PWD ID Classification - Is My Child Disabled Or Just Different?

Milette

2 days ago

3 min read

One of the most common topics I see in Autism-related forums here in the Philippines is this: what should actually be written on our child's Person With Disability ID (PWD ID)?

Our kids may all share the same diagnosis — Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) — but the classification printed on their IDs can vary widely. Depending on the city, the doctor, or the assessing office, you might see any of these:

These are the common classifications:

Autism
Intellectual Disability
Mental Disability
Learning Disability
Psychosocial Disability

I was curious enough about this inconsistency that I decided to look into it properly, instead of just accepting whatever ended up on my son's card.

What the Autism Society of the Philippines Says

I reached out to the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP), and they shared a position paper they had put together on this exact issue. I later found a blog post on their website that summarizes it well.

So they suggest:

Instead of putting the specific disability on the card, the general classification (i.e. Neurodevelopmental Disability) shall be stated. This helps parents or individuals from openly declaring their child’s disability and will stop establishments from withholding benefits arbitrarily based on specific disabilities.

My Own Discomfort With the Term "PWD"

Before I even get to the classification question, I have to admit — I've never been fully comfortable with the label "Person With Disability" itself.

When you really think about it, don't we all carry some form of disability — mentally, emotionally, or physically? The only real difference is whether it's been diagnosed. Whether it's been labeled.

At first, I was fine with having "Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)" written plainly on my son's ID. My thinking was: if I'm not open about the diagnosis, isn't that the same as implying there's something shameful about having ASD?

But things changed the more I sat with it.

What's Actually on My Son's ID

Right now, my son's ID reads: "Autism – Learning Disability."

And that phrase has stuck with me. Because... don't we all have learning challenges, in one way or another? Framing it as a fixed label feels like it flattens something that's actually just part of being human.

A Conversation With My Sister in the US

I also talked to my sister, who lives in the US, and a couple of things she said really stayed with me.

First, in the US, it's not even called an "ID" — it's a Disability Card. Every citizen already has a State ID; a separate Disability Card is issued only to those who need to access specific benefits. The distinction matters more than it seems. An ID is meant to represent your identity. Is it fair for that identity to be defined by a diagnosis? To me, that doesn't sit right.

Second, she reminded me about the right to privacy over one's own medical records and information. That right technically exists here in the Philippines too — it's the law. But in practice, it's not something we treat with the seriousness it deserves.

Where I've Landed

After reading ASP's document and blog post more than once, and after that conversation with my sister, I've come to a decision: I prefer using the general classification on my son's Disability ID going forward.

I know some parents will disagree. Some believe that being open about these terms — disabled, mental, autism — is part of the acceptance process, and for some families, it genuinely is. But that process doesn't look the same for everyone, and I don't think one approach should be treated as the "right" way to accept a diagnosis.

Here are my two main reasons for supporting ASP's position:

It's about respect. Respecting the different perspectives of parents, and — more importantly — respecting the preferences of the individuals with ASD themselves. This isn't only our decision to make; it's theirs too.
Words shape belief. In my work, where I collaborate with life coaches, one thing comes up again and again: the words we accept in our own heads matter enormously. If you keep saying "I have a learning disability," over time your subconscious starts to absorb that as truth. Self-worth is built on empowering thoughts. So the real question is — should we keep feeding the negative framing, or choose the positive one?

A Bigger Question to Sit With

I don't want to put too much weight on labels and levels — they were never meant to define a person's worth. But I do support ASP's position on general classification.

And it makes me wonder about something even bigger: should we, as a community, eventually move away from the term "Person With Disability" altogether for individuals with autism?

Maybe something like "Differently Abled" fits better.

What do you think?