Do you anticipate to be ''undiagnosed'' by DSM 5?

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http://www.sinetwork.org/about-sensory- ... order.html

http://spdlife.org/

Truly reading that, it doesn't sound to me either like you fit the criteria for ASD. It sounds like you have SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), which does often lead to anxiety and difficulty interacting with people, just not to the same degree as having an ASD does. (And well, those people tend to often be BAP too, and that's a certain possibility, can't tell from that description of you)

You might in fact fit the criteria for an ASD, but the examples you gave don't sound like you have an ASD to me. (And if you don't, you're certainly still welcome here, because we can still learn from you and you can still learn from us and there's no reason to expect everyone to be the same . You are clearly not normal anyways.)

I have fears that I'll be undiagnosed by DSM 5.

I love the massive long list of poll options! Obviously the work of a natural systematist type.

I voted both for both DSM 4 and 5.

My problem is qualifying for "clinically significant" in DSM 4 and "limit and impair everyday functioning" in DSM 5. I doubt a professional would consider me to be particularly clinically significant or limited and I have a fraction of the issues so many on this site deal with everyday. And yet, so much of the life I could have led is on hold because all I want to do is hide in my bubble and do projects.

I meet the criteria for both the DSM 4 and DSM 5. However, I feel as if the "life affecting" aspect is not as severe as others I've known with an ASD. Perhaps years of being told to "be normal" have an effect on this

A link to the criteria would have been nice. I don't have them memorized.

I voted both for my son, although the restricted interests part seemed a bit of a stretch by the diagnosing psychologist. I guess if she'd stretch with the 4 criteria, she'd stretch the same on 5. The addition of sensory to the criteria helps my son still qualify.

I fit the criteria of DSM-IV and from what I've read about DSM-V, I fit some criteria, but not all. I think if I had tried to get a diagnosis after 5 came out, I probably wouldn't be diagnosed with Asperger's.

http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevision/Pa ... px?rid=94#

I don't know if I could be diagnosed under either set of criteria. The thing is, I see myself as being borderline between AS and ADHD. I definitely have some of the diagnostic criteria for all of the categories, but I don't know that I meet enough of them. Plus, trying to remember what milestones were reached at what age is difficult as I definitely spoke on time, but, according to my mom, I didn't really ever crawl and went straight to walking. I also taught myself to read through memorization of words rather than the more normal phonetic method ( I was about 3 or 4 when I did this). I was monotone in childhood most of the time, but had intonation at times as well. As far as meltdowns from excessive sensory inputs, I would have to say no, but I was scared and insecure when shopping in stores and could get spooked easily if I lost track of my mom or dad for some reason. I did have a very obsessive interest in cars as a child, and that has carried over to adulthood as well. I did have friends, but never a group of them. It was only one or two at best and I usually didn't get together with both at the same time as I preferred one on one contact to being with a group of people. Eye contact has always been a problem with me and I have never been able to read whether or not someone had a romantic interest in me unless someone outside of the situation told me. Insofar as stimming goes, I would consider what I do to be more moderate than the stereotypical rocking. I bounce my leg, bite my nails and can't deal with flaking and peeling skin. I also only like to wear cotton clothes that are plain, with no patterns or writing on them. My taste in food is restricted to bland foods and I also have a fairly sensitive sense of smell. My official diagnosis, back in the mid 80's, was ADHD. However, I don't really think it accounts for my social deficits, executive functioning issues and some of my other quirks that I simply don't have time to list here right now.

Last edited by outofplace on 09 Jul 2012, 12:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

If people do get 'undiagnosed' then that would be dumb. What diagnosis would replace it? The whole point of the new criteria was so that it could be more inclusive.

On the other hand, I think the main issue is how the criteria can be interpreted. I don't think people will stop being autistic. I think stupid people may look at the criteria, take them out of context or not understand the history of it and exploit it to avoid giving people support.

Read this article, because it has an interesting perspective on the subject. DSM

To quote from the article: "A doctor who thinks you or your son is on the spectrum is not likely to revise that opinion, just because the wording of the definition changes. My experience of human nature reassures me on that point, even though I know insurers and school districts are pushing in the other direction."

If worst comes to worst and many of us DO happen to lose our diagnosis, well then it's totally gonna blow up in people's faces. More money will be spent to get people re-assessed; if autistics are 'undiagnosed', they can end up regressing, making them require even more help than before, which costs more money for the tax payer... oh boy. I know I cannot function without the help I get (despite how minimal it is). It is seriously the difference between me just getting by and me pretty much starving to death. That's not a hyperbole. I'd like to see how someone can justify undiagnosing me.

Last edited by MindBlind on 08 Jul 2012, 4:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If there is significant impairment, then they have to diagnose you with something. Those with primarily social problems might go into "social communication disorder".... Language problems might be speech/language learning disorders.

It's the PDD-NOS group, the group with fewer symptoms, that might be recategorized. Most psychologists will, I think, just switch an ASD diagnosis under DSM-4 to an ASD diagnosis under DSM-5, even if the symptoms don't fit the strictest reading of the new criteria. The question in the minds of most of them will be "Does this diagnosis fit better than any other?" And if it does you get that label even if you don't quite fit it. That's why so many psychologists have called me an Aspie, even though the AS description includes the requirement for no adaptive skills delays or unusual/idiosyncratic use of language, both of which I have. Technically? Should be PDD-NOS. But they don't like NOS, so they put me in Asperger's (or in the case of a couple of them, classic autism). Same thing should happen under the new criteria--if you almost but don't quite fit, and you need a diagnosis, they'll just give you that diagnosis and call it good enough.

You wouldn't be "undiagnosed" unless you actually had no impairment at all--which, if that was the case, would mean you shouldn't have a diagnosis under the DSM-4 either.

Thanks. I think under the new definition, I am more autistic! I fit every single one.

The ASSQ (used in this study) doesn't include anything on sensory issues, yet that is a new factor in the DSM V.

So special interests + sensory issues = meets criteria for part B. It is the lack of stereotyped movements and routines that could have potentially excluded people.

Surely based on what we all know, that sensory issues are extremely common this would actually increase the levels of diagnosis compared to DSM IV?

This if an obvious flaw evident from reading the abstract. If you are proposing a study of DSM V, then you should use a survey that incorporates all the behaviours that are incorporated in the DSM V. The ASSQ is a poor choice.

Jason.

In my case, I was diagnosed PDD NOS because my social difficulties are too mild for AS but I have both stims and intense interests. In DSM 5, I meet both social and repetitive behavior criteria.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Must meet criteria A, B, C, and D:



A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across contexts, not accounted for by general developmental delays, and manifest by all 3 of the following:

1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity; ranging from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back and forth conversation through reduced sharing of interests, emotions, and affect and response to total lack of initiation of social interaction, me-------> yes

2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction; ranging from poorly integrated- verbal and nonverbal communication, through abnormalities in eye contact and body-language, or deficits in understanding and use of nonverbal communication, to total lack of facial expression or gestures. me-----> yes very

3. Deficits in developing and maintaining relationships, appropriate to developmental level (beyond those with caregivers); ranging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts through difficulties in sharing imaginative play and in making friends to an apparent absence of interest in people. me---> YES YES and YES

B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities as manifested by at least two of the following:

1. Stereotyped or repetitive speech, motor movements, or use of objects; (such as simple motor stereotypies, echolalia, repetitive use of objects, or idiosyncratic phrases). me-----> Yes

2. Excessive adherence to routines, ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior, or excessive resistance to change; (such as motoric rituals, insistence on same route or food, repetitive questioning or extreme distress at small changes). me----> 50/50

3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus; (such as strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests). me---------> yes

4. Hyper-or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment; (such as apparent indifference to pain/heat/cold, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, fascination with lights or spinning objects). me-----> very very very yes

C. Symptoms must be present in early childhood (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities) me---> yes

D. Symptoms together limit and impair everyday functioning. me -------->yes

I asked my (clinical) psychologist and she said I fit the criteria from the DSM-V, but I live in Europe and I am not affected by these changes yet and got diagnosed by both DSM-IV and ICD-10.
But is it that people in the US who are diagnosed now and get support have to get re-diagnosed to continue getting support?
I do not understand what will actually happen next year when eg you are diagnosed with Aspergers and you are on SSI: will it stop when the DSM-V comes into effect and you have to get re-assessed?