performance, appearance and so many external signs of "well-being". »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/1TarUmT)

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Hélène de Fougerolles

Hélène de Fougerolles is an actress and mother of an autist child. She talks about autism in her book "T'inquiète pas, maman, ça va aller" (Don't worry, Mom, I'll be fine) and in an interview.

« I find it hard to have a child like you. Sometimes I find it hard to live with. I don't know what's going to happen afterwards, what's going to become of us... I'm sorry to cry like this and tell you all this. I'm sorry, my darling. [...] Looking for solutions, I call on the wonderful Peggy Leroy from "Autistes sans frontières" to help us find other alternatives, even private ones, to welcome our daughter the following year. Her enthusiasm and kindness touched me, and it was only natural that I agreed to come to her annual gala against autism. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/i4ZQMgE)

« Autism has special features that make it possible to become autonomous thanks to specialized educators. »

(Source : https://www.gala.fr/l_actu/news_de_stars/helene-de-fougerolles-touchante-sur-sa-fille-autiste-jai-ete-tellement-dans-le-deni_500532)

« Today in France, what is offered for autistic adults is a psychiatric institute, or at least for all mentally handicapped people, and so it's not really adapted to all the particularities of autism. […] »

(Source : https://youtu.be/kKkFqxwk1Ls)

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Judith Sitruk

Judith Sitruk is a consultant in neurodiversity in the workplace. She talks about autism in her book "L'Asperger au travail : Mieux comprendre une différence invisible pour être plus efficaces ensemble" (Asperger's at work: Better understanding an invisible difference to be more effective together).

« Like conventional autism, Asperger's syndrome is the result of a neurological peculiarity. Certain areas of the brain of the person with AS do not function as they should, and the roles they usually fulfill in neurotypical (NT) subjects are performed by other cortical areas. »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/egCgdcY)

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Antoine Rosier

Antoine Rosier is a psychiatrist. He talks about autism.

« The question of overdiagnosis is a recurring one. Because diagnostic questions have changed considerably in 20 years. The criteria have changed considerably, and the forms of autism have changed considerably. As a result, a certain number of practitioners sometimes consider that as soon as a child displays social difficulties or a few atypical behaviours, he or she is diagnosed as autistic, and that there is a risk of overdiagnosis. In reality, if we assume a prevalence of 1% of the population, which is probably lower than the actual prevalence, there should be 700,000 people with autism in France. There are currently 100,000 ALDs for autism (Affection Langue Durée), which means that 600,000 people who are a priori carriers of autism are either not diagnosed with autism or are misdiagnosed. So the key issue today is under-diagnosis. The difficulty is to get a diagnosis. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/yya86e594PM)

« First of all, because autism, or rather autism spectrum disorders, affect nearly 700,000 people in France, and more than 100,000 young people under the age of 20. Because autism is a common, heterogeneous disability that can affect any family, whatever its social class, whatever its composition, whatever its living arrangements. Because you will inevitably encounter autism in your life, whether you are directly affected by this disability in your family... or whether your next-door neighbor, your classmate, your colleague at work, your sports partner is a carrier of this disability. Today, our country is catching up a little in terms of support for people with autism. Over the past twenty years, a succession of "autism plans" have improved screening, diagnosis and, more generally, the quality of life of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Today, the place of people with ASD in our society is a major issue. Understanding "neuro-typical" people with this disability is a major factor in the success of this inclusion. This special issue of Globules contributes to improving our knowledge, understanding and support of people with ASD. »

(Source : http://cra-normandie-seine-eure.fr/index.php?lvl=cmspage&pageid=4&id_article=199)

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Anne-Lise Ducanda

Anne-Lise Ducanda is a doctor. She spoke about autism.

« The debate caught fire after a now-famous video posted on YouTube in March 2017. In it, Dr. Anne-Lise Ducanda (a member of the collective) talks about "syndromes suggestive of ASD" in "one child in 20" according to her practice. These figures had not been the subject of a scientific publication when she spoke of them. She has since presented her observations at the Congrès Médecine Générale France, on April 6, 2018, in a lecture entitled "Does overexposure to screens mimic disorders of the autistic sphere?" [...]

Anne-Lise Ducanda isn't against breaking free from the term autism. "You should know that many parents who come to see me with their child very often arrive with a suspicion of 'autism' after consulting the Internet or professionals who care for the child. They tell me that their child is overexposed to screens, but that nobody has asked them about it. So we need to differentiate between children overexposed to screens and autistic children. Along with Professor Daniel Marcelli, President of the French Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, I propose the term EPEE: Exposition Précoce et Excessive aux Écrans. Terminology aside, we need to look at the reality of the phenomenon. Right from the start, I called for more research into the subject. We can improve the lives of a great many families, and it's our duty to do something about it. [...]

Daniel Marcelli and Anne-Lise Ducanda, along with Marie-Claude Bossière, have co-authored a text in the magazine Enfance et Psy entitled: Plaidoyer pour un nouveau syndrome "Exposition précoce et excessive aux écrans". »

(Source : https://www.liberation.fr/checknews/2019/01/18/l-autisme-virtuel-lie-aux-ecrans-existe-t-il_1684701/)

« Overexposed children have autism-like disorders". Anne-Lise Ducanda. [...]

Anne-Lise Ducanda speaks of "virtual" autism, with clinical signs similar in every way to autism, but which is not autism. Like all addictions, this one can develop various disorders. These include difficulties with learning, attention and concentration. Little by little, screens can affect their cognitive abilities, such as memory, language development, and learning to read and do math. »

(Source : https://www.zoomdici.fr/actualite/les-ecrans-fleau-de-notre-societe-chez-les-enfants)

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Stéfany Bonnot Briey

Stéfany Bonnot Briey is an autist, founding member of the PAARI association, consultant and trainer specializing in ASD. She speaks out on autism.

« How does an autistic person function, and how might they adapt to their environment or not? At some point, there is no hierarchy. There is a person with an internal functioning who is evolving in a professional or professionalizing journey. The learning process for autistic people remains the same at every stage of their lives. However, they must adapt to a different context. [...] First, you need to understand that an autistic person is someone who perceives their environment and thinks differently. And because they perceive and think differently, they have an atypical expression in the realm of communication, interactions, and behaviors. Today, autism has a complex etiology with diverse origins, which explains the plurality of profiles you may encounter. And indeed, the expression of the disability varies: a person with "high functioning" autism will not express the same peculiarities as a person with a more severe profile. There are differences in expressive and adaptive capacities among individuals. However, the mode of thinking and perceptual functioning remains the same, regardless of the level of the autistic person. [...] In autism, you have the tip of the iceberg, which is what is visible. And as you know, the visible part of the iceberg is not the most important. What we see in autism is the socio-communicative and behavioral aspect. However, the foundation of functioning lies in the particularities of mentalization (the submerged part of the iceberg). Autistic people have a specific way of thinking, which includes detailed thinking. [...] What characterizes the perceptual functioning of an autistic person and their mode of thinking? There are key characteristics that are involved in the learning process of autistic people. Perceptually, there are hypo- and hypersensitivities, with individual differences, but all autistic people have particularities in regulating the processing of perceptual information, whether internal or external. There are also forms of self-stimulation, whether visible or less visible, often referred to as stereotypies. [...] Another characteristic of perceptual functioning is the difficulty with transmodality. This means that some people, including autistic individuals, have trouble processing information when it is sent through multiple sensory channels simultaneously. For example, if a teacher says, "Listen to me, look at the board, and take notes," you can imagine that while most people are multisensory outlets, autistic people are often single-sensory. [...] If you don't understand how an autistic person feels, you cannot understand how they think. Autistic people have mental rigidity. Interestingly, while difficulties with theory of mind are often associated with intellectual quotients, it is perhaps more specific to autism that even a high-functioning autistic person may struggle with theory of mind. This is not due to a cognitive level issue but because, as an autistic person, they focus more on perception than on concepts. [...]_»

(Source : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2289974467886618)

« The main difficulties encountered by autistic people, who tend to have a high level of functioning, are essentially to do with adjustment. In fact, we realize that we have a certain capacity to integrate learning, to understand a certain number of codes. But what remains complicated in everyday life is being able to apply them spontaneously. In spite of everything, there's still a kind of gap that makes it complicated for us to follow this social expectation. Knowing that social issues are highly conceptual, a social rule is not like a mathematical rule. It's complex for us, both expressively and receptively. […]_»

(Source : https://youtu.be/rye2_qCOS9Y)

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Jean Vinçot

Jean Vinçot is President of the Association for Autism Awareness, Protection, Education and Research, in particular Asperger's Syndrome. His association spoke out on autism.

« Autism, which includes Asperger's syndrome, is neither an illness nor a psychosis. Today, they are known as PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder). PDDs are neurological in origin, associated with a genetic problem, and occur in the first years of life. The messages that the senses transmit to the brain are poorly received or interpreted. The result is a confused appreciation of life or the environment. These problems may vary in intensity, or present differently depending on the disorder. Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism belong to the PDD category, as do infantile autism, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and PDD not otherwise specified. What high-functioning autistic and Asperger's people have in common is severe impairment in communication, socialization (they would like to interact, but this is very difficult because of their disability) and neuro-sensory impairments. Their bizarre behaviors are linked to neurological and biochemical damage to their brains. [...] High-functioning autistic and Asperger's children have normal or above-average intelligence. [...] High-functioning autistic and Asperger's people have many strengths: they have an encyclopedic memory, are gifted in computers; some have great skills in specific fields, such as electronics, history-geography, mathematics, etc. [...] High-functioning autistic and Asperger's people are scrupulous, honest, always seeking justice and truth. [...] High-functioning autistic and Asperger's people are scrupulous, honest, always seeking justice and truth. »

(Source : https://www.asperansa.org/docs/diapo_autisme.pps)

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Courage, you have explored 80 different conceptions of autism and/or its expressions...

Matthieu Lancelot

Matthieu Lancelot is a doctor in sociolinguistics. He writes about autism in his book "Personnes autistes : La dialectique du Même et de l'Autre" (Autists : The dialectic of Same and Other).

