Quibbling over whether autism is a condition or disease won’t improve lives

Fiona O’Leary (Letters, August 19) expresses frustration with UCC referring to autism as a disease rather than a condition. This is just playing with words, in my opinion.

I’m old enough to remember when we were allowed to say that a person was handicapped or crippled. These descriptions are no longer fashionable and are now even considered insulting.

I can also recall a mother who was misled by changes in terminology - she proudly stated a doctor had told her that her child wasn’t brain damaged; he just had severe learning difficulties.