"Is Autism A Disorder? An Alternative View" by Luke Beardon

Luke Beardon is a senior lecturer in Autism at the Autism Centre, Sheffield Hallam University.

When looking at the disorder of autism Luke asks the following:

We are told people with autism...

• Lack a theory of mind
• Have a lack of executive functioning
• Have poor central coherence
• Have developmental delays in communication and social understanding

When people talk about those with autism they focus on the negatives of the disorder. When in fact there are many positives.

What about the positives?

• The honesty
• The straight talking
• They say what they think as opposed to making it up
• The genuine nature found in so many individuals with autism
• The extraordinary qualities within the population
• The attention to detail
• The perfectionism
• The drive
• The focus

Luke Beardon is well known for speaking the truth and letting others see autism in a different light.

"I would say that the only reason we use the term disorder is because there are more neuro typical people than there are people with autism."

"What we should be talking about is difference not disorder; we should be recognising that just because a person with autism develops differently is not automatically a negative state but a difference that needs acknowledgement".

"One of the best ways of supporting an individual with autism is to change behaviour not of the person with autism but the behaviour of those around them."

"If the world was more organised, better structured, if people actually said what they meant, then surely this would better suit the individual with autism."

Factfile on Luke Beardon
http://www.the-expert-witness.co.uk/luke-beardon/