« Autism, which affects around 1% of the world's population (Autisme Info Service, n.d.), is one of those social issues that invites us to become aware of the words used to describe the people concerned, and thus to question them. Are we talking about autistic people? Autistic people, autists, people with autism, people on the autism spectrum? Is autism a pathology? A handicap? A difference? A form of personality, or even a community? Or is it all these things at once, to the extent that a single term is not enough to describe the complex way in which it manifests itself in society in a variety of ways? Doesn't it carry with it both a series of responses to the demands of our environment and a "deficiency" in the functioning of the people who carry it? Finally, what do we mean by "person", and what do we mean by "autistic person"? […] On a daily basis, we talk about people with autism, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and so on. The notion of the individual, which is the subject of this article, among others, cannot take on its full meaning without the intervention of other concepts brought together in the discourse of autism awareness. From diagnosis to neurodiversity, via integration, inclusion, disability and environment, the place of the person in the face of the autistic traits that characterize him or her will be called into question at every turn, depending on what we put behind each of the words used. [...]
The struggle is the same everywhere: only 5% of autistic adults in France in mainstream and sheltered settings (only 0.5% in mainstream settings) would have full-time employment according to the Secours Autisme website, compared with 15% in the UK or 21% in the US (Scott et al., 2019). [...]
While the word autism is often used alone by the general public, in clinical terminology it is referred to as autism spectrum disorder. The current definition of autism spectrum disorder is as follows: [DSM-5 description] [...].
Logically, the designation of the autism spectrum is inseparable from that of the profiles that make it up. Indeed, if we speak of the spectrum alone, we run the risk of not speaking to anyone. So autistic people, families, researchers, journalists, health and education professionals and associations - to name but a few - continue to refer to Asperger's syndrome, moderate autism and severe autism, among others. This gives rise to semantic subtleties such as these (Lancelot, 2021: 296):

Asperger : Communication | Socialization | Behavior | Genius | Misunderstanding
Autisme : Communication | Socialization | Behavior | Disability
Autiste : Communication | Socialization | Behavior | Identity | Communitarianism

[…]
Many autistic adults have perceived the word autism as a liberation, finally knowing who they are after years of diagnostic wandering, anguish and suffering. [...] As soon as the semantic units in two extracts lead us to a different interpretative reading in one person among others, we return to the idea that "there is not one, but many autisms" (Eglin, 2014: 3), i.e. as many manifestations of autism as there are people who experience it individually - depending on their deficits, passions, background and upbringing. [...] As autism spectrum disorder (or ASD) cannot be dissociated from the distinct profiles it groups together in the current classification (DSM-5), it is not irrational to speak as much of Asperger's syndrome, mild, moderate or severe autism as of ASD. Indeed, when it comes to interviewing people differently affected by autism and/or those around them, ASD can seem too vague. The word "autism" alone remains in the majority in the discourse, as it is easier to understand when reading research studies, press articles and recommendations, among others._»

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/82sTITl)

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Guy Coslado

Guy Coslado is president of the association Inclure and father of an autist child. He talks about autism.

« Autism is characterized by a delay in receptive and expressive communication, which impacts on relationships with others. Guy Coslado explains: "Excellent work is being done at school to ensure that the institution adapts to the autistic child, rather than the other way round. Martin has temper tantrums, worries and can self-harm. But his perception is so exceptional that he can have memories from when he was 2 years old, start collections, and know all the products in the hypermarket inside out. He appreciates shapes and colors". »

(Source : https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/le-blanc/autisme-favoriser-une-vie-sociale)

« In its experience, the Inclure association considers that the parenting support it provides to parents with autistic neurocognitive functions is only a special case of its mission to provide specific parenting support to parents of children with disabilities. From her interventions, she notes that in the vast majority of cases, the difficulties are linked to non-diagnosis and the mothers' own ignorance of their specificity, and this in social situations where the lack of social skills can lead to dramatic situations.
The majority of women with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) are undiagnosed, and it is important that undiagnosed parents receive support, and a fortiori diagnosed parents.
The association Inclure advocates specific support for parenthood, and suggests that CRAs (Autism Resource Centers) should systematically include a recommendation for inclusive support for parents as soon as a child is diagnosed, as well as raising parents' awareness of the specific features of hidden autism. »

(Source : https://femmesautistesfrancophones.com/2017/11/24/preconisations-de-lassociation-inclure-sur-laccompagnement-des-meres-autistes/)

(Source : https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/indre/le-cas-d-un-enfant-autiste-devant-le-conseil-d-etat-2)

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Marie-Estelle Pech

Marie-Estelle Pech is a journalist for Marianne magazine. She talks about autism.

« Will we all be autistic tomorrow? What the increasing number of cases means for the future of schools (and society)

Diagnoses are more systematic. But this does not explain the impressive increase over the last twenty years: once considered rare, autistic disorders now affect one child in 36. In some cases, the cause is genetic. However, an environmental influence cannot be ruled out. Faced with their child's behavioural problems, parents are all too often forced into a form of medical vagrancy. While the mildest autistic children manage to make it through the early stages of schooling unnoticed, they tend to fall apart in adolescence and adulthood. Hence the importance of early detection.

What is there in common between a young man who can't stop talking about Napoleonic battles but has never been able to make a single friendship, an intellectually disabled child, an adult who is incapable of organising his day-to-day life but is a top performer in his job as a computer scientist, and a mother of four who is a little rigid and has an anxious personality? They have all been diagnosed as autistic by a psychiatrist. In France, one child in 100 is born autistic, according to an old INSERM estimate. The most recent figures come from the United States and now suggest that the prevalence is actually one child in 36. That's almost one pupil per class! Successive autism plans, in France and abroad, have helped to improve the identification of these disorders, the definition of which was broadened by the international nomenclature some twenty years ago. ‘Before, we used to spot an autistic teenager in ten seconds because of his or her behaviour. Today, we know that it's a more subtle disorder, especially when the IQ is good. Even if it's all about communication difficulties,’ says David Gourion, a psychiatrist working independently in Paris, after a long career at the Hôpital Sainte-Anne. »

(Source : https://www.marianne.net/societe/education/demain-tous-autistes-ce-que-la-multiplication-des-cas-implique-pour-lavenir-de-lecole-et-de-la-societe)

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Olivia Cattan

Olivia Cattan is a journalist and the mother of an autist child. She talks about autism in her book "Le Livre noir de l'autisme" (The Black Book of Autism).

« What's more, autism is a plural syndrome, ranging from "severe" autism to Asperger's autism. Some of these children speak, others do not. They have cognitive disorders, stereotypies, communication problems and sensory hypersensitivity. Some self-mutilate or have violent outbursts. They suffer from tocs, anxiety, behavioral, eating and sleeping disorders. Others have associated disorders such as mental deficiency, epilepsy, psychomotor delays, etc. Families therefore do not face the same difficulties on a daily basis. The very definition of autism is the subject of debate. Long regarded as a psychological disorder linked to abuse by the mother, it is now seen by some as a syndrome with its share of disabling disorders, by others as a simple difference or neurodiversity. But for still others, it's a "disease to be treated". This is a source of despair for many autistic people, who rightly refuse to see themselves as "patients to be cured". [...] Finally, for some families and many autistic people, autism is a neurodiversity, "another form of intelligence". Canadian professor Laurent Mottron is one of the standard-bearers of this militant movement. [...] But it doesn't stop there: opinions also differ on the causes of autism. Professor Thomas Bourgeron favors the genetic pathway, speaking of identified genes; others, like Professor Marion Leboyer, lean towards an immuno-inflammatory disease linked to the intestinal microbiota. Still others, like Pr Ben-Ari and child psychiatrist Lemonnier, incriminate a high level of chlorine in Gaba neurons. Not to mention those who still point the finger at vaccines (a hypothesis that has been widely refuted), endocrine disruptors, pesticides, junk food, electromagnetic waves... Most recently, the "screen trail", championed by a general practitioner, Dr Anne-Lise Ducanda, was mentioned in an issue of Envoyé spécial and widely reported in the press. This provoked the anger of families and of our association, SOS Autisme France. [...] Long considered a psychiatric illness, autism is now recognized as "a neurodevelopmental disorder belonging to the pervasive developmental disorders". But for doctors belonging to the biomedical movement, it is an organic disease with multifactorial causes, notably bacterial (Mycoplasma, Borrelia, streptococcus...), viral, fungal and parasitic infections. A chronic "toxic" disease that could be treated or cured by "detoxification". »

(Source : https://amzn.eu/d/9a1GkN1)

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Danièle Langlois

Danièle Langlois is a classics teacher and president of the Autisme France association. She talks about autism.

« She is strongly opposed to psychoanalysis in the field of autism in France, and to the assimilation of autism to a "psychotic disorder". »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani%C3%A8le_Langloys)

« Autism is a problem of collective cowardice [...].
Above all, she hopes to see "a strong political statement" capable of "recognizing the dysfunctions" of the healthcare system. "If we don't tackle this, we can pile up plans all we want, but nothing will change on the ground", she believes. »

(Source : https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2017/07/06/l-autisme-c-est-un-probleme-de-lachete-collective_5156558_1651302.html)

« Since 1980, at the World Health Organization, and since January 2010, at the Haute Autorité de Santé, autism has been scientifically defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the brain development of children under the age of three, and manifests itself through more or less severe difficulties in communication and social interaction, and restricted, stereotyped behaviors. »

(Source : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/daniele-langloys/blog/060315/autisme-un-colloque-scandaleux-rennes)

« Autism is an early neurodevelopmental disorder, leading to disabilities of varying severity, which are not necessarily immediately visible. There is a spectrum of autism, with different degrees of intensity and characteristics for each individual. What autistic people do have in common, however, is a lack of communication and social skills, as well as restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. An apparent indifference to others, or difficulty in understanding and being understood, may reflect this lack of means to communicate and grasp the rules of life in society. These difficulties can also mask somatic problems, as an autistic child or teenager does not necessarily express the pains or needs he or she feels. For an autistic person, perception of the world around them can be multiplied by sensory disorders. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/G8mnh0aKtTc)

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Claire Compagnon

Claire Compagnon is the interministerial delegate responsible for implementing the "national autism strategy for neurodevelopmental disorders". She spoke about autism.

« Claire Compagnon considers autism to be an illness that causes suffering, and that we should seek to cure, declaring of the autistic people in the film Hors normes that "they don't suffer from behavioral deviances, but from the consequences of their illness" (https://www.liberation. fr/france/2019/10/28/autisme-il-ne-faut-pas-laisser-croire-qu'-on-ne-peut-rien-faire_1759529/); during the program Complément d'enquête on December 12, 2019, she repeated that autism causes suffering, did not condemn the use of chelation therapy (despite being described as non-recommended by the Haute Autorité de santé (https://www.has-sante.fr/upload/docs/application/pdf/2012-07/autisme_enfant_reco2clics_vd.pdf)), while declaring that seeking a cure for autism would be a necessity (https://cle-autistes.fr/non-mme-compagnon-lautisme-nest-pas-une-maladie-qui-fait-souffrir/). »

Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Compagnon#Opinions)

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François Fillon

François Fillon is a politician. He spoke out on autism.

« "I'm not autistic": Fillon's formula causes controversy
»On Sunday evening's JT de France 2 [March 5, 2017], François Fillon repeated several times that he was "not autistic", to say that he was aware of the difficulties of his campaign. This phrase was criticized, and even the government reacted, via the Secretary of State in charge of the fight against exclusion. »

(Source : https://www.lejdd.fr/Politique/Je-ne-suis-pas-autiste-la-formule-de-Fillon-fait-polemique-852593)

« In so doing, François Fillon was undoubtedly hoping to show that he wasn't closed to discussion or stubbornly opposed to his own positions, thus conveying a widespread cliché about autism. An insult for many autistic Internet users, who expressed their anger on Twitter, notably via the hashtag #ImAutistic." »

(Source : https://www.europe1.fr/politique/je-ne-suis-pas-un-autiste-la-phrase-de-francois-fillon-qui-choque-les-internautes-2995109)

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Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron is President of the Republic. He speaks out on autism.

« No public policy takes into account the complexity of all lives. But this is perhaps even truer when we're talking about autism. When we talk about the various disorders you may have mentioned, or the multiplication of Dys [learning disabilities] that can occur. Because it's basically hypersingularity. When you feel - and I think you were saying this, Madame - when you're left to your own devices or with your association, you have to sort out a lot of things that weren't done before. Let's be clear, we had fallen way behind, and we're now trying to catch up. I'm a very proactive person, and I was going to come to that. But in any case, it will never be perfect, and there will always be a lot of solitude and individual suffering behind the situations. [...] These are singular, hypersingular lives. »

(Source : https://x.com/Elysee/status/1724446803242987809)

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Michel Pouzol

Michel Pouzol is a politician. He has spoken out on autism.

