The Many Facets of ASD in Children, Youth, and Young Adults

How do human beings with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describe their especialness? And what could this imply for social and medical interaction with such individuals? This issue of Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica includes the personal stories of a number of individuals with ASD from Ireland, China, and Japan. These talented individuals with autism insist that they represent neurodiversity rather than neuroatypicality. One individual's metaphor as zebras among horses explains it best. Their view of themselves and the comparisons and descriptions they have given lend support to the need for a significant paradigm shift in our approach to autism. The purpose of this issue is to extend the fund of knowledge on autism and so assist all clinicians, researchers, and autism advocates in their efforts to support and improve the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum.