--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think one of the problems with the…" description: "\"I think one of the problems with the definition of autism is we keep expanding it. It started as \"early infantile autism\", and then it became \"autism\",..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/darold-treffert-20114_autism_i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-def_608870.jpg" --- # I think one of the problems with the definition of autism… ![“I think one of the problems with the definition of autism is we keep expanding it. It started as "early infantile autism", and then it became "autism", and now it's "autism spectrum disorder". I'm not opposed to that from the standpoint of trying to broaden our vistas, and so forth. But from a…” quote by Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/darold-treffert-20114_autism_i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-def_608870.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/darold-treffert-20114_autism_i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-def_608870.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/darold-treffert-20114_autism_i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-def_608870.jpg) > “I think one of the problems with the definition of autism is we keep expanding it. It started as "early infantile autism", and then it became "autism", and now it's "autism spectrum disorder". I'm not opposed to that from the standpoint of trying to broaden our vistas, and so forth. But from a research point of view, the term autism is lost in specificity.” [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques the expanding definition of autism, arguing it dilutes clinical specificity and hampers research clarity. **In simple terms:** Broadening autism definition reduces its scientific precision. Key Takeaway Maintain clear diagnostic criteria. Themes diagnosis clinical precision research methodology Mood analytical concerned Type academic critical When to use this quote - clinical practice - policy making - educational planning Key Concepts taxonomy neurodiversity Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance inclusivity with scientific accuracy? - What impact does diagnostic drift have on services? A Different Perspective Broad definitions can aid inclusion but may hinder targeted treatment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Autism Expanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism-expanding-4949168/) [Autism Spectrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism-spectrum-390241/) [Definition Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definition-autism-731845/) [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disorder/) [Expanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expanding/) [Infantile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infantile/) [Infantile Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infantile-autism-244561/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Specificity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specificity/) [Spectrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectrum/) [Standpoint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standpoint/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Term Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term-autism-4949167/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Vistas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vistas/) ## Related quotes > [I think that if I could do any sort of research of autism that I wanted to do, at this point I would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-think-that-if-i-could-do-any-sort-of-research-of-autism-that-i/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Parents don't particularly care whether it's early infantile autism or whatever label the clinicians have put on it. All they want is treatment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/parents-don-t-particularly-care-whether-it-s-early-infantile-autism/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [I have a fairly strict definition of early infantile autism. That is not to say that people who don't meet that classic description don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-have-a-fairly-strict-definition-of-early-infantile-autism-that-is/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [We have to be careful that we don't keep multiplying disorders and diluting them. I think there is a difference. People talk about Asperger's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/we-have-to-be-careful-that-we-don-t-keep-multiplying-disorders-and/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [My autism is a very mild form. It was diagnosed at the age of 25, partly because it wasn't diagnosable as a teenager (this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/my-autism-is-a-very-mild-form-it-was-diagnosed-at-the-age-of-25/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [It is never too late to expand the mind of a person on the autism spectrum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-is-never-too-late-to-expand-the-mind-of-a-person-on-the-autism/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [One in 150 kids is autistic these days. The autism spectrum is growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-ford/one-in-150-kids-is-autistic-these-days-the-autism-spectrum-is-growing/) [Luke Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-ford/) > [We're very interested in helping individuals on the autism spectrum cope and learn about social interactions and regulating emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rana-el-kaliouby/we-re-very-interested-in-helping-individuals-on-the-autism-spectrum/) [Rana el Kaliouby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rana-el-kaliouby/) > [Autism spectrum disorders are linked to other problems: Most of the people we see in our Asperger clinic for adults also suffer from clinical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/autism-spectrum-disorders-are-linked-to-other-problems-most-of-the/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [I have Asperger's, I'm on the autism spectrum, so I don't really care about social codes. It makes you think differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/i-have-asperger-s-i-m-on-the-autism-spectrum-so-i-don-t-really-care/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [With the incredible rate of growth of autism diagnoses in New Jersey, it is critical that we support the research, education, and access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/with-the-incredible-rate-of-growth-of-autism-diagnoses-in-new-jersey/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [“Be that as it may, some of those that would no longer be diagnosed “autistic” today were diagnosed on the autism spectrum and accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/be-that-as-it-may-some-of-those-that-would-no-longer-be-diagnosed/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) ## More by Darold Treffert > [The ways in which acquired savants show up are usually the same ways that congenital, or non-acquired, savant syndrome shows up. They tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/the-ways-in-which-acquired-savants-show-up-are-usually-the-same-ways/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Not only when one does meditation one is getting into a different realm, cognitively, but if you look at the imaging that's done on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/not-only-when-one-does-meditation-one-is-getting-into-a-different/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [When I met my first savant in 1962, I was impressed by the abilities in these youngsters who had severe disabilities. They appeared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-i-met-my-first-savant-in-1962-i-was-impressed-by-the-abilities/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [I have a fairly strict definition of early infantile autism. That is not to say that people who don't meet that classic description don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-have-a-fairly-strict-definition-of-early-infantile-autism-that-is/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [What happens is most of us are so busy in our lives with our families and our vocation which we should be, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/what-happens-is-most-of-us-are-so-busy-in-our-lives-with-our-families/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [With respect to why some acquired savants are musical, and some are good at the arts, and some are mathematical, why aren't they all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/with-respect-to-why-some-acquired-savants-are-musical-and-some-are/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Savant syndrome and autism, I think, are not disorders of brain structure, but they're disorders of brain function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/savant-syndrome-and-autism-i-think-are-not-disorders-of-brain/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Savant syndrome, characteristically, consists of left hemisphere dysfunction coupled with right hemisphere emergence, and what you see in the savant are basically right brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/savant-syndrome-characteristically-consists-of-left-hemisphere/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names in research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/the-beginning-of-wisdom-is-to-call-things-by-their-right-names-in/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [We should probably start searching around a little earlier in our lives for what I call parallel activities, because most of us get entrenched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/we-should-probably-start-searching-around-a-little-earlier-in-our/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [Sometimes along the way, when people are actively working, they will start to do a search for their roots and maybe get really interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/sometimes-along-the-way-when-people-are-actively-working-they-will/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [To some extent, we all have quirks or idiosyncrasies, and some geniuses, because of how bright they are and how focused they are, may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/to-some-extent-we-all-have-quirks-or-idiosyncrasies-and-some-geniuses/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [When we come to research, if we want to find out the cause of autism, we're going to have to be much more specific,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-we-come-to-research-if-we-want-to-find-out-the-cause-of-autism/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [When you first try to learn to ride a bike, you work very carefully at keeping your balance, and trying to keep one pedal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/when-you-first-try-to-learn-to-ride-a-bike-you-work-very-carefully-at/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) > [We have medicalized a lot of things that I think are not really medical conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/we-have-medicalized-a-lot-of-things-that-i-think-are-not-really/) [Darold Treffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) [Explore all 31 Darold Treffert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-give-us-a-safe-vaccine-we-ll-use-it-it-shouldn-t-be-polio/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“The autistic mind is not the wave at the surface of the ocean, but the whole world that exists below.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krissy-bells/the-autistic-mind-is-not-the-wave-at-the-surface-of-the-ocean-but-the/) [Krissy Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krissy-bells/) > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [When you have autism or aspergers, it's so hard to get a social life but trust me, in the end everyone can achieve at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia/when-you-have-autism-or-aspergers-it-s-so-hard-to-get-a-social-life/) [Lia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia/) > [“Unfortunately, by this time it didn't matter. Self-diagnosed autistics and fakers were asking diagnosed autistics whether or not they had a diagnosis, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/unfortunately-by-this-time-it-didn-t-matter-self-diagnosed-autistics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Browse all 621 Autism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think one of the problems with the definition of autism is we keep expanding it. It started as \"early infantile autism\", and then it became \"autism\", and now it's \"autism spectrum disorder\". I'm not opposed to that from the standpoint of trying to broaden our vistas, and so forth. But from a research point of view, the term autism is lost in specificity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Darold Treffert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-definition-of-autism-is-we-keep/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Autism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-definition-of-autism-is-we-keep/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/darold-treffert-20114_autism_i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-def_608870.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/darold-treffert-20114_autism_i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-def_608870.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f23/darold-treffert-20114_autism_i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-def_608870.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think one of the problems with the definition of autism is we keep expanding it. It started as \"early…” — Darold Treffert", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Darold Treffert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darold-treffert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think one of the problems...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-definition-of-autism-is-we-keep/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darold-treffert/i-think-one-of-the-problems-with-the-definition-of-autism-is-we-keep/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```