« "I'd still like to say to Mr. Fillon that autism is an illness, and not a quality or lack of quality," says Michel Pouzol, spokesman for Benoît Hamon, in L'Intégrale Week-end. »

(Source : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154899386121977)

« On the set of LCI, Michel Pouzol, spokesman for Benoît Hamon, also expressed his indignation, explaining that being autistic "is an illness, not a defect". He added that the former Prime Minister's clumsy outburst was "in line with today's unbridled political communication". »

(Source : https://www.tf1info.fr/elections/video-je-ne-suis-pas-autiste-apres-son-passage-sur-jt-20-heures-france-2-francois-fillon-s-attire-les-foudres-des-associations-et-des-internautes-twitter-2028175.html)

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Aymeric Caron

Aymeric Caron is a politician. He speaks out on autism.

« Is there a link between autism symptoms and the consumption of dairy products and gluten? Parents are convinced: based on their own experience. Now they're calling on the authorities to listen and support them. A KomodoTv report. 🎥 Autism: milk and gluten on trial? »

(Source : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=591909278266740)

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ABA

The ABA method, which stands for Applied Behavior Analysis, is applied to autism.

« Although BCBA certification does not require any autism training, a large majority of ABA practitioners specialise in autism, and ABA itself is often mistakenly considered synonymous with therapy for autism. Practitioners often use ABA-based techniques to teach adaptive behaviors to, or diminish challenging behaviors presented by, individuals with autism. […].»

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applied_behavior_analysis#Use_as_therapy_for_autism)

« The person with autism will have many opportunities to learn and practice skills each day. This can happen in both planned and naturally occurring situations. For instance, someone learning to greet others by saying "hello" may get the chance to practice this skill in the classroom with their teacher (planned) and on the playground at recess (naturally occurring). »

(Source : https://www.autismspeaks.org/applied-behavior-analysis)

« ABA uses rewards and punishments to train autistic people to act non-autistic. »

(Source : https://autisticadvocacy.org/about-asan/what-we-believe/)

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TEACCH

The TEACCH method, "Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped CHildren", speaks out on autism.

« This program is based on : Recognition of ASD as a disability, a neurodevelopmental disorder of neurobiological origin, and not as a disease. This is also known as the "Culture of Autism". »

(Source : https://handicap.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/kit_pedagogique_-accompagnement_des_personnes_autistes.pdf)

« (TEACCH) philosophy recognizes autism as a lifelong condition and does not aim to cure but to respond to autism as a culture. »

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treatment_and_Education_of_Autistic_and_Related_Communication_Handicapped_Children)

« In the early 1960s, in North Carolina in the United States, a group organized a series of interventions for parents of children with autism and their children, based on psychodynamic principles with the causal hypothesis of "an unknown brain abnormality". [...]
[Eric Schopler and Robert Reichler] formulate a hypothesis according to which autism is not caused by a dysfunction in the parent/child relationship, but by an organic cerebral anomaly of unknown origin. [...]
[...] the program's authors are taking up a permanent challenge (autism is a permanent handicap, and no drug treatment has yet been discovered). […]. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/TEACCH)

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PECS

The PECS method (Picture Exchange Communication System) speaks out on autism.

« Although PECS was originally developed for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), its use has become much more widespread.[…]
There is evidence that PECS is easily learned by most students, with its primary benefit being a means of communication for children and adults who have limited or no speech due to autism or other communication disorders. […] »

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_Exchange_Communication_System)

« The PECS program can be set up for people with communication and social interaction difficulties that limit the development of their functional language. This is one of the disorders on the autism spectrum. […]
Children with autism spectrum disorders often lack initiative and spontaneity. The PECS method helps to remedy this by gradually learning to communicate. »

(Source : https://www.autismeinfoservice.fr/adapter/formations/methode-pecs)

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SACCADE

The SACCADE method, "Structure et Apprentissage Conceptuel Continu Adapté au Développement Évolutif" is an intervention model for autism based on the hypothesis of the Internal Functioning of the autistic thought structure.

« According to SACCADE, autism: is not an end in itself, but a beginning of a journey; has no age; is often confused with intellectual disability, behavioral disorder and mental health; is not curable; is an improving condition.
We believe there are three characteristics common to all people with autism*, regardless of their degree of impairment, and whether autism is visible or not. They are as follows.
1. Difficulty of initiative on the part of the brain, which acts as if it always needs a starter, an external indicator, to trigger its action and move on to the next stage. Depending on the degree of intensity of the autistic structure, the person may not be able to create links on his or her own to move on to the next zone of development.
2. Difficulty with abstraction: as the brain is visual and concrete, the autistic person does not take into account the invisible, which includes abstraction, interaction and the social. The brain is connected on the perceptual, not the social, side, making the autistic person "socially blind". Autistic people have a reputation for being visual, but the reality is much more complex.
3. The difficulty of recalling information in real time, or the delay in processing even verbal descriptions of events that may be reported much later than the event itself. The brain is unable to process the information associated with oneself in real time. That's why autistic people often reply "I don't know" when asked a personal question about their experience. It also makes people wrongly say that autistic people have no emotions.
*The expression "autistic person" and the word "autism" are used to lighten the text. They refer to a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Autism, High-Functioning Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, PDD Not Otherwise Specified or Atypical Autism, and therefore to a person living with the autistic condition.
There are different perspectives on the definition of autism:

For a doctor, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be read from the areas currently identified in the DSM-V: social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors, activities and interests.
On the parent's side, autism is first and foremost a matter of concern about parenting, parenting skills and attachment.
For the general practitioner, autism is defined by these three main elements: behavior disorders, opposition and "absence of emotions".
As for the autistic individual, he'll simply tell you that his internal functioning involves three poles: perception, information processing and emotion retrieval (B. Harrisson / L. St-Charles ; B. Chamack). »

(Source : https://saccade.ca/tsa/)

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HANDLE

The HANDLE method, "Holistic Approach for Neuro-Development and Learning Efficiency", speaks out on autism.

« If you or your child has been diagnosed with autism you may be experiencing difficulty across the board with learning and socializing, including verbal and non-verbal language and attention. When someone struggles with social interaction and has interest in limited topics or pastimes, connecting with others can be very difficult. Without those connections life can become very isolating, and when simple daily tasks become a huge challenge deep frustration can build within an individual and/or family unit. [...]
Find out more about HANDLE and Autism in Judith Bluestone's book, The Fabric of Autism :Weaving the Threads into a Cogent Theory, [...] Judith Bluestone combines her personal autistic experience with academic research and over 40 years of clinical practice to craft a unique and compelling view of the phenomenon called autism.

The Fabric of Autism is both a significant clinical work and a moving memoir that illuminates the humanity beneath the bewildering facade of autism. [...]

The Fabric of Autism shows us that compassion, understanding and intuition can co-exisit with neuroscience, as it provides a new view and appreciation of the complex neurological dysfunction labeled autism. »

(Source : https://handle.org/autism)

« HANDLE gets to the root of what some might consider problem behaviors, by listening and observing. It can help children and adults with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, traumatic brain injury, Tourette syndrome, anxiety, depression, seizure disorders, ODC, ODD, PDD-NOS, aging problems, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, genetic disorders, and more. »

(Source : https://www.optimautisme.com/index.php/approches/handle)

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Floortime

The Floortime method, "Floor time" or "developmental model, based on relationships and individual differences", speaks out on autism.

« It has become particularly effective at identifying the unique developmental profiles and developing programs for children experiencing developmental delays due to autism, autism spectrum disorders, or other developmental disorders._»

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floortime)

« Autism Myths & Facts

MYTH: “Children with autistic spectrum disorders can not form loving relationships, or can not love with the same degree of warmth and intimacy as others.”
FACT: With a comprehensive, affect, relationship-based approach to intervention, children can learn to enjoy closeness, warmth and intimacy, and can love others very deeply. […]
MYTH: “Children with autistic spectrum disorders can’t learn the fundamentals of relating, communicating and thinking, so the best you can do is try to teach them to change their behaviors.”

FACT: Many children with autistic spectrum disorders can learn the fundamentals of relating, communicating and thinking. […]
MYTH: “Children who exhibit certain autistic-type behaviors, such as perseverating (e.g., lining up cars over and over again), self-stimulating (e.g., staring at a fan or spinning), or repeating words in a scripted way (e.g., echoing what someone else says) necessarily have an autistic spectrum disorder.”

FACT: These symptoms are secondary symptoms in autism and should not be used as the primary criteria for making a diagnosis. […]
MYTH: “Children with autistic spectrum disorders cannot empathize with others; they do not have “theory of mind” capacities.”

FACT: When working with a relationship-based affect approach tailored to the child’s individual differences, as a child’s language and cognitive abilities improve, so do his theory of mind and his ability to empathize. […]
MYTH: “Autism is a fixed biological disorder based on a single genetic pattern.”

FACT: Current research suggests that there is no single cause of autism, but rather multiple causes working together in a cumulative way, and multiple paths leading to the disorder. […]
MYTH: “Children with autistic spectrum disorders can’t read the emotions of others.”

FACT: The research that has supported this assertion is open to major questions by more recent research. […]
MYTH: Individuals with autism are intellectually impaired or not as smart as others

FACT: Individuals with autism can be incredibly smart and not so smart just like their neurotypical peers. »

(Source : https://www.icdl.com/parents/about-autism/autism-myths-facts)

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Makaton

The Makaton method is a communication tool that uses speech, signs and symbols to communicate, speaks out on autism.

« The Makaton language programme has been used with individuals who have cognitive impairments, autism, Down syndrome, specific language impairment, multisensory impairment and acquired neurological disorders that have negatively affected the ability to communicate, including stroke and dementia patients. »

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makaton)

« The Lemon Tree series of social story books have been designed by a Special Education Needs Coordinator to support children and their families. They may be helpful for those who may have autism, global development delay, Down’s syndrome or other additional needs. »

(Source : https://makaton.org/ItemDetail?iProductCode=AMR10610&Category=SS_LETR&WebsiteKey=2d2ed83b-15c1-4b7f-b237-8ca41598fd50)

« The Makaton program can be offered to anyone with communication difficulties, comprehension difficulties or oral language disorders, i.e. : deaf people; people with severe language disorders and dysphasia; people with other learning disabilities of varying degrees; people with mental disabilities; people with multiple disabilities; people with physical disabilities; people with autism or pervasive developmental disorders; people with acquired speech and language disorders (aphasics, head injuries). »

(Source : https://www.timautisme.fr/vous-accompagner/le-makaton)

« Since 2002, when Sandrine Bodart and I trained in the Makaton program, we have been using it to help children with severe oral language disorders (severe language delay, dysphasia, pervasive developmental disorders, autism, multiple disabilities, genetic diseases). »

(Source : https://www.cairn.info/revue-developpements-2009-3-page-15.htm)

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Les 3i

The 3i method or “intensive, individual and interactive” speaks out on autism.

« The experience led to the creation in December 2005 of the association Autisme Espoir vers l'École (AEVE), responsible for disseminating the method. The 3i method begins by taking the child out of school (until such time as he or she acquires a level of development deemed sufficient to allow progressive reschooling). The method involves intensive care (40 hours a week), with a large team of volunteers involved over a long period of time - 2 to 4 years before the child is returned to school - to run play sessions with the child. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A9thode_des_3i)

« Our vision of autism [...] Autism: in the etymological sense (autos = self), withdrawal into oneself.
Autism is the behavioural "symptom" of withdrawal linked to Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), which affect one child in 100. Autism is no longer considered a psychiatric or psychotic illness, as it has been for over 50 years, but a neurodevelopmental disorder, and parents have nothing to do with it. [...] One hypothesis: caused by a blockage of neuronal connections at birth?

