Finally, while some parents still have to fight for help for their autistic children, far more services are now available. This has encouraged doctors to label borderline or ambiguous cases as autism - they know this is often the best way to get the child some help. It also makes autism an attractive diagnosis for parents. "I hear stories of parents who are anxious to get a particular diagnosis if that is what is required to obtain the services their child needs," says Sydney Pettygrove, a paediatrician at the Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson.This follows a pattern familiar in education ideology, particularly when compared to some past battles over ESL and ADHD and the general growth of special ed funding. It also has political implications for education reform and particularly for the nationalized testing program.
"It also makes autism an attractive diagnosis for parents. "
What an interesting statement - i can honestly say, after receiving that diagnosis for three different children, that my hubby and i found NOTHING atrractive about the diagnosis. the only things that helped were:
1) finding out that as parents, we were not alone
2) the ability to receive some services to help our children be more successful in their schooling and their lives
3) our ability to learn how better to help our boys live in this world, rather that the ones they prefer
Although I can see now why you say this will confuse the "average person".