"Spikey autistic wheel" vs ASD levels in formal diagnoses

Post Reply New Topic

I only learned about the different ASD levels 1, 2 and 3 when I got my diagnosis last year. Prior to that I had only been aware of the terms ASD and aspergers's. Apparently, ASD levels are a relatively new thing.

I recently learned about "spikey autism wheels", but I've only really seen stuff online about this being a way to describe autism vs anything that's actively used in diagnoses.

I was just wondering if anybody has used an autism wheel in the context of a formal diagnosis? My own diagnosis letter is an impenetrable wall of text, and my doctor mentioned ASD levels to me when we talked, but it would be so nice to have an official wheel to visualise what my diagnosis is (even if it was just a snapshot in time). Is that even a thing that is possible, or is this just a tool for individuals to build their own subjective wheel?

I'd really like to know!

Formal ASD support levels are mainly for service accessibility and insurance purposes.
In real life, it's somewhat vague -- like your level 1 is not necessarily "high functioning" nor level 3 is not necessarily "low functioning", but of neediness and what one should've been provided for.

This is just a generalized and simplied thingy;

Level 1 could mean only needing sensory accomodations at certain places, having particular diets, a tailored system (routines or language/communication modification) or an accountability buddy at workplaces...
That's all, really, for them to keep them functioning and healthy supposedly.

Level 2 could be needing a helper every other week to clean their home and do their appointments, having to need series of medications and therapies to function, or that they need serious accomodations when it came to navigating places outside their home.

Level 3 is typically protrayed as someone who need 24/7 all around the clock care, cannot be left alone to survive, likely has many health complications before adulthood, possibly institutionalized for whatever reason.
It doesn't matter if this autistic has severe intellectual disability or happened to have a severe learning disability that hinders their day to day living -- they need all around the clock care.

The label is mostly to fill a paperwork, really.
It can be relative to the legal system in whatever country.
Maybe their level 1 is other else's level 2. Maybe it can be vague in between.

And it doesn't also account for fluctuations of functioning and support needs, whether it's short term or long term. Support levels are not predictions and potentials.


As for the profile wheel, it's a tool to make someone more or less predictable for themselves.

Like yeah, examples are like you're great at talking but you have serious anxiety and depressed, and struggle with daily living and sensory chaos.
Or that you're not depressed or anxious but still suck at day to day living because of sheer clumsiness, and have a lot of sensory intolerances.
Or something super specific like you suck at words and wording, but can handle more day to day living on your own and was generally emotionally healthier.

Something that just unflattens an autistic level into a profile into knowing what an autistic needs specifically.

And yes, usually individuals tend to create these things themselves.
I've yet to see something like this in regards to a formal diagnosis. Who knows when some do...

But it can be incorporated personally by an autistic individual who knows what they're doing with their own ...

Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).

Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.