What does it mean to be “disordered”? In this week’s vlog, a young boy recently diagnosed with Level 1 Autismasks a question that many parents and professionals rarely hear: “Why do other people get to say I have a disorder?”
His question sparked an insightful discussion with Barry Prizant, Dave Finch, and Sharon Saline, who explore the idea that the concept of a “disorder” may one day feel outdated.
Dr. Prizant and the team emphasize:
- It’s about perspective.Diagnoses often arise from the ways certain traits interact with societal expectations—not from a deficiency in the child.
- Labels can be misleading.Words like “disorder” can feel negative or stigmatizing, especially when applied by people who don’t share the same neurological wiring.
- Understanding yourself is key.The value of a diagnosis lies in what it teaches the individual and their family about their strengths, needs, and unique brain profile—not in how others perceive them.
Dave Finch points out that this young boy’s insight—questioning why someone else gets to label him, is profound and self-affirming. He encourages families to nurture self-confidence and neurodiverse pride.
Practical strategies shared in the vlog include:
- Renaming the brain’s wiring.Instead of “disorder,” children can describe their brain in ways that feel empowering: “I have a fast brain,” “a deep questioning brain,”or “a foggy brain.”
- Emphasizing condition over disorder.Many professionals are now using the word conditionto describe autism and other neurodiverse traits, acknowledging both challenges and strengths.
- Focusing on lived experience.Labels are often created for insurance, schooling, or administrative purposes, rather than reflecting the child’s actual life or talents.
Barry Prizant emphasizes that the young boy’s perspective is shared by many in the self-advocate community. Over time, the field is moving toward a language of neurodiversity, one that honors differences rather than stigmatizes them.
Key takeaways from this vlog:
- Kids on the spectrum are not “disordered” in the conventional sense—they are uniquely wired.
- Labels are tools for understanding, not judgments.
- Encouraging children to define their own brain type fosters confidence, self-advocacy, and pride.
- Society’s language is shifting toward strength-based, neurodiverse perspectives, reflecting lived experience rather than external judgment.
This discussion is a reminder that the way we talk about neurodiversity shapes how children see themselves. Moving from “disorder” to “condition” or “profile” helps children and families embrace differences as superpowers, not deficits.
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Take a listen to this intriguing notion.