The genetic origin (200 genes identified in 2013) is affirmed in many cases, but it would seem that, given the exponential increase in the prevalence rate (1 birth per 100 autistic children in 2014 compared with 1 per 1000 in 2004), environmental triggers could sometimes be responsible before birth. [...] People with autism grow physically, as do the areas of their brain, but as neuroscience has shown, these areas are poorly connected to each other: development does not get under way, or does so poorly or incompletely after birth. This anarchy or inadequacy of connections varies from one autistic person to another: this may explain the diversity of forms of autism, and therefore the autistic spectrum. [...] Autistic people grow up with their baby sensory system, which is hyper-connected, enabling the very young child to gradually filter out auditory, tactile and visual stimuli from the environment. Autistic people therefore have maladapted sensory perceptions that make them suffer terribly: to survive, they will either develop strategies of withdrawal or isolation (a closed bubble where they feel good) or strategies of organising their brain to live normally that exhaust them. Their brains are in permanent sensory overload, which leads to withdrawal and crises if they are prevented from doing so or if their world is modified. [...] Is the archaic brain the brain of the ASD person?

The observation that ASD children's development is delayed and blocked at birth enables AEVE to put forward the hypothesis that they function essentially with their archaic, toddler brain. [...] The functioning characteristics of the archaic brain clearly correspond to the functioning of ASD children [...]. The aim of 3i therapy is, by putting these children back in the cradle of a playroom, to initiate the transition that is essential if they are to become fully conscious beings. »

(Source : https://autisme-espoir.org/presentation-de-lassociation-aeve/notre-vision-de-lautisme/)

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Packing

The psychoanalytical method of packing takes a particular look at autism.

« Packing means "to fill", "to wrap", "to put in", is an alternative treatment technique for autism which involves temporarily wrapping a patient in damp, cold or sometimes room-temperature cloths. It is used in cases of infantile autism with manifestations of self-mutilation or in cases of psychosis with a tendency towards destructive aggression. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packing#Psychanalystes)

« Opponents of the method were mainly heard through associations of parents of autistic children, who denounced in the pack a "barbaric" practice, comparable to "torture", reflecting France's backwardness in the treatment of autism. »

(Source : https://sante.lefigaro.fr/actualite/2015/01/12/23248-packing-methode-contestee-pour-traiter-lautisme-psychoses)

« This treatment can continue for months or even years. The person currently defending the practice of packing in France is Professor Pierre Delion, head of the child and adolescent psychiatry department at Lille University Hospital. He argues that the body's experience of autism is fragmented. The aim of this practice is to make children more aware of their body's limits. This 'therapy' is particularly recommended for severely autistic children who self-mutilate (he recommends the same technique for psychotic children and children with anorexia). Professor Delion claims that with this technique, self-mutilation usually disappears. »

(Source : https://www.autisme.ch/autisme/therapies/methodes-a-eviter/position-du-professeur-bernadette-roge-sur-le-packing)

« In our reasoning, we adopt the point of view of Tordjman and his colleagues (1999, 2007) who argue that the child with autism is focused on the painful sensation that he provokes and controls through his self-mutilations. However, unlike the promoters of packing, we do not believe that packing acts as a substitute for the painful sensations on which the patient has become dependent by refocusing on the thermal changes caused by cold seizure followed by rewarming (Goeb et al., 2009 ; Tordjman et al., 1999 ; Tordjman, & Charras, 2007). [...]
From this point of view, packing would be an additional source of demotivation. Finally, the third consequence of learned resignation is an increase in depressive feelings. Ghazuiddin et al (2002) point out that depression is strongly associated with autism. Subjecting autistic children to packing would therefore only accentuate their depression. »

(Source : https://www.cairn.info/revue-enfance-2012-4-page-435.htm)

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Arte

Arte is the Franco-German public service channel, and talked about the auti

« Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (without intellectual impairment). A neurodevelopmental disorder, characterised in particular by impairments in the ability to establish social interactions and to communicate, and by the presence of restricted or stereotyped behaviours or interests. Sometimes better known as Asperger's syndrome.
All autistic people are different, and it's not a spectrum that is linear, i.e. no one is more or less autistic. In fact, it's a bit like something that's multifaceted. [...]
Basically, what is common to all people with an autism spectrum disorder is the difficulty they have in establishing social interactions, making friends and identifying social signs. They also have restricted interests and stereotyped behaviours or habits. If these are not present, the diagnosis is not made. [...]
Autism and Asperger's syndrome belong to the category of neurodevelopmental disorders. [...] These labels have been abandoned. We no longer talk about autism or Asperger's syndrome, we talk about autism spectrum disorder, and in degrees of severity. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/OEXedoyp0_k)

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It's almost over, you've been through 100 different conceptions of autism and/or its expressions...

Handissoa

Handissoa is the TikTok account of the association "HANDISSOA Handicaps Sud-Ouest Autisme" (Disability South West Autism), and she speaks out on autism.

« What is autism? It is a disability that affects one child in 100 at birth. Scientific research shows that autism is genetic. In other words, it is hereditary, like eye colour or hair. But this idea is not enough to explain everything. This disability remains complex and mysterious. So how do we define autism? To get closer to reality, it is better to talk about autism in the plural rather than the singular. There is no such thing as one form of autism common to all autistic people. Autistic people can behave in ways that are considered bizarre. Because they have difficulty expressing themselves, communicating and acting like most people. These difficulties manifest themselves differently depending on the individual. Some autistic people never manage to speak. Others with asperger's syndrome turn out to be geniuses in very specific areas. This form of autism generates extraordinary talents, such as learning 10 languages on their own, or solving extremely complicated operations without a calculator. While autistic people cannot be cured, we must help them to be autonomous and to flourish, for example, by welcoming them into school. […] »

(Source : https://www.tiktok.com/@handissoa/video/7200809540131114245)

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Elf.care

Elf.care is the TikTok account of someone who describes herself as "Autist Handi Queer Feminist AF". She talks about autism.

« A quick reminder: people who call themselves coloured fluid, or who use the fox metaphor to describe themselves, are xenogenre people, in other words non-binary people, generally people who are neuroatypical or autistic, who use metaphors to describe their gender, their identity and their feelings. [...]
Very obvious signs that I'm autistic that I didn't see before. I have a real disability when it comes to eating and being able to do things like a normal person. These are things that people don't see, telling me that I don't look autistic, that it shows. Yes, maybe I don't look like the autistic person you imagine, but I can tell you that on a day-to-day basis, I feel my autism._»

(Source : https://www.tiktok.com)

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Flo_therapie

Flo_Therapie is the TikTok account for the "Florence Demourant" association, and she has her say on autism.

« First we'll talk about what autism is, then autism in children and autism in adults [...]. Autism is a frightening diagnosis, and for good reason. It's a neurodevelopmental disorder. So that means that at some point in the development of the nervous system, it either came to a screeching halt, or developed in a less usual way. Yes, it really is the nervous system that is not as it 'should' be. It's considered a handicap, and the definition of a handicap is to be deprived of something. It means having something less. And inevitably, in an autism situation, there are a lot of difficulties. There are social difficulties; sometimes there are verbal difficulties; sometimes there are even intellectual delays; sometimes there are enormous sensory difficulties, because obviously with a nervous system that is not very well wired, smells, noises, surprise... there are lots of things like that that are complicated. But we shouldn't stop at difficulties. Difficulties exist, but they're not the only ones. Neurodiversity, the fact of being neurologically different, is an enormous asset. It's even the intelligence of autistic and hypersensitive people to recognise the patterns that enabled Sapiens to develop in the way he did, and to know what to eat without dying. »

(Source : https://www.tiktok.com/@flo_therapie)

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Psychocouac

He's a youtuber who talks about autism on the "PsykoCouac" channel.

« I know very well that if I start dancing naked in front of you, it's not going to work. Because I know what's going to happen in your heads, and it's not going to look good for my image. Some people's brains aren't programmed at all to know what's going on in other people's heads, so they have a lot of problems integrating into society. [...] And when you consider that France has been judged to be mistreating these brains, well, it's pretty obvious that they're in deep shit: AUTISM. What you need to know is that the definition of autism is constantly evolving in line with advances in science. And every 10 years, a new way of classifying them appears or changes. As a result, scientists talk about autism spectrum disorders. "Spectrum" is used to describe a wide range of phenomena and people, some of whom are very different. For example, what is now called Rett syndrome used to be classified as an autism spectrum disorder. Except that it has now been discovered that it is linked to a particular way of functioning that has nothing to do with autism. So today, you have several classifications in one that will be coming out soon, the ICD-11, which proposes to classify different autistic people according to their linguistic ability and their level of mental impairment. Asperger's autism, for example, is a classification that no longer exists. We could say "autism without mental deficiency or language deficit". On the other hand, all these autism spectrum disorders have one thing in common [...] communication and social interaction, with, for example, an inability to share with others or seek help, problems with non-verbal communication, or difficulties in speaking and adapting one's behaviour to situations. And the second weird thing, the second area affected in autism, is stereotyped behaviour or restricted interests. With, for example, autistic people who have repetitive movements like flapping, or bizarre obsessions like staring at a lamppost for hours on end. The very important thing for autistic people is to be aware that all this happens at least before the age of 3. [Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning that they have a different brain from the moment they are born. This brain means that their vision of the world and the way they function will be completely different from most people. And we don't know exactly how a brain comes to develop in this way. Studies show that it's a combination of genetic factors and your environment, such as prenatal infections, maternal diabetes, toxins, elderly parents or a zinc deficiency. […] A dove is not just a dove, it also symbolises peace. There's a clear difference between the signifier and the signified. Well, autistic people's brains have a really hard time doing this job. And their brain gives a lot of importance to what it perceives and can't free itself from it to find a symbol. This makes access to languages very difficult [...] the lack of second degrees. Many autistic people take things literally. And if you tell an autistic person, for example, to take the door, they won't go out, they'll try to take the door with their hands. […]. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/AJNN4NcvyBg)

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Alistair

He is an autist youtuber who talks about autism on his channel "Alistair - Hparadoxæ".

« Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, meaning that it is a way in which the brain is constructed and functions, which will lead to a whole host of specificities in the functioning and behaviour of autistic people. It also means that this condition is present from childhood.
Autism is a handicap. In other words, in today's environment, autistic people will encounter difficulties that are either greater than those encountered by others, or difficulties that others will not encounter at all. These difficulties can often be reduced or even eliminated by adapting the environment. [...]
Autism is not a disease [...] You can't catch autism, it's not a tragedy, but because it's a disability, it's still complicated to manage, and may require support and adjustments in everyday life. [...]
You can't really say that autism does that, because being autistic will influence the way you move, the way you speak, the way you understand, what you like or don't like, what you feel, the emotions you have and how you express them, your tastes, and so on. As well as changing lots of things, it can change them in lots of different ways. [...]
In the DSM, which is basically the psychiatric diagnostic manual, autistic traits are classified in 2 categories, but personally, I prefer to talk about 4 categories, which for me are more instinctive and easier to understand […].Social and comprehension difficulties. Autistic people have difficulty understanding and integrating social norms. In particular, they will have difficulty understanding what is not said and what is implied. [...] Sensory disorders [...] Basically, what's important to remember is that the perception of sensory stimuli in autistic people is often different and that processing them is more complicated. [...] The third category is specific interests. [...] And the 4th category is everything that comes under the heading of mental rigidity. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/JpRtcjVLNro)

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Psy !

