To think that calling someone "spa***c" is offensive?

[IglooLists]

I'm in a parenting group on FB that describes itself as a "respectful parenting community". Someone posted for some advice about her child's behaviour, and described him as "goes spastic". There was nothing in the post to suggest the child has any medical condition. I responded with some advice, and also said that I was struggling to get past the use of "spastic", and questioned the moderation of the group. Cue several responses to me suggesting that I don't know what the word means, it's my problem if I interpret it as offensive, it's just a word, etc etc. I felt like I'd stepped into a parallel universe!
Am I some kind of professionally offended snowflake or is that an incredibly offensive way to describe someone?

[Title amended by MNHQ]

I cannot recall the term spastic as being anything but derogatory.

It has an entirely different history in the US to the UK so if this is a transatlantic group that might explain why.

That said two US artists have rereleased songs due to backlash about this word so the tide is shifting to classify it as unacceptable anywhere.

Just looked. Adjective relates to the idea of muscle spasms. I reasonably educated and have onli heard it used decades ago as a derogatory term for someone with additional needs

It’s horrible. My ex sister-in-law uses it, along with “m*ng”. Thankfully we’re no longer in contact.

Commonly used in the 80s but definitely very offensive by modern standards. I'm surprised you didn't get more support.

The group is very wrong. The Cerebral palsy charity used to be called the spastic society I think, but the term spastic has always been derogatory. Happy memories of kids in my school calling each other "spazz" if they missed a kick in football 😬

I don't tend to use the term outside conversations with similarly disabled friends, but I could reasonably describe some of my symptoms as 'spastic' (my back and also my hands sometimes just lock up, usually in a horrid position and its really painful).

I very much doubt they are referring to muscle spasticity though.

The charity scope was originally called the spastics society many years ago but now it is considered a derogatory word.

Muscle spasticity is a thing though. Is that what she meant?

YABU without knowing the context. If the parent is using it to describe the muscle spasms or similar movements and her child is having episodes of this for whatever reason, then its descriptive.

If the parent is using it in another way then it probably is derogatory.

But unless you know, I don't think you should be condemning the parent on an assumption.

My son is under a specialist paediatrician for spastics, it's part of their title.

Calling someone spastic is derogatory and some Americans seem to think they're the exception and refuse to be educated on the matter.

It depends what is meant. If she's talking about muscles seizing up / being tight then spastic might be the correct word to use. Or she might be appropriating or misusing the term but without any real intention for that to be a pejorative.

The word spastic is currently in use as a medical term referring to way muscles can be "over activated" as a consequence of damage to the central nervous system.

However if she used it to mean cross / stupid / idiotic / crazy etc then I agree that is very offensive.

Ugh, YANBU not heard that for absolute years.
What are their ages, just out of curiosity?
Just wondering as at primary school in the early 80s it absolutely was used as an offensive insult towards other kids! 😥

Neither is acceptable, but the verb form is much less so- just an expression.

Yanbu I was called this at school often in the 1990s I still remeber it

Calling someone spastic is derogatory and some Americans seem to think they're the exception and refuse to be educated on the matter. while at the same time going mad if you use the term Gypsy - despite pointing out that in the UK the Gypsy-run advocacy group is called the Gypsy Council

Spastic and spasticity are medical terms. They’re not offensive if they’re being used in the correct context. IBS used to be known as “spastic colon”. What kind of behaviour was she describing?

Well I can remember it being one of the worst things to call others in the playground in the 70s. I would regards as very offensive.

I should clarify that I'm a clinician so I'm familiar with the use in a clinical context, and don't have a problem with that.
I think screenshotting the exchange is against the rules of the group, but the OP asked how she can prevent her son's behaviour, and said
He’s loud, very touchy to others, invades personal space, very spastic, always jumping/running, rowdy, throwing stuff for fun, not gentle at all, always choosing to do what he knows is wrong, jumping on people out of love, just simply WILD.
I see now that I misquoted her in my OP here, for which I apologise. But I think the sense is the same. There was nothing to suggest a medical condition but I suppose she may have omitted that but still been referring to muscle spasms.

In the US 'going spastic' seems to mean getting wildly excited - an American sportswoman used it on the Beeb a few years back, requiring a subsequent hushed apology from Gaby L IIRC. But yes, over here it's way beyond the pale and only means a crass and offensive playground abuse term for someone wuth cerebral palsy. I guess I would find out if they were being ignorantly offensive, or using the US meaning.