[kemiller2002]

It doesn't help that assistance in schools is based on kids getting certain diagnoses (at least where I live in the U.S.), Autism being on of them. This means that a number of kids either have other disorders or really none at all are labeled with this because it's a way of working the system.

To make matters worse, I've had arguments with teachers about what constitutes being Autistic. My son was diagnosed with Autism when he was 3/4, and with therapy he's doing quite well, but he has his quirks. I have to remind people that just because he doesn't act the way their other children did who were diagnosed in the classroom, doesn't mean that he isn't on the spectrum, and I remind that they aren't qualified to officially determine his mental health. (And if they are, then we're going to have another discussion about performing a medical procedure on a child without the consent of their parent.)

[anewhnaccount2]

Diagnoses for conditions without a known causal mechanism should be thought of as much as a reflection on the social and institutional context as on the diagnosed person. It's only fair since it's the society and institution that needed the label in order to accommodate the diagnosed person in the first place.

[WoodenChair]

I agree if the people doing the labeling are qualified to do as much. I think OP is saying some of these teachers are not.