I use the term 'Circle' simply because that is what I see in my head, Emma, not for any other reason.

Lizzie - when communicating on a forum like this, you confuse people by writing what you see in your head.

You may find this difficult to believe but what people see in their head is (generally speaking) not of interest to people here. That's because it is a discussion forum and like it or not it is considered necessary to abide by the rules, some of which are based on convention and are not written down.

This is why you get into such arguments with people. (It isn't just me, there have been loads of others as you well know). The difference between them and me is that they give up telling you that you are talking garbage - I don't.

This thread is a fine example. You call autism a circle and talk about your children being on it. Virtually everyone else in the world including most of the people you quote and the National Autism Society of Britain and its American equivalent, and all major medical authorities refer to it as a spectrum. You personally can refer to it as a square, circle, or a many-sided round spherical object but when discussing it with people it is best to use terms which everyone understands, not just you. As far as I can see virtually no-one on the internet describe autism as a gift apart from you. Yes, (to save you making links) one or two people do. But they are very few and far between.

In looking into the background to this I have come across many discussions between people who have lots of experience of autism, including those who are autistic.

Perhaps you could point to somewhere where your vast personal experience of autism has already been involved in discussions. After all a discussion board about autism would seem to be a more appropriate place for you, surely? And you would have been discussing it over the years wouldn't you? So there will be posts you have made on autism boards that have not been removed I would think. Would you be kind enough to point to some?

Like Joan I am sceptical of the diagnoses you have offered. Are you in fact looking in some symptoms and deciding personally that the person you are looking at is autistic?

Here are some recognised procedures that are used to diagnose autism. You must recognise these.

Tell us which ones you and the others have had.

Sits back and waits for personal abuse.