The Truth About Susan Boyle's Medical Misdiagnosis

Medical diagnostics have evolved, and thank goodness for that. Susan Boyle is one of many people who've been misdiagnosed, only to have that original label be incorrect over time. 

Diagnosed as "brain-damaged" after complications at birth, Boyle fought many stigmas as she was growing up. According to The Guardian, "It was the wrong diagnosis when I was a kid," she said. "I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label." 

Her new diagnosis indicates that she is not "damaged" in any way, and simply has Asperger's, a name for a high-functioning type of autism. WebMD explains that Asperger's has no effect on intelligence, but people with this syndrome often struggle with social skills. As for Boyle herself, she welcomes the correct diagnosis but says that it does not define her. "It will not make any difference to my life. It's just a condition that I have to live with and work through." 

However, it's important to note that in 2013, the APA removed the term as a medical diagnosis in the DSM. As Parents notes, "Asperger's Syndrome now falls under the umbrella term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in which patients could be grouped along a continuum from mild to severe."