An Autism Spectrum Wheel is a visual tool that attempts to represent the individual differences of each autistic person. The wheel shows autistic traits such as sensory challenges, emotional regulation, mental health, and communication.
Today, let’s discuss the importance of the autism spectrum wheel, a color wheel that may better capture the ways autistic people may experience the world.
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What is an Autism Spectrum Wheel?
The Autism Spectrum Wheel (as opposed to a straight line) is a graphic used to represent autism. Specifically, it’s a visual tool that attempts to account for the individual differences of each autistic person.
An autism spectrum wheel shows the various autistic traits and the severity of symptoms. For example, some signs of autism included on a wheel may include:
- Sensory sensitivities
- Emotional regulation
- Stimming or repetitive behaviors
- Motor skills
- Social skills
- Communication skills
- Special interests
- Executive functioning
- Eye contact
- Anxiety, depression, mental health
Any number of these autistic traits can be added to an Autism Wheel as a way to support a better understanding of autism.
Benefits of Using an Autism Spectrum Wheel Model
Using an Autism Spectrum Wheel has multiple benefits including:
- Casting a vision of autism as one type of neurodiversity
- Support each autistic person in their understanding and self-compassion toward themselves
- As a tool to help create connection and acceptance in interpersonal relationships between autistic and non-autistic people
- Help you identify specific symptoms of autism that you need support to improve everyday life
The important thing to consider is that every autistic person is unique. Like non-autistic people, each autistic person has different interests, sensory processing needs, and more.
Additionally, it’s important to understand that many variables including environmental factors will impact any sign of autism. For example,
- When a child spends a long time in crowded and noisy environments, sensory issues related to noise sensitivity will likely drain them.
- Therefore, later when a daycare provider demands the child “look them in the eyes”, the child has no more capacity and responds in a fight-or-flight response.
- Tears, meltdowns, selective mutism, aggressive behavior, or a complete shutdown
Autism Spectrum Wheel and Autistic Voices
No longer do we refer to the autistic person as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It’s not acceptable to devalue the social skills of autistic people simply because they look different from those of neurotypical people.
The autistic community is using its voice to share about the ableism and marginalization they’ve experienced for way too long. And, this, my friend, is a wonderful thing.
Many in the autistic community are changing the narrative by pushing back against:
- the puzzle piece,
- groups like Autism Speaks,
- and a linear view of the autism spectrum.
Instead, many are presenting a new model of autism that can be better depicted in the form of an autism spectrum wheel.
Autism Defined by Non-Autistic People
Historically, autism has been defined by non-autistic people, the American Psychiatric Association and Autism Speaks, for example.
The diagnostic criteria in the DSM-V pathologize autism through a lens that seeks to define an “autism diagnosis.”
It frames autism as one of many neurodevelopmental disorders based on different areas that vere from the neurotypical norm. For example, autism has been traditionally characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication skills.
Historic Pathologizing
In years past, the APA’s statistical manual of mental disorders defined autism as a pervasive developmental disorder.
As you can see from the language used to define autistic people, it’s clear that they’ve been framed in a light that’s demoralizing.
Further, the term autism spectrum itself is inaccurate and has been one of the contributing factors that’s led to much of the oppression of autistic children and adults.
The Problem with the Spectrum
The problem with the spectrum label is that it casts a vision of autism as a horizontal line with opposing values on each end.
On each end of the view of the “autism spectrum” are the commonly used terms, high and low-functioning. These two terms alone are often considered harmful within the autistic community for several reasons.
High and low-functioning implies that someone is “a little bit” autistic vs. “a lot”autistic.
Ask autistic adults, the experts with real lived experiences, and overwhelmingly, you’ll hear the same thing.
There’s no such thing as being a little autistic.
Functioning Labels Hurt Autistic People
Let’s go back to the terms low and high-functioning autism and why they’re considered harmful to autistic people.
According to autistic advocate Casey “Remrov” Vormer, both terms high-functioning and low-functioning autism are,
“..based on assumptions about someone’s capabilities, rather than the autistic person’s actual experiences of reality.”
