It's still used as a medical term. The official diagnosis they gave Nick is "severe mental retardation - encephalopathy". Encephalopathy is a big word for "We don't know what this is or what caused it". He's one symptom from a diagnosis of autism - he's got inexplicable constant muscle twitching. That's it. If he didn't have that, he'd be officially diagnosed "autistic". It's just easier to say "autism" when people ask. The twitching is inconsequential to his behaviour and mental capabilities.

Seeing it used out of context in any way ticks me off, but I don't normally speak up until someone else has and been shut down by derailment or outright willfulness. Obviously, once that's occurred, I have NO PROBLEM speaking my mind. LOL