As I look more into the dsm 5, since they are eliminating Asperger's diagnosis does this mean some of us on the milder end of aspergers will lose the overall diagnosis? Because while studying the new DSM5 classifications and the Aspergers classifications. The threshold of an autism disorder is higher.
Quote:
Autism DSM 5 Criteria:
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,
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.
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
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).
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).
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).
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).
Quote:
Aspergers:
(I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
(A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
(C) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people, (e.g.. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
(D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity
(II) Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
(A) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(B) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
(C) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
(D) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
In catagory I(or A), a person must meet all the social deficits criteria whereas in Aspergers, a person only had to meet 1/2. In category II(or B), a person must meet 2 out of the 4 whereas in Aspergers a person must only meet 1. The autism one is mostly the same except the symptoms are more heavily elaborated on. The only real difference is in Catagory II, D is removed and is replaced with sensitivity issues. What I see, is that their raising the threshold to be diagnosed with an ASD. So many of us mild aspies who were diagnosed under the DSM 4 are at risk of loosing our diagnosis?
Im gonna see Learning Disorder specialist soon out of the same center which I was originally diagnosed. Im going to ask them if I risk loosing my diagnosis. This is a concern for me, cause Im just starting the job world and right now I qualify for job assistant services(and accomidations) and I dont want to loose my access to this.
08 Sep 2011, 4:11 pm
