On the other hand: this sort of thing is a side effect of a tremendous effort to make "invisible" disabilities more normal and part of the landscape. In the 1960s they were still using electric shocks to punish kids with autism and institutionalizing them, keeping them away from their families. We are now at a point where a substantial part of the population is aware that autism exists. That has to be a good thing.
I think that's true in the case of actual disabilities, but the autism definition (esp. one in the previous version of the DSM) is so broad that practically everyone has a touch of autism. Korea now has a diagnosis rate of 3 percent? I don't think it's even just the general public getting it wrong and being massively confused, it's also many in the medical community.
Interesting article:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3154/how-did-autism-become-the-latest-fad-disorder
