When I was much younger, I was a full blown Autie. Non verbal until 4 1/2, but reading before i was 2. had melt downs a lot... if you watched the hellen keller movie (1962, the miracle worker), had frequent meltdowns of that caliber. as i became aware of things, i had less meltdowns around the age of 4, and pretty much got them under control on my own by ~7. They wanted to institutionalize me back then, in the early 70's... but my mother wouldnt let them, and i did not take any medications either growing up... learned to adapt and when i got to my pre-teen to teen years, digested a lot of psychology and sociology textbooks and 'rewired' some of my own more obvious autie behaviours.. have minor things to this day, eye contact, do not leave the house often, ect.. but have adapted while still maintained being a HFA.
i merely see these diagnosis more as a label they put on us because we process mentally, like a left handed person in a right handed dominated world... dont let a diagnosis define who you are, rather use it to understand yourself better and use the information to better your self by your standards, not theirs. i have done so much that they said i would never been capable to do... when a NT is an expert of autism, it doesnt compare to an Aspie/Autie who lives this every day.. doesnt matter what their PhD is in, it is theory, second hand info, scientific method of observation, ect.. Aspie or Autie, if your aware within yourself down to certain levels of awareness, you know better than any one else about your own self...
there will be all sorts of opinions, interpretations and such, this theory and that theory... disagreements will go on as much as the day is long... rather than get caught up on taking sides on who is more right over another, rather, what pertains to your situation? to your experiences? and how can you use this to better yourself and grow, and become more than what you are today?