It was the boastful nursery book character in Lewis Carroll's looking glass world, where everything is backwards about, that said

"When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less"

So let's look at the meaning of some words in Lizzieworld

Actually the term 'Autistic circle' was published in a letter to the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders back in 1982.
However, it very explicitly refers to observations of a group of very young children presenting 'typically autistic' behaviour who would only take those objects of interest/stimulation within a specific circumference or circle.

The Magic Circle is a well known organization of professional magicians that can be found on the internet and elsewhere while, for the terminally bored, you can also find magic circles on Facebook
instructions a href="http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/facebook-trick-tutorial-magic-circles/3478202407">here


Of course Lizzie is free, like the scornful and inevitably cracked, Dumpty, to call anything whatever she wants however nonsensical or misleading her choice of alternative resulting in ineffective communication and understanding.

So why is the term 'autism SPECTRUM' the one used by the W.H.O. the National Autistic society and all professionals in the field of medicine, research, education etc in the English speaking world?

The term implies, by definition, a 'broad sequence or range' that is to say, there is not a unitary disorder but rather a SYNDROME that can range from relatively severe to relatively mild and non clinical psychological conditions characterized by widespread abnormalities of social interactions and communication, as well as severely restricted interests and highly repetitive behaviour.

Since the late 1970s it has been recognized that autism exists on a continuum affecting people in many different ways and to varying degrees.

Although Asperger syndrome is included as part of the 'autism spectrum'. the main difference between the two is thought to be in language development: people with Asperger syndrome, typically, will not have had delayed language development when younger.

They do not usually have the accompanying learning disabilities associated with autism, although they MAY have specific learning difficulties which may (or may not!) include dyslexia and dysphasia

People with Asperger syndrome can be of above average intelligence but nevertheless have difficulty sustaining friendships and social relationships and to quote the National autistic society …….
can be imaginative in the conventional use of the word, for example many are accomplished writers, artists and musicians, but can have difficulty with social imagination.

Like Mrs Duck I don't really want to get involved in any of Lizzie's confused campaigns but, like Wesley, I'd hate for anyone who stumbles across Lizzie's opinions to have them mistaken for factual and useful information.

I do believe in 'kindness and understanding' Lizzie but I don't believe it is a 'kindness' in any sense to describe autism or dyslexia as a 'gift' having found the latter a burden for that period of my life before keyboards and spell checkers.

As for 'understanding' I can only echo Mrs Duck that a little knowledge is a potentially dangerous thing in the wrong hands.