UCL Professor

“Autism wasn't always defined this way – a sort of catch-all diagnosis for a huge variety of conditions. When it was first identified in the 1940s, it referred to a small group of children with severe difficulties in social interaction, communication and behaviour.”

head of policy and influencing at the National Autistic SocietySector leader

“Autism is understood as a spectrum. As the article points out, in the past people thought the spectrum was a straight line between 'more' and 'less' autistic, but this isn't right.”

pioneering researcher at UCL

“A pioneering researcher at UCL has called for the spectrum disorder to be split into clearer groups as diagnoses soar”

Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL: University College London

“In the past, my colleagues and I felt confident that we could recognize autism at first impression in a thin-slice judgment. But this would not be true today in an era of record numbers of cases receiving an ASD diagnosis.”

solicitor specialising in education law at HCBSector leader

“They just deal with whatever deadline or hearing is coming up, and then they don't have the capacity to deal with the other cases.”

PsyD, clinical psychologist and owner of LA Concierge Psychologist

“She walks me through the criteria, six of which are needed for an autism diagnosis. I meet all eight.”

emeritus professor in cognitive development at University College London

“anyone of any age or intelligence level can be diagnosed with autism if they meet certain criteria”

UCL Professor

“The time has come to examine whether the autism spectrum has become too broad. Without greater precision, we risk misunderstanding people's needs and misdirecting care.”