He's a youtuber who talks about autism on the channel "Psy!

« For World Autism Day, we're going to talk about autism spectrum disorders. [...] As the name suggests, first there has to be a problem, as there always is in psychiatry. When there is no problem, there is no problem. When there is a problem, there is a problem. So you can have all the symptoms of autism, but if there are no disabling consequences, then you don't have an autism spectrum disorder. That's the first thing, it's a 'disorder', there has to be a problem. Secondly, it's a 'spectrum'. In other words, it's not like a certain pathology that's very well defined at a precise point where the margins around it are extremely narrow. This is a spectrum, meaning that there is a core to the disorder, which we will try to define. And then there is a more or less wide periphery. And that's why we call it the autism spectrum. Because it's not something that's ultra-precise, ultra-defined. Yes, there is a core, and we're going to explain what that core is, but the edges are extremely wide. Which is never a very good sign in medicine, but given the current state of knowledge, we're here, so we'll deal with it. […]
"Autistic" [...] we're going to try to get to the heart of what autism is. Autism is first and foremost - at the heart of it, because once again, it's a spectrum, it's very broad, but at the heart of it - there are cognitive difficulties, most of which are not at all in the area of intelligence [...]; the majority of people with ASD do not have mental retardation, it's not at all the cognitive functions in the sense of intelligence that we understand today that are in difficulty. It's much more in the social spectrum, in social interactions. Particularly in the theory of mind [...] to put it simply: the ability to read other people's minds. [...]. In autism spectrum disorder, that's where there's a deficit, that's where there's a difficulty, for people with ASD, in really identifying what other people have in their heads. [An example? For example, the empathy deficit. [...] People with an autism spectrum disorder have emotions, feel their emotions perfectly. And they are very often exacerbated, even hypersensitive. So it's not true to say that autistic people are like ice cubes, are cold, etc. But we shouldn't expect them to be. But we shouldn't expect people on the autism spectrum to have the same capacity for empathy and theory of mind as other people. [...] It would be like blaming someone who has no legs for not being able to walk. »

(Source : https://youtu.be/k3FidDDBzt8)

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A disease

Autism is sometimes seen as an illness.

« Autism explained by Olivia Cattan to Jean Luc Mélenchon
Autism remains a little-known illness. Children with autism are still too often excluded from normal life, from school, from going out and so on. Treating autism, diagnosing it and including an autistic child remains an obstacle course. Médiapart recently reported on the ongoing conflict between associations and the care sector. This document talks about autism, school and human life. Why is autism still taboo? Why are there more and more autistic people? What can be done about it? What kind of school? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo1W8mnVyb8 In pas vu à la télé, Episode 6. »

(Source : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jlmfi/blog/201016/lautisme-explique-par-olivia-cattan-jean-luc-melenchon)

« Is autism a mental illness?

15% of Internet users answered YES
77% of Internet users answered NO
8% of Internet users answered Don't know »

(Source : https://www.autismeinfoservice.fr/)

« Autism is a illness that can last a lifetime, but early intervention can help children with autism to develop important skills and improve their quality of life. »

(Source : https://upbility.fr/blogs/news/quest-ce-que-lautisme-symptomes-et-causes)

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Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis is an esoteric practice concerned with the health of the psyche. This practice speaks out on autism.

« Whatever the case, autism can be defined as the most serious failure of the processes of access to intersubjectivity, i.e. to the extrapsychic differentiation that enables the child to recognise the existence of the other as other, and hence to subjectivation, which in turn refers to intrapsychic differentiation. »

(Source : https://www.cairn.info/revue-le-coq-heron-2015-3-page-55.htm)

« Psychoanalytic practice has always considered autism to be an affective disorder that should only be treated psychiatrically […]. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autisme_en_psychanalyse#L’autisme_en_psychanalyse_aujourd’hui_:_situation_et_controverses)

« There is controversy surrounding the category "autism", classified as a psychosis by the French Classification of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents [The CFTMA is subject to psychoanalytic lobbying]. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classification_française_des_troubles_mentaux_de_l’enfant_et_de_l’adolescent)

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Profound autism

Profound, deep or severe autism is a vocabulary that provides a certain understanding of autism.

« This term is used to describe autistic people in their teens or twenties, who require a great deal of support on a daily basis. [...]

The term "severe autism" is used in various publications, for example by Catherine Milcent, to describe people diagnosed with autism whose prognosis for autonomy is pessimistic. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autisme_s%C3%A9v%C3%A8re)

« People with a severe form of autism are often, but not always, intellectually impaired. They have little or no language and have difficulty regulating/understanding/interpreting their emotions. »

(Source : https://comprendrelautisme.com/les-enfants-autistes-severes-et-leur-place-dans-la-recherche-scientifique/)

« The report officially introduces the term "severe autism" to refer to people with autism who have a severe intellectual disability, limited communication skills or both. The term should not be used for children under the age of around 8, and may be more appropriate for adolescents and adults, the report says.
"The main aim was to draw attention to the fact that these children and adults exist, and that they need different services," explains Lord. "And that we can predict who they will be, not at age 2, but at age 8 or 9, and that we need to prepare them."
Profound autism can affect between 18% and 48% of people with autism, according to the commission's analysis of three datasets: the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort, the UK's Special Needs and Autism Project and the US Early Diagnosis Study. […] »

(Source : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-vincot/blog/071221/une-commission-definit-lautisme-severe-et-emet-des-recommandations)

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Extraterrestrial

Some people consider autism to be linked to extraterrestrial life. People talk about their beliefs about autism.

« 'Crystal children', a concept related to indigo children, has been linked by autism researcher Mitzi Waltz to the autism spectrum. Proponents recategorize autistic symptoms as telepathic powers, and attempt to reconceptualize “the autistic traits associated with them as part of a positive identity". Waltz states that there may be inherent dangers to these beliefs, leading parents to deny the existence of impairments, avoid proven treatments and spend considerable money on unhelpful interventions. Waltz states that "Parents may also transmit belief systems to the child that are self-aggrandizing, confusing, or potentially frightening". From Changelings to Crystal Children: An Examination of 'New Age' Ideas About Autism'. »

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo_children#Relation_to_autism)

(Développement : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228097582_From_Changelings_to_Crystal_Children_An_Examination_of_%27New_Age%27_Ideas_About_Autism)

« Contraries illumine what they are not. Aliens, typically from outer space, are almost by definition not human. Current portrayals of aliens may show more about who we, the humans, are than they do about our extragalactic contraries. In portrayal by opposites there is often a large dose of fear: for example, that we may be all too like the aliens we imagine. That leads to a paradox about autism and aliens. A persistent trope in some autism communities is that autistic people are aliens, or, symmetrically, that non-autistic people seem like aliens to autists. Some autists are attracted to the metaphor of the alien to describe their own condition, or to say that they find other people alien. Conversely, people who are not autistic may in desperation describe a severely autistic family member as alien. »

(Source : https://www.amacad.org/publication/humans-aliens-autism)

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The Theory of the defective mind

The Theory of the defective mind (Theory of Mind for autists) suggests that autists have difficulty understanding or anticipating the mental states of others.

« In the Baron-Cohen et al. (1985) study, 23 of the 27 clinically unimpaired children (85%) and 12 of the 14 children with Down Syndrome (86%) answered the Belief Question correctly. However, only four of the 20 children with Autism (20%) answered correctly. Overall, children under the age of four, along with most autistic children (of older ages), answered the Belief Question with "Anne's box", seemingly unaware that Sally does not know her marble has been moved. »

(Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally%E2%80%93Anne_test)

« Some theory of mind deficits are present in people with autism, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, or neurotoxicity due to alcohol abuse. […]
Since 1980, autism has no longer been a psychopathology, but a neurodevelopmental condition in which several facets of a child's psychological development are affected, according to the theory of mind. Allegedly greatly affected, autistic children have difficulty participating in imaginary games and social interactions and in using pragmatic language adequately. High-functioning autistic people (who are socially delayed, but whose motor, language and imaginative skills are preserved) are more literal in their pragmatic interpretations: if, for example, they are asked "Can you close the door? they can answer "Yes" without closing it. What's more, they are less likely to follow the gaze of others. According to Baron-Cohen, they obtain less information about what the other person wants, which could be linked to a poorer theory of mind.
There is, however, a nuance to be made with regard to theory of mind in autistic people. Recent research shows that autistic people have delayed rather than impaired theory of mind. These include a lack of vocabulary to describe mental states, and poor pragmatic skills, including inappropriate use of language to communicate, failure to observe the usual criteria of politeness, and difficulty sustaining a conversation. It should be noted that all these pragmatic skills relate to the ability to attribute mental states to others.
On the other hand, Baron-Cohen and Howlin have drawn up a list of difficulties resulting from a deficiency in theory of mind in autistic children:

Insensitivity to other people's emotions;
Inability to take into account another person's knowledge;
Inability to discern the intentions of others;
Inability to ascertain the other person's interest;
Difficulty anticipating what the other person thinks of their own behaviour;
Inability to understand misunderstandings;
Difficulty understanding deception;
Difficulty recognising the other person's motivation for certain actions. »

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9orie_de_l%27esprit)

« In neuropsychology, theory of mind refers to the ability to interpret one's own mental states and those of other human beings. It is considered to be deficient in autistic people, who have difficulty or even an inability to identify their mental representations and those of other individuals.
The psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen brought this theory and its impact on autistic people to light in his book "Mindblindness, an essay on autism and theory of mind". He defines mindblindness […]. »

(Source : https://comprendrelautisme.com/le-fonctionnement/la-theorie-de-lesprit/)

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A Label

Some people consider autism to be a social label. A purely social characteristic imposed on them by society.

« Labels can be harmful, but they can also help: see "severe autism". [...]
Labels are a divisive issue. When used inappropriately, they have the power to distort and dehumanise people. As the mother of a child with autism, I have witnessed many cases where hurtful or inaccurate labels have been applied to my daughter. Yet sometimes the use of accurate labels can dramatically improve the lives of people with autism. The specific label I have in mind is "severe autism" - and it is being adopted by a growing number of autism researchers and advocates [...].
Those who eschew labels and advance the notion that autism is just another way of being have created a world in which it is increasingly difficult to communicate the needs of people who require significant support to thrive - or even, simply to survive. Mainstream autism advocacy increasingly focuses on the more independent, leaving those at the deepest end of the spectrum forgotten and misunderstood.
The solution proposed by those who oppose labels - to explain how autism manifests itself without applying a label - assumes that we live in a world where it is always possible for a stressed parent to recite a list of symptoms and specific behaviours, or in a world where members of the public always have an ideal reaction to these explanations. »

(Source : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-vincot/blog/081221/les-etiquettes-peuvent-nuire-mais-elles-peuvent-aussi-aider-voir-autisme-severe)

« In a hypothetical world where no one would ever form an opinion about others until they'd spent six or seven hours talking to them, then it's true, we should avoid influencing those we meet by saying things like "I'm autistic" or "my daughter is ADHD".
Since we don't live in this weird world and most people make a first impression in less than a minute, I think it's important to use the labels we want instead. Because if we don't provide them to those we come into contact with, they will use others. There's no such thing as no label, we always use qualifiers to talk about the people we know. For most of my life, I was unaware that I was autistic and suffered from an anxiety disorder. On the other hand, I had no shortage of labels, provided by others or myself: difficult, weird, rude, temperamental, sensitive. [...]
You could argue that a label is a limit, a glass ceiling. Someone who knows they have an attention deficit disorder probably won't even try to become a lawyer; someone who is dyslexic will abandon their dream of becoming a novelist as soon as they hear their diagnosis.
Wouldn't you agree? [...]
Labels limit us only in the sense that they are definitions, and to define, in essence, is to limit: it is to say what a thing is and is not. We can never have too much vocabulary to describe our human experiences. »

(Source : https://bienetreautiste.com/blogs/infos/de-l-importance-des-etiquettes)

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Autism in Females

Sometimes seen as a separate form of autism that essentializes autistic women as opposed to autistic men, "autism in the feminine" refers to the expression of autism in autists women.

