Tue Jan 24, 2012, 06:45 PM

Report: New Autism Definition Could End ‘Epidemic’

Report: New Autism Definition Could End ‘Epidemic’

Many currently diagnosed with autism could lose the label if proposed changes to the definition of the developmental disorder go through as planned, a new analysis suggests.

The American Psychiatric Association is currently working to revise the definition of autism that will be included in the upcoming fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, which is expected in May 2013.

The manual is used by mental health professionals, researchers and insurers alike to determine what symptoms are worthy of an official diagnosis.

Proposed changes call for related disorders like Asperger’s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified to be folded into an umbrella diagnosis of “autism spectrum disorder.” Moreover, individuals would have to meet a more specific set of criteria to obtain the new diagnosis.

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/01/20/report-new-autism-definition/14818/

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10 replies	Author	Time	Post
Report: New Autism Definition Could End ‘Epidemic’ (Original post)	The Straight Story	Jan 2012	OP
For those interested in this, I highly recommend the Patt Morrison piece	cbayer	Jan 2012	#1
All too often redefining, is steered by	orpupilofnature57	Jan 2012	#2
If anything, the American Psychiatric Association has more to financially lose than gain	cbayer	Jan 2012	#3
I didn't mean APA ,more the insurance Companies	orpupilofnature57	Jan 2012	#4
The APA writes the manual and makes the changes.	cbayer	Jan 2012	#5
That is refreshing .	orpupilofnature57	Jan 2012	#7
I doubt there is government involvement -	TBF	Jan 2012	#9
There is no epidemic.	Odin2005	Jan 2012	#6
It's a MIRACLE!!!	mzteris	Jan 2012	#8
Agree - and also agree with Odin that it is not an epidemic.	TBF	Jan 2012	#10

Response to The Straight Story (Original post)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 06:50 PM

cbayer (120,461 posts)

1. For those interested in this, I highly recommend the Patt Morrison piece

on it from last week:

http://www.scpr.org/programs/patt-morrison/2012/01/20/22210/autism-definition

The interview with Catherine Lloyd, who is sitting on the committee, is really enlightening and a thoughtful analysis of what they are doing and why they are doing it.

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Response to The Straight Story (Original post)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 06:51 PM

orpupilofnature57 (10,679 posts)

2. All too often redefining, is steered by

$$$$$$$$$$$$

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Response to orpupilofnature57 (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 07:27 PM

cbayer (120,461 posts)

3. If anything, the American Psychiatric Association has more to financially lose than gain

by this kind of redefinition.

As the government and insurance companies generally only pay for treatment of disorders that are coded in the DSM, the tighter the definition, the less patients are going to qualify for it.

So, I don't think that money is driving this one.

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Response to cbayer (Reply #3)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 08:08 PM

orpupilofnature57 (10,679 posts)

4. I didn't mean APA ,more the insurance Companies

considerations ,facilitated by the Government.

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Response to orpupilofnature57 (Reply #4)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 08:13 PM

cbayer (120,461 posts)

5. The APA writes the manual and makes the changes.

There is no government or industry input or oversight.

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Response to cbayer (Reply #5)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 08:34 PM

orpupilofnature57 (10,679 posts)

7. That is refreshing .

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Response to orpupilofnature57 (Reply #4)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 08:36 PM

TBF (18,431 posts)

9. I doubt there is government involvement -

but I wouldn't be surprised if there is insurance industry $$$ behind this.

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Response to The Straight Story (Original post)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 08:33 PM

Odin2005 (48,255 posts)

6. There is no epidemic.

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Response to The Straight Story (Original post)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 08:36 PM

mzteris (16,009 posts)

8. It's a MIRACLE!!!

I think there should be BETTER definitions of Autism and MORE refinement of the spectrum - and understanding that it's not a LINE that's crossed, but more like a sliding scale with peaks and valleys from one person to the next in one "symptom" (for lack of a better word right now) to the next.

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Response to mzteris (Reply #8)

Tue Jan 24, 2012, 08:37 PM

TBF (18,431 posts)

10. Agree - and also agree with Odin that it is not an epidemic.

Perhaps folks are getting more accurately diagnosed as more is learned. I wonder how Asperger's sufferers will fare ...

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