Increase in autism due to change in definition, not MMR vaccine. Definition of Autism about to change?

6 days ago. Read complete article ABC News. Proposed changes to the definition of autism might make it much harder for a person to be diagnosed with the disorder. The change would likely slow the rapidly increasing rate of autism diagnoses but also spark fears that some children with autism would no longer fit its definition, excluding them from services and treatments they depend on. A panel of experts from the American Psychiatric Association re-evaluating the definition currently published in the “bible” of psychiatry, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used to determine treatment, insurance coverage and access to services for a variety of mental illnesses. That definition includes a number of disorders under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder, including autism disorder, Asperger’s disorder and pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified, which usually includes people who don’t fit neatly into the other categories of autism. Currently, people must show at least six out of 12 possible behaviors to be diagnosed as autistic. According to a report published Wednesday in the New York Times, proposed changes to the definition for the new DSM edition, slated to be published next year, would exclude Asperger’s and PDDNOS and consolidate autism diagnoses under a narrower category of autism. The person would have to show three deficits in social interaction and communication and two repetitive behaviors, a stricter set of criteria.

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Asked by Cafemomoftwo217 at 10:59 PM on Jan. 26, 2012 in Politics & Current Events

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Must be pressure from the insurance companies. This is total bull. My daughter doesn't have autism or any aspect of the spectrum, but it's obvious what they're trying to do here.

Answer by BridgetC140 at 11:07 PM on Jan. 26, 2012
Credits: 37667 Level 29 Politics & Current Events Minor

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This is going to suck big time for a lot of people. Not only will insurance not be paying for the services that children will need, but they may no longer qualify for IEP's, and to top it off, people who don't understand the whole thing of the definition changing will chalk it up to "over diagnosis" and "Autism not really existing".

Answer by JeremysMom at 11:09 PM on Jan. 26, 2012
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well, i am betting this change will happen at the time our number finally comes up on the autism waiver list
only been filling out that paperwork and waiting for a year and a half, and still our number is not up yet

it all boils down to money

Answer by fiatpax at 11:25 PM on Jan. 26, 2012
Credits: 113183 Level 39 Politics & Current Events Minor

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Insurance companies can still cover therapies.
Answer by SaraD1989
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i have private insurance - it does NOT cover ABA therapy
she does get speech, OT and special education in public school - but those do not directly address her autism needs

Answer by fiatpax at 11:28 PM on Jan. 26, 2012
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A kid is slow and they get some sort of diagnosis of it...WRONG
my child has moderate autism, she is very bright
being slow is not what autism is about

educate yourself

Answer by fiatpax at 11:29 PM on Jan. 26, 2012
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The definition has already been changed and the DSM-V is set to release in May 2013. It also puts ADHD on the same scale as Autism. You can go to the APA website and look at the changes being made. There are MANY changes being made to streamline diagnosis of many disorders, diseases and addictions. It is being made to be more uniform so that mental health professionals and MD's are on the same page.

Answer by tyfry7496 at 11:24 PM on Jan. 26, 2012
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http://capwiz.com/a-champ/issues/alert/?alertid=60816506&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

“The proposed criteria make it significantly more difficult to qualify for an autism spectrum diagnosis and they completely eliminate the categories of PDD-NOS and Asperger’s Disorder,” stated Wendy Fournier, National Autism Association President. “In a well-intentioned desire to improve the specificity of an ASD diagnosis, the new criteria may, in fact, go too far and create unintended consequences. It is critically important that any diagnosis address all the symptoms of an individual and allow them the supports they need.”

Answer by agentwanda at 11:36 PM on Jan. 26, 2012
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I can't believe so many people are totally in the dark about autism. I don't have an autistic child, but I have still educated myself on it. I have worked with special needs children. They are absolutely amazing and beautