Why autism became one spectrum category in DSM 5.
The category widened, but the person stayed more complex than the box.
DSM 5 brought several previous autism related diagnoses into autism spectrum disorder.
This reflected broader understanding, but also created debate about identity, service access and language.
Awareverse uses spectrum language carefully and keeps the person central.
When looking at autism spectrum, ask: who had power, who was being labelled, and what would have changed if the human being had been seen first?