Casey “Remrov” Vormer, Connecting with The Autism Spectrum
He continues,
“These terms can be very misleading and can underestimate or overestimate what an autistic person is actually capable of AND what their challenges are.”
High and Low-Functioning Does Not Exist
Not an official medical diagnosis, these terms are still commonly used by non-autistic people (even the family doctor) to describe autistic people.
Often, the term high-functioning (previously Asperger’s syndrome) is used to describe an autistic person who struggles with neurotypical social communication. However, that same person also has high to average intelligence. Because of this, their challenges are dismissed as “not autistic enough.”
On the other hand, the term low-functioning is most often used to describe autistic children and adults who are non-speaking. As such, many neurotypical people dismiss non-speaking people entirely when, in reality, they have much to say and much to teach us.
Autism Masking as a Matter of Survival
Further, autistic young children labeled as “high-functioning” learn in early childhood to mask their internal challenges to survive.
- to avoid ostracism in social situations
- escape being bullied by peers and teachers
- please therapists, parents, and teachers who want them to fit in as a neurotypical child
While there is considerable variation in the ways autistic people are forced to mask themselves, autistic masking includes:
- Spending long periods in environments that lead to sensory overload
- Mimicking language skills, including tone of voice and verbal and nonverbal communication (facial expressions) of neurotypical peers
- Suppressing self-regulation strategies such as stimming (repetitive behaviors or speech patterns)
- To avoid social difficulty or getting in trouble with teachers, parents, or therapists
- Hiding special interests because they’ve been taught it’s not the right type of pretend play
As I read through this list, I can’t help but wonder if spending one’s life forced hiding may be one of the greatest factors impacting mental health in autistic kids and adults.
Autism Spectrum Wheel Printable
I’ve created the following autism spectrum wheel printable for you to use. Use it to
- better understand and appreciate your autistic self, or
- for those who’d like to support autistic loved ones in their life.
In this printable autism color wheel, you’ll find four versions.
- A color version that has 12 different colors representing many different conditions related to the autistic experience.
- The black-and-white version with the same areas of that may be challenging.
- A blank version of the color-coded version with spaces for you to choose specific traits of autism.
- And a black-and-white version with fill-in-the-blanks.
The idea behind these autism spectrum color wheels is that you’ll identify the areas that impact your quality of life. Again, please know that the severity of the symptoms will ebb and flow over time and in different seasons.
Using a tool like this is a great way to tune into the subtle differences in areas of challenge and areas of strength.
Being in tune with oneself regardless of whether you’re an autistic woman or man, child, or teen is critical for long-term mental health.
Recap: Autism Spectrum Wheel
Because the autistic community lives in a world designed in opposition to them, we must rally together to support them.
It’s not ok to ignore the voices of those with lived experiences in favor of “experts” who have never lived a day as an autistic person.
Equipping our autistic children with the tools they need to embrace their unique wiring is critical. It’s an essential factor in their long-term success to thrive as the best version of themselves.
On the other hand, if you’re autistic or neurodivergent (ADHD, anxiety, etc) in some way, understanding your wiring is the best gift you can give to yourself.
I do hope that this discussion of the autism spectrum wheel has inspired you in your understanding of autism. Further, I hope that these printable downloads are helpful for you or your autistic loved ones.
So, Friend. What do you think? What did I miss? In this together!
About the Author:
Lindsay is a trauma-informed educator with a Master’s Degree in Teaching. Her mission is to support moms to equip neurodivergent kids (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Anxiety) to thrive as exactly who they’ve been created to be. Wait until you hear the story that led to it all…
Do you suggest using the middle to indicate a higher prevalence of an aspect, or the outer edge? So, would you mark a person with poorer social skills closer to the centre than strong social skills? Thanks
Hi Mike, I think you can use the autism spectrum wheel charts in whatever way makes the most sense to you. Lots of flexibility based on how you see and visualize information. Thanks for asking. Hope this helps! 🙂