Saarthiसारथी

Language guide

Respectful language

Words shape how children see themselves and how others treat them. There is no single list that suits everyone, but there are clear patterns in what autistic and disabled people ask for.

Four principles

  1. Ask, and follow the person's lead. How someone describes themselves always comes first, even if it differs from this guide.
  2. Describe, don't rank. Say what a person finds hard and what helps, instead of using labels like "high functioning" or "low functioning".
  3. Neutral, not tragic. Avoid words that frame disability as suffering, a burden or something to fight.
  4. Plain, not euphemistic. "Disabled" is not a bad word. Many people prefer it to softer terms that avoid it.

"Autistic person" or "person with autism"?

This is the question families ask most, and the communities involved answer it differently.

Identity-first language ("autistic person") is preferred by many autistic adults. They see autism as part of who they are, in the way someone is left-handed or Tamil, not as something they carry. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network explains this view, and a large UK survey (Kenny and colleagues, 2016) found that many autistic adults preferred "autistic" and "autistic person", while professionals more often used "person with autism".

Person-first language ("person with autism") puts the person before the diagnosis. It is still common in medicine, law and government, including India's Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. Many parents and professionals use it with care and good intent, and some autistic people prefer it.

What Saarthi does: we mostly write "autistic person" and "autistic child", following autistic-led guidance. When writing about a particular person, we use the words they or their family choose.

About the words "special needs"

"Special needs" is widely used by parents and schools, and it is meant kindly. However, many disabled adults dislike it because their needs, such as access, education and communication, are ordinary human needs. Research by Gernsbacher and colleagues (2016) found that people viewed "special needs" more negatively than "disability". Alternatives include "disabled children", "children with disabilities" or naming the specific need, such as "needs a quiet room for exams".

Words used in India

The Government of India has promoted the term दिव्यांग divyang ("divine body") for disabled people. Some disability rights groups have objected, saying it sounds like a euphemism and draws attention away from rights and access. Legal documents use "persons with disabilities". In Hindi and other Indian languages, older words such as pagal or mand-buddhi are slurs and should never be used for autistic or disabled people.

Terms at a glance

Search the table or read it through. The "Consider" column shows what many autistic and disabled people prefer, but it is a guide, not a rule.

Instead ofConsiderWhy
suffers from autism, afflicted by autismis autistic, has an autism diagnosisAutism is a difference in development, not a disease. Many autistic people do not experience it as suffering.
high functioning, low functioning, mild, severedescribe specific strengths and support needsFunctioning labels hide the real needs of people called "high functioning" and underestimate people called "low functioning".
normal, healthy (to mean not autistic)non-autistic, neurotypical, allistic"Normal" implies autistic people are abnormal. Autistic people can be perfectly healthy.
nonverbalnon-speaking, minimally speaking, uses AACMany people who do not speak still understand and use language, through writing, signs or devices.
tantrum, bad behaviour (during overwhelm)meltdown, shutdown, distressA meltdown is a loss of control from overload, not a choice or a bid for attention.
obsessions, fixationsdeep interests, passionsInterests bring joy, calm and skill. Calling them obsessions frames them as a problem.
symptoms, deficitstraits, characteristics, differences, support needsClinical words fit diagnosis reports; in everyday life they make a child sound like a list of problems.
cure, recover from autismsupport, accommodation, wellbeingAutism is lifelong. Good support helps an autistic person thrive as themselves.
risk of autismlikelihood of autism, chance of being autistic"Risk" frames autistic people as a bad outcome.
comorbiditiesco-occurring conditionsIt means the same thing without the word "morbid".
special needsdisabled, has a disability, or name the needNeeds for access and support are ordinary human needs. See the section above.
handicapped, crippled, retarded, mentaldisabled person, person with an intellectual disabilityThese words are outdated and hurtful, and some are slurs.
wheelchair-bound, confined to a wheelchairwheelchair userA wheelchair gives freedom of movement; it does not confine.
brave, inspiring (for everyday life)just describe what the person didPraising disabled people for ordinary things suggests low expectations.
everyone is a little autisticautism is a specific, lifelong differenceSharing one trait is not the same as being autistic, and the phrase can dismiss real needs.
puzzle piece symbolrainbow or gold infinity symbolMany autistic people feel the puzzle piece suggests they are incomplete or a mystery to be solved.

If you get it wrong

Everyone uses an old term sometimes. If someone corrects you, thank them, use their word and carry on. Caring about how people want to be described matters more than getting every word perfect.

Sources for this guide