« Research into the influence of gender on the manifestation of autistic behaviour and the characteristics of women with autism is still in its infancy. Sometimes contradictory results are emerging: research by Hartley and Sikora 2009 showed that women had greater social difficulties, research by McLennan et al. 1993 showed that they had fewer, and research by Mandy et al. 2012 showed equal communication difficulties between men and women. [...]
According to a study by Simon Baron Cohen and his team in 2015, because of their ability to camouflage their autistic traits, women generally have a higher risk of not being diagnosed with autism even though they would fall under a diagnosis of autism. [...]

There are several reasons why autistic women are under-diagnosed:

Secondary pathologies are mistaken for the main pathology. For example, when depression, personality disorder or anxiety attacks mask autism;
Men and women with autism are compared on the basis of the classic criteria for autism, those used by the ICD-10 or the DSM-5. Yet these are based on observing the behaviour of largely male individuals;
Diagnostic tools that are ill-suited to the specific characteristics of women. Two studies presented at the International Autism Research Day in San Francisco (2017) compare how girls and boys with autism complete the widely used ADOS test. During this test, the clinician asks the child to perform a series of tasks and assesses the child's behaviour. One of these studies revealed that the ADOS is often more negative when carried out on autistic girls than on boys.

The fact that autistic women are under-diagnosed has led the international community to investigate the existence of a female autistic phenotype, i.e. to question whether the characteristics of autism are expressed differently in women than in men. [...]
In autistic girls and women, the criteria for autism are the same as in men, but in less immediately perceptible forms. [...]
It should be noted that not all autistic women present this phenotype, just as autistic men present this profile. This phenotype is a trend, observed particularly in women.
Research into autistic women has made it possible to determine a "typical profile" comprising several points:

1 The difficulty of recognising autism in women […]

2 The ability not to show autistic features […]

3 The passivity and credulity of autistic women […]

4 The construction of the autistic woman's identity and gender stereotypes […]

In recent years, the notion of social camouflage or coping has been highlighted by researchers (Attwood 2007; Gould and Ashton-Smith 2011; Kopp and Gillberg 2011; Lai et al. 2011; Wing 1981).
Social camouflage is the difference between the way people are in a social context and their internal experience.
It is put in place for several reasons:

to hide behaviours linked to autism ;
to put in place conscious or unconscious techniques to appear more socially competent;
to prevent others from seeing their social difficulties.

[...] Disguising the characteristics of autism is particularly necessary in order to achieve a decent level of employability and gain access to a job. It is also a way for autistic women who are harassed at all stages of their lives to avoid these dangerous situations.
Another motivation described by autistic women to explain their camouflage is the desire to create connections with other human beings, the desire to form friendly or loving relationships. »

(Source : https://comprendrelautisme.com/lautisme/les-femmes-autistes/)

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Disability

Since the Chossy law in 1996 (France), autism has been defined by some as a disability.

« Autism has been recognised as a disability in France since 1996, despite the diversity of disorders and the widely varying social integration capacities of these people. It requires multidisciplinary research to understand its mechanisms and improve its treatment. »

(Sources : https://www.inserm.fr/dossier/autisme/)

« What is the current understanding of autism, defined as a disability and legally subject to compulsory education since the law of 22 February 1996? Is it possible to talk about autism today when the mere compilation of events is not enough to make history, given the limited time that has passed. Today, there is not enough hindsight to analyse the incidents of a limited controversy from which we cannot infer its future.
It seems paradoxical to speak of autism as a topical issue for events that are timeless. »

(Source : https://www.cairn.info/le-grand-imbroglio-de-l-autisme--9791034603961.htm)

« Autism is not a mental illness. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder: in other words, alterations in the brain that begin before birth and are involved in language, motor skills, perception, emotions, social interactions, etc.
This is why autism has been officially recognised as a disability since 1996. »

(Source : https://www.craif.org/quest-ce-que-lautisme-44)

« Can the (French) law describe Autism?

No. Because the law does not have as its purpose or principle to make a description. The law is either a bill or a proposed law. In both cases, autism cannot be described. The law only enforces rules. Let's take for example the Chossy law of 1996. It states:

“[Translation] Any person with a disability resulting from autistic syndrome and related disorders benefits, regardless of age, from multidisciplinary care that takes into account their specific needs and difficulties. Adapted to the person's condition and age, this care can be educational, pedagogical, therapeutic and social. The same applies to persons with multiple disabilities.”

The Chossy law does not even describe autism as a disability. This law concerns the care of people who have a disability linked to "autistic syndrome". This term covers "autism spectrum disorder (ASD)" and anything that resembles it. Thus, in France, a doctor starts by diagnosing ASD or something similar. Then, the "Maison départementale des personnes handicapées (MDPH)" analyzes the medical file and decides if there is a disability. Finally, the Chossy law refers to the taking in charge of the disability. There is no legal text describing autism. »

(Source : https://www.lagazettedelautiste.com/autism)

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Digestive System

Some people believe that autism is the result of a macrobiotic imbalance

« Numerous studies have shown a link between autism and the microbiota, i.e. the population of microbes in the intestines.
A treatment based on Lactobacillus Reuteri, a species of intestinal bacteria found in yoghurts and breast milk, could improve social interactions. [...] The work suggests that the bacteria provoke changes in behaviour via signals sent by the vagus nerve - which connects the intestine to the brain - which increases the hormone oxytocin in the brain. The results were published today in Neuron.
These results confirm the crucial role of bacteria in the functioning of autism and the microbiota, and open up possibilities for a treatment for one of the main characteristics of autism: social interaction disorders.
However, the researchers do not recommend the use of over-the-counter L. Reuteri supplements to treat autism, as nobody knows whether all the strains are effective or what dose to use in humans. »

(Source : https://comprendrelautisme.com/quel-lien-entre-lautisme-et-le-microbiote/)

« Even addiction to alcohol or any other drug, as well as diseases as severe as autism or schizophrenia, are influenced by our digestive bacteria. [...] Our bacterial imbalance, known as dysbiosis, contributes to obesity, diabetes, pain and diseases of the heart or digestive tract, an increase in certain cancers and even the development of psychiatric disorders such as stress or autism. »

(Sources : https://amzn.eu/d/gOWbRns)

« The hypothesis of the involvement of gluten in the pathogenesis of autism is contemporary with the studies associating gluten and schizophrenia. It arose from the long-standing observation in a limited number of cases of an association between coeliac disease and autistic disorder. Using a methodology comparable to that of the study by Singh and Ray (1976), McCarthy and Coleman (1979) showed that autistic children described as improved by a gluten-restricted diet showed no change in their behaviour, transit or the appearance of their intestinal mucosa after being given 20g of gluten for a period of one month. More recently, Pavone and colleagues (1997) studied the co-occurrence of autistic symptoms in children with coeliac disease, or the co-occurrence of markers of coeliac disease in autistic children. They studied the psychiatric characteristics of a group of 120 children aged between 2 and 16 with coeliac disease, divided into three subgroups: children recently diagnosed before the introduction of a diet, those following a diet, and those whose diet was not followed correctly. None of the 120 children showed symptoms of autism. [...] Conversely, they carried out anti-gliadin and anti-endomyosium antibody assays, supplemented by jejunal biopsies if necessary, in 11 autistic children and 11 control children with a neurological disorder but without autism. Two of the autistic children, including one with Ito's hypomelanosis, had slightly elevated levels of anti-gliadin antibodies, with no associated immunohistological abnormalities in the jejunal mucosa. They therefore did not meet the criteria required for a diagnosis of coeliac disease.
In conclusion, this study shows that there is no privileged link between celiac disease and autistic syndrome. What about less specific digestive anomalies? [...] According to another study by the same author, conducted on 112 autistic subjects and their siblings, 76% of autistic subjects presented at least one digestive symptom such as diarrhoea, bloating, digestive discomfort, regurgitation or constipation. »

(Source : https://www.cairn.info/revue-la-psychiatrie-de-l-enfant-2005-2-page-577.htm)

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Vaccine

Anti-vaccination lobbyists proposed a link, which has since been refuted*, between vaccination and autism.

« Almost incredibly, the prime source for such concerns — which in the 2020s would go on to seed global “anti-vax” networks opposing covid-19 shots — was a mere five-page research paper blaming MMR for autism published in February 1998. […] But in September 2003 reporter Brian Deer was assigned to investigate the controversy and unearthed a scandal of astounding proportions. Far from the scare being based on honest research, he uncovered a monstrous deception. »

(Source : https://briandeer.com/mmr/lancet-summary.htm)

« Why is it hasty to make a link between vaccination and autism?
A group action against four laboratories is to be brought by families convinced of a link between vaccination and autism. However, this cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been proven. The anti-vaccine campaign is not giving up. Since the government announced that 11 childhood vaccines would be compulsory in 2018, opponents of vaccination have been mobilising. [...]
It's a coincidence: "It takes time for the typical signs of autism to become visible, and it's on average around 18-20 months that parents notice the first behavioural problems. As more than 95% of children receive a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination between 12 and 24 months of age, it is not surprising that signs of autism can sometimes appear just after a vaccination", it goes on to explain.
INSERM also points out that autism is a behavioural disorder whose origins are "multi-factorial, with a strong involvement of genetic factors". Research is still ongoing to determine the causes of autism. »

(Source : https://www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/vaccins/pourquoi-est-il-hatif-de-faire-un-lien-entre-vaccination-et-autisme_2297887.html)

« The supposed link between vaccination and autism, and more specifically with MMR, dates back to 1998. On 28 February of that year, a study evoking this link was published in the Lancet. It was conducted by the British doctor A. Wakefield on a series of 12 cases. The study turned out to be a fraud. The British Medical Journal revealed the facts in 2011.
This document explains how A. Wakefield fabricated false results to establish a link between MMR vaccination and autism. First of all, there was a major conflict of interest. Two years before the publication of this article, A. Wakefield was hired by a lawyer, R. Barr, to prepare a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the measles vaccine. Most of the co-authors were unaware of this. Before the study began, they explained in a document that vaccinated children suffered from autistic enterocolitis syndrome (intestinal problems with autistic disorders).
The recruitment of the 12 children did not comply with ethical rules. Some parents were referred to the doctor by anti-vaccine activists. In addition to the small number of cases recruited, there was no control group.
The medical description of the cases was modified. A comparison of the medical descriptions of the cases in the study with the children's medical records (provided by the College) shows that the facts have been altered. For example, some of the children already had disorders prior to vaccination which were not reported, nor did the article specify that 2 boys were brothers and that one of them had Asperger's syndrome... »

(Source : https://www.chu-montpellier.fr/fr/vaccination/les-polemiques-et-les-fake-news-concernant-la-vaccination/vaccination-et-autisme)

*(For those who still have doubts: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1173183/, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa021134, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15877763/, https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004407.pub3/abstract, https://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2007/01/01/surprise-surprise-andrew-wakefield-was-p, https://www.respectfulinsolence.com/2017/11/29/christopher-exley-using-bad-science-to-demonize-aluminum-adjuvants-in-vaccines/)

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GMO

Lobbying against GMOs proposed a link, which has since been refuted, between GMOs and autism.

« Glyphosate is said to be the cause of an epidemic of chronic diseases, and in particular of the alleged rise in cases of autism. We investigate the origins of this rumour, which is skilfully fuelled by the ecolosphere. Con
Among the heavy accusations levelled against glyphosate by anti-pesticide campaigners is the claim that there is a link between this now-cursed herbicide and the rise in autism. [...]
At a conference in June 2014, Seneff did not hesitate to make a statement that was shocking enough for it to be relayed many times in the media and on blogs with an ecological and natural health bent: "At the rate things are going, by 2025 one child in two will be autistic in the United States". [...]

More generally, Mesnage and Antoniou conclude in a scathing manner: "Our critical analysis of the comments published by Samsel and Seneff reveals that their conclusions are not supported by experimental evidence, but are based on a type of flawed logic known as syllogism fallacy." They say: "Thus, the mechanisms and wide range of conditions that Samsel and Seneff suggest in their comments result from glyphosate toxicity are at worst unfounded theories or speculation, at best simply incorrect. This misrepresentation of glyphosate toxicity misleads the public, the scientific community and regulators. »

(Source : https://www.agriculture-environnement.fr/2018/03/07/pesticides-glyphosate-autisme-retour-sur-une-fake-new)

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Anticorps maternel

A study claims to establish a link between autism and maternal antibodies.

« A 100% reliable test to detect 20% of cases of autism? This is the promise of a team of American researchers who have developed an algorithm capable of identifying, in utero, ASD linked to maternal autoantibodies called MAR ASD.
[...] "A mother with anti-CRIMP1 and GDA autoantibodies (the most common model) is 31 times more likely to have an autistic child", reveals a study published on 22 January 2021 in the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry. [...] In her view, this study paves the way for more research into pre-conception testing. "We can imagine that a woman could undergo a blood test for these antibodies before becoming pregnant in order to find out whether she is at very high risk of having an autistic child". »

(Source : https://informations.handicap.fr/a-autisme-algorithme-identifie-formes-in-utero-30257.php)

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Pollution

Some claim to establish a link between environmental pollution and autism.

« Increase in cases of autism: a study blames pollution. The increase in the number of cases of autism in industrialised countries is giving rise to serious health concerns. The responsibility of pollution is gradually coming to the fore, but has not yet been formally demonstrated from a neurobiological point of view. This is the aim of an unprecedented study in France, which will follow 1,700 couples over ten years. For its authors, becoming aware of the link between human health and pollution could transform our relationship with the environment. [...] Characterised by a series of behavioural, communication and social interaction disorders, autism spectrum disorder, in its severe form, is experienced as a handicap. A disability that has become a health concern. According to the most recent assessments in industrialised countries, the prevalence rate of autism is estimated at 2%. In France, 8,000 autistic children are born every year, according to the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM). [...] For Camille, herself a medical engineer, the boom in screening cannot explain the exponential curve, this "increase in the increase". The increase in the number of cases of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders is certainly partly linked to improved diagnosis, concedes psychiatrist Amaria Baghdadli. But "only partly", insists the doctor in charge of the University Department of Child Psychiatry and the Autism Resource Centre at Montpellier University Hospital. [...] Over the last ten years or so, data has been collected showing an increasingly clear parallel between pollution and autism. So there is indeed a statistical occurrence, "but we have not yet established the causal link from a neurobiological point of view", continues Dr Baghdadli. [...] This is one of the lessons Camille has learned from her son's autism. Alternative medicine, lifestyle, organic food: the young woman and her partner, a biochemist, have gone green. For her child, it's too late, she sighs. But Marianne's cohort is full of hope "for others". "The more we demonstrate the environmental impact on our health, the more things will change", she hopes. »

(Source : https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20230422-multiplication-des-cas-d-autisme-une-%C3%A9tude-met-la-pollution-sur-le-banc-des-accus%C3%A9s)

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Amish

An anti-vaccine movement has spoken out on autism, referring in particular to the

« During discussions on the supposed harmful effects of vaccination, it is sometimes possible to hear the argument that the American Amish are a striking example of the danger of vaccination. This religious community refuses to vaccinate, so autism is non-existent. This would be formal proof of the harmfulness of vaccines, which cause autism in vaccinated populations. In reality, however, it is a myth based on four allegations that are currently unfounded:

the Amish do not vaccinate
the Amish do not suffer from autism
vaccines cause autism
the number of cases of autism increased sharply in the 20th century

[...]
In the argument we are discussing here, the allegation that "the Amish do not vaccinate" only makes sense in order to announce and justify that "the Amish do not have autism".
Indeed, this allegation seems to find immediate justification if and only if the previously proven false assertion that the Amish do not vaccinate is held to be true. [...]
Nevertheless, both one-off observations and larger-scale surveys seem to demonstrate the significant existence of autism among the Amish. »

(Source : https://theierecosmique.com/2018/07/16/les-amish-les-vaccins-et-lautisme/)

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Incredibly, you have reached 120 different conceptions of autism and/or its expressions...

Blood

A study claims to establish a link between autism and blood.

« For the past year, researchers have been working on a blood test to diagnose autism in children. They have now confirmed its "exceptional success" and suggest that it has the potential to lower the age at which children are diagnosed. This could ultimately lead to earlier treatment of autism spectrum disorder. [...]
A method combining algorithms and blood tests [...]
"We examined groups of children with ASD independently of our previous study and obtained similar results. We are able to predict with 88% accuracy whether children are autistic", says Juergen Hahn, lead author of the study and head of the biomedical engineering department at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "This is extremely promising". [...]
The researchers recreated the predictive algorithm using data from 22 metabolites from the original group of 149 children. The algorithm was then applied individually to the new group of 154 children. It proved just as effective, predicting ASD with an accuracy of 88%. »

(Source : https://www.pourquoidocteur.fr/Articles/Question-d-actu/26063-Autisme-test-sanguin-mis-point-un-diagnostic-precoce)

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Nuclear

A study claims to establish a link between autism and nuclear power.

« Nuclear testing in Polynesia: the bomb's forgotten grandchildren
The study conducted by Dr Christian Sueur on Polynesian children whose grandparents worked on the sites of atmospheric atomic explosions is alarming. It's a disturbing report. Did the atmospheric nuclear tests that took place in French Polynesia between 1966 and 1974 have genetic repercussions on the descendants of the veterans of the Pacific Test Centre (CEP) who took part in these tests, and on the local populations more generally? This is what is suggested by the alarming report by Dr Christian Sueur, who was in charge of the child psychiatry unit at the French Polynesia Hospital until December 2017. In this document, which we were able to obtain, this practitioner, who returned to work in mainland France in January, notes morphological abnormalities sometimes coupled with mental retardation in many children.
Dr Sueur's observations are the fruit of consultation work and clinical research carried out between 2012 and 2017. This work was carried out in Tahiti and in five archipelagos, in particular the Tuamotu-Gambier islands, one of the areas most affected by the radioactive fallout from the 46 Polynesian atmospheric tests carried out over eight years at Mururoa and Fangataufa. 271 children consulted for Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)*.
*Pervasive developmental disorders can take the form of various pathologies: autism, Rett syndrome, Asperger syndrome, developmental disharmonies. »

(Source : https://www.leparisien.fr/faits-divers/essais-nucleaires-en-polynesie-les-petits-enfants-oublies-de-la-bombe-20-01-2018-7512900.php)

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Hormones

Studies claim to establish a link between autism and certain hormones.

« High levels of oestrogen in the amniotic fluid may be linked to autism.

High levels of oestrogen in the amniotic fluid may be predictive of a future diagnosis of autism, according to a new study.
Of the four oestrogens studied, oestradiol was the most predictive of autism, correlating with a nearly 50% increase in the probability of being diagnosed.
Prenatal oestrogens have an effect on both male and female brain growth. These elevated hormones could come from the mother, the baby or the placenta. »

(Source : https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/ultrabreves/radioactivite-autisme-et-voile-solaire-l-actu-des-sciences-en-ultrabreves_136063)

« A new study suggests that high hormone levels during pregnancy may be linked to the birth of autistic children. The findings are similar to a previous study carried out in 2015 on the link between autism and male sex hormones [...] Their research involved analysing the amniotic fluid of 98 pregnant women whose unborn child had autism, while comparing them with 177 other pregnancies that gave birth to children without autism. The aim was to assess the levels of four types of oestrogen (prenatal oestriol, oestradiol, oestrone and oestrone sulphate). [...] "This new data supports the idea that the increase in prenatal sex steroid hormones is one of the possible causes of autism. Genetics is another, and these hormones probably interact with genetic factors that affect foetal brain development", explains Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, Director of the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge and lead author of the study. »

(Source : https://informations.handicap.fr/a-taux-oestrogenes-eleve-risque-accru-autisme-12109.php)

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Aluminum

An anti-vaccine movement has spoken out on autism, referring in particular to the use of aluminium

« Of course, J.B. Handley and his wife founded Generation Rescue, a group originally devoted to the belief that mercury due to the thimerosal preservative in vaccines is the primary cause of the “autism epidemic.” However, moving with the times and the shifting milieu in the antivaccine movement in which aluminum (atomic symbol: Al) is the new mercury, a milieu that shifted because of how, 15 years after mercury was removed from childhood vaccines, autism prevalence hasn’t fallen, Handley has now latched on to aluminum in vaccines as the cause of autism. It’s hip, it’s happening, and, above all, to Handley it’s always about the vaccines, as it is for all antivaccine zealots. [...]
I wonder, does Exley think this evil aluminum is coming from? He specifically mentions immune cells bringing aluminum into the brain as an explanation for “so much aluminum” in the brain of a 15 year old boy. Hmmm. He couldn’t mean…vaccines…could he? Oh, let’s cut the crap. Of course he means vaccines. Exley thinks aluminum adjuvants cause autism, and this study was looking for a way to “prove” that they do. This is, like most studies funded and carried out by antivaxers, horrible science. No wonder J.B. Handley is so impressed by it. »

(Source : https://www.respectfulinsolence.com/2017/11/29/christopher-exley-using-bad-science-to-demonize-aluminum-adjuvants-in-vaccines/)

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Autistic Animals

Researchers claim to recognise autism in certain animals.

