Advantages and Disadvantages of Labeling Your Child with an "Autism Spectrum Disorder"
"I know I should take my child to get assessed for ASD. Based on what I've learned from this site, I'm sure he has the disorder. But I'm torn because He may get treated poorly if he has that 'label'. Thoughts?!" Receiving a diagnosis of Asperger’s (AS) or High Functioning Autism (HFA) can be a mixed blessing. Some individuals are happy with self-diagnosis, while others prefer to get a “formal” diagnosis so they can know for sure whether or not they have an autism spectrum disorder. 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. First, let’s look at some of the disadvantages of labeling: 1. A label is simply a cognitive shortcut (i.e., a term used to represent a series of characteristics), but it is useful only if people are ...