child with down syndrome diagnose with aspergers,

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I think there should be autism subtypes, but not the ones we currently have. We should have subtypes where research has inedicated that the presence or absence of a certain trait is significant to proper education or handling. Such as visuospatial thinker as opposed to nonverbal learning disability (extremely verbal thinker). Or autism with catatonia, because they're more susceptible to nasty side effects from certain medications.

That needs a great deal more research, though. Probably another five, ten years at the very least, and that's if people can get off the DNA kick and start doing more useful stuff.

The question with subtypes is: Are there distinct subtypes? Are there gaps in between the subtypes that imply that they are groups rather than parts of continua? Or is it just a matter of diversity, with no two cases really sharing the same features? If it turns out we're looking at continua or the majority being idiosyncratic, then it makes more sense to have a general "autism" diagnosis and have specific traits simply be noted in a patient file. If on the other hand there are distinct neurocognitive groups, then subtypes would make sense.

For now, one ASD group makes the most sense, but if we were to discover in the future that distinct subgroups are possible, then those should be noted as sub-categories. I can almost guarantee you that those subcategories will cut across what we now call HFA/LFA/AS, and that the members of each subgroup will vary widely in independence and learning ability.

I really hope there'll be sufficient research completed in the next 10-15 years (prior to the release DSM-6) so the different subcategories along the Autism Spectrum can be delineated.

If fMRI and MRI scan technology in the future are able to indicate ASDs in individuals, the following benefits could occur (not considering operating costs):

1. Individuals can be diagnosed earlier as 3 years old or even earlier simply by putting them in an MRI machine for 1 hour (theoretically disregarding the loud noise), and also assessed quickly and more accurately by internal neurological values and not by (superficial external symptoms).

2. Advanced assessment of internal neurological values may provide a more specific profile of the ASD individual's strengths, weaknesses, learning style and sensory issues, so a far more specific Early Intervention + Speech Pathology Lesson plan for him can be implemented.

3. The far more specific Early Intervention + Speech Pathology Lesson plan for an ASD child will significantly increase their chances of developing sufficient communication skills by the teenage years (or adulthood in severe cases), which increases their chances of independence, "life success" (subjective) and reducing the burden on their families.

4. While ASDs will still be regarded as ASDs by much of the Medical community, there'll be less incentive (imo) for pregnant mothers to abort their foetuses/babies if prenatal technology for ASDs also becomes available. Instead, the prenatal technology could be an indicator for the future parents to be prepared to send the baby/toddler for fMRI/MRI assessment so they can help support him in an even more appropriate, non-harmful, efficient manner.

5. The advanced assessment may also be used to support research for development of other drugs/medical technology that can reduce potential comorbid conditions for ASD individuals while minimizing side effects (eg damaging any advantageous traits within the ASD).

6. Such technology will also be able to filter out and fully confirm the absence of ASDs in a minority of people who are faking/pretending to have an ASD (when in reality they have some other Psychiatric condition such as a Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder, Personality Disorders, Dissociative Identity Disorder), ie Autism Frauds. The number of false positives for ASD individuals will dramatically decrease.

Doubt it. Cleft lip/palate is easily treated by corrective surgery in infancy, yet many prenatally diagnosis kids get aborted anyway. A lot of people don't seem to care if the condition is easy to handle - just the fact that the kid isn't 'perfectly normal' is enough for them.

Are you from America? Perhaps the cleft lip/palate surgery is too expensive (without private health insurance) and it was cheaper for the woman to have an abortion. However I'm aware that in many Western countries, the abortion rate for prenatally diagnosed foetuses with Down Syndrome is 80+ or even 90+ %...