« The making of an autistic mouse
Researchers have just created a mouse that displays disorders comparable to autism. The causes of autism remain an enigma, and it is still not known whether a particular gene is responsible. However, previous studies have shown that a gene called Ube3a, located on a particular region of chromosome 15, is involved in the onset of Angelman syndrome*, a developmental disorder that has features in common with autism. By doubling or tripling the presence of this gene in mice, the researchers provoked the appearance of three behaviours characteristic of autistic children: limited social interaction, disturbed communication and repetitive behaviours (known as stereotypes). The aim of this research, which consists in reproducing the symptoms of autism in mice, is to determine the genetic components, and to identify and find possible therapeutic strategies. »

(Source : https://www.scienceshumaines.com/la-fabrique-d-une-souris-autiste_fr_28033.html)

« It's no secret that mice can also be autistic. At least that's what you might think from reading the American journal Science (Oxytocin-Mediated gaba Inhibition During Delivery Attenuates), which has published the results of a study that concludes that it is possible to eliminate autistic behaviour in mice that have previously been rendered 'autistic' during gestation. »

(Source : https://www.cairn.info/revue-le-journal-des-psychologues-2014-2-page-3.htm)

« NEUROD2, a new autism gene identified in mice!
Using genetic screening, the scientists isolated the Neurod2 gene as enriched in neurons at the time of their synaptic integration. To study its role, they characterised Neurod2-deficient mice at multiple levels, from the molecule to behaviour. These analyses show a range of alterations typical of autism or confirmed rodent models of autism. On the basis of these discoveries, the researchers sought out and identified 11 autistic patients with causative mutations in NEUROD2. »

(Source : https://www.insb.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/neurod2-un-nouveau-gene-dautisme-identifie-chez-la-souris)

« The publication in the prestigious magazine Science of a study on the levels of chlorine in the brains of autistic mice has raised a wave of enthusiasm among all those involved in supporting autistic people. But it is still far too early to announce an effective new treatment. Dr Laurent Mottron, holder of the Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience of Autism at the Université de Montréal, details the weaknesses of an argument which, he worries, is leading promising results to hasty conclusions.
[...]
Firstly, the reported result does not concern autism, but two conditions associated with autism: fragile X and valproic acid (VPA) use during pregnancy. [...]

Secondly, it makes no sense to talk about "autistic mice". It is incorrect to talk about "autistic mice" because they have a genetic mutation or have been subjected to prenatal aggression that predisposes them to autism in humans. It is incorrect to present as concerning autism and its treatment a discovery of a mechanism linked, in animals, to conditions that predispose to autism in humans. Fragile X mice' are not animal models of autism, but of fragile X. These models tell us about the neurobiological mechanisms involved in conditions that favour autism. This is one reason to study them, but the results still need to be reported for what they are.

[...]

We therefore do not know whether the mechanism discovered is involved in cases where other neurobiological conditions are associated with autism (or secondary autism), and a fortiori whether it concerns primary, non-syndromic autism. This research undoubtedly warrants publication in Science, but it does not yet concern autism, still less a "clinical improvement" in autism. »

(Source : https://blogs.mediapart.fr/edition/les-invites-de-mediapart/article/130214/pourquoi-le-bumetanide-n-est-pas-un-medicament-contre-l-autisme)

« Transgenic monkeys
Transgenic monkeys (genetically modified to incorporate the gene associated with certain forms of autism) exhibit behaviours similar to those of humans suffering from this disorder, note the researchers in the British scientific journal, citing repetitive gestures, anxiety and altered social interaction. Non-human primates are likely to be better models for studying these complex autism spectrum disorders than other animal models already available, such as rodents, according to the journal. This work could contribute to the development of therapeutic strategies for treating the symptoms of autism, suggest the authors.
Behaviours suggestive of autism

Zilong Qiu, from the Shanghai Neuroscience Institute, and his colleagues developed a primate model carrying the MECP2 gene duplication syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder in children. They obtained eight modified cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) and five pups carrying the human gene inherited from a modified male monkey. The authors noted behaviours suggestive of autism: repetitive circling, anxiety reactions, and reduced social interaction with their fellow monkeys. The small macaques also showed reduced social interaction. The team will attempt to identify the deficiencies in the brain circuitry of these monkeys. »

(Source : https://informations.handicap.fr/a-chercheur-singes-autisme-8564.php)

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Autistan.org

Autistan is a non-governmental organisation that provides information on the "world of autism", encompassing everything to do with autism and autists.

« *E1* Autism

Autism is neither an illness nor a set of "disorders".
Autism is a natural human characteristic, characterised in particular by authenticity, truth, purity, coherence, harmony, rectitude, and resistance to alterations of these characteristics.
Autistic people possess qualities that are specific to autism (and which are not "social qualities").
Autism itself is a quality, since it resembles a form of self-protection and natural defence of the human being against the damage, degradation, denaturing and dangers resulting from most artificial social constructions (such as social codes, conventions, systems of thought, material achievements, etc.) which scorn the original qualities of the human being, which are preserved in autistic people.

*E2* The "Autistic disorders"

Autistic people feel neither the need nor the obligation to communicate or to adapt to general social functioning, which they instinctively perceive as incoherent and harmful.

[...]

Some 'autistic disorders' are 'disorders' only from the point of view of non-autistic people, but not from the point of view of autistic people.
For us, therefore, they are not 'disorders', but autistic characteristics that should be respected rather than discouraged or mocked.
Some 'autistic disorders' cause real difficulties that make life very complicated in today's social system (driven by norms, constant, complex and subtle social interactions, etc.).
These difficulties require the autistic person to "learn" how to "survive" in this "artificial social system", which is totally inhospitable to a "natural being".
The suffering does not come from autism, nor from "autistic disorders", but from reactions of incomprehension and rejection on the part of non-autistic people, incapable of accepting "untrained" people.
Suffering can also come from non-autistic thoughts and misconceptions, which often have the effect of making autistic people feel guilty and inferior, sometimes leading to an (exaggerated and superfluous) 'obsession' with fitting in or appearing to fit in.
When an autistic person denies or hides their autistic characteristics, this can lead to an "invisible handicap" which prevents non-autistic people from making any effort to adapt. This locks the autistic person in a kind of "non-autistic role prison" (obligation to play a non-autistic role), which can lead to inner psychological conflicts that can lead to suicide, especially when the autistic person believes "that the system is right".
Some autistic people have typically 'non-autistic' 'disorders', which are in fact the result of poor adaptations to 'non-autism', carried out in an autistic way (often excessively), without really being able to understand the 'justifications' for these adaptations (since, in any case, for the autistic way of thinking, they cannot be justified).

[...]

*E4* Disability

If we use the word "handicap" in the usual sense of "deficiency", "defect", "lack", "imperfection" inherent in the person, autism is not a "handicap" because there is nothing to prove that autism (as we define it above in point 1) has an "intrinsic defect or error", quite the contrary.
We use the word "handicap" in the general sense of "disadvantage" or "obstacle", and not in the sense of "deficiency", "defect", "invalidity", nor with any other point of view considering that "normal" people are necessarily "superior".
Autism itself is not a disability, whatever the ways in which the notion of "disability" is defined (as above), but "the absence of proper consideration of autism by the social system" (including by the family) inevitably leads to many difficulties for autistic people, which prevent them from accessing the levels of quality of life and freedom enjoyed by non-autistic people (whose social system defines and imposes rules that favour the majority and neglect minorities).
This "lack of proper consideration of autism", when it encounters an autistic person, causes difficult, painful and hostile situations, which disadvantage, exclude and penalise the autistic person: it can therefore be said that the latter is "socially handicapped" by the "deficiencies" of the general system.
No disability should lead to a feeling of shame or inferiority.
In the case of autism (whose lack of proper consideration leads to social handicap), autistic people should logically be happy to be "handicapped by a social system that is itself defective, absurd and in clear conflict with the laws of Nature".
In other words, there's nothing wrong with being maladjusted to a society that is itself maladjusted to life (life as it should be, without artifice and toxic illusions).
This corresponds to the words of the philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti: "It is not a sign of (good) health to be (well) adapted to a profoundly sick society".
It is very important to understand all this clearly, to stop considering autism in a negative and false way, and to reduce or eliminate certain psychological suffering (feelings of inferiority and of "having - or being - a problem") of those autistic people who discover autism through the erroneous prism of the usual (and official) non-autistic vision of autism.

[...]

Of course we have problems, but these problems are not "deficiencies because of autism", but "difficulties because of non-autism".
[...] »

(Source : https://autistan.org/autisme/)

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Your Neighbor (?)

This last example is a fictional satirical text built around the common prejudices and contempt associated with autism. Without a universal understanding of autism, without respect for scientific research or medical advances, anyone can continue to say anything:

« Of course I know about autism. I've seen 3 films about it. It's like my sister-in-law's kids, those ill-behaved little monsters. Autistic people can't understand the simple things in life, or tie their shoelaces. It's even said that person with autism hate cuddles and can't tell lies.
[...]

First of all, you shouldn't say "autist", because it's an insult to be autistic; it's insulting and shameful to have autism; it's a mental illness. So you have to say "person with autism", like you say "person with AIDS". At worst, you have to say "autistic people" and not "autist", because recognising the identity of an autistic person is insulting to them. Autism cannot become someone's identity, like being homosexual, being a woman, being Jewish, or being Black. Autism is necessarily one thing, an illness, and certainly not a neurobiological diversity; so it's forbidden to use the normal word "autist" to designate these sick things.

[...]
Ah, autism, that strange ability to count matches on the floor... it's another world. Isn't it? In fact, maybe we're all a bit autistic without knowing it. It's just that there's as much autism as there is autistic people. And us, it's not profound, you know?
[...]
Sales of electric cars are increasing, and strangely enough, so are the number of autism diagnoses. It's got to be linked, hasn't it? Or maybe it's because of GMOs, I'm not sure. It's better to be careful about what you eat so you don't give it to your kids.
[...]
I heard my psychoanalyst say that autism can be cured. He talked about plant soups, anti-crazy therapies, and even faecal transplants from autistic mice. You just have to test it. But you've got the Biden-illuminati lobby trying to control our minds. »

(Source : Imagination. I really hope your neighbours aren't like that.)

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You are the master of 1001 different definitions of autism.

You've read ‘all’ the different conceptions of autism and/or its expressions...

Conclusion

The proof is in the pudding: anyone can say anything about autism. Confusions, interpretations, instrumentalisations, misunderstandings, hypotheses, beliefs and so on. This can be justified by freedom of expression, science, incompetence or quackery. But this multitude of opinions makes understanding autism almost impossible. Even if everyone's voices are well-intentioned, they add a layer of information that amplifies the difficulties of understanding autism. All these conceptions of autism end up confusing people, especially when certain discourses are contradictory. This only dilutes the truth and blurs the real meaning of being autist. With so many opinions, autism loses all its meaning.

And what do you do? Do you give your definition of autism to anyone who will listen? Or do you point interested people to the WHO's International Classification of Disorders No. 11 (on autism spectrum disorders) and scientific research (on autism)?

Nota Bene

This article was first written in April 2023 and revised in May 2024.

This article is distinguished by its role as a neutral observer, refraining from any judgement or support for the entities mentioned. Its primary aim is to provide an objective, non-exhaustive presentation of the different perspectives on autism. Similarly, this text does not claim to replace scientific, medical or activist knowledge. What's more, this paper takes full responsibility for the rhetoric of its argumentative millefeuille, concluding that autism no longer makes any sense. It is not the (sometimes absent) ‘quality’ of the quotations that matters, but their ‘quantity’. Finally, it should be pointed out that the reader could fall victim to the ‘subjective validation effect’ (or Barnum Effect), the cognitive bias that induces anyone to accept a vague description of personality as applying specifically to him or herself. If you have any questions about your specific characteristics, please consult a health professional.

And this article may contain translation errors (translation via Deepl and Google). Please refer to the sources if necessary.

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