Advantages and Disadvantages of Labeling Children with an "Autism Spectrum Disorder"

By Mark Hutten, M.A.
If your child receives a formal diagnosis of AS or HFA, there are going to be a number of benefits as well as difficulties associated with getting “the label.” In this post, we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of getting labeled with a developmental disorder.

It is always important to remember that no person is a diagnosis, and that no diagnosis is the person. AS or HFA is merely one quality of an individual. The person will have many other traits and aspects of his or her personality. Parents and teachers are encouraged to learn about the child FIRST, and then explore the way the diagnosis affects his or her functioning.

In a nutshell, labels are useful as a tool. However, as we all know, some people use labels as a weapon.

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