As the definition of autism has widened, there’s been a growing push to separate profound autism into its own diagnosis. Proponents seek to ensure that autistic people who need lifelong care get the support and services they need. Judith Ursitti, president of the Profound Autism Alliance, said people in this category now lack appropriate treatments, support and enough providers trained to handle their level of care. And the vast majority of clinical research doesn’t include them. But some in the autism community worry that creating a separate diagnosis of profound autism would reduce attention on the broader spectrum and the individual needs of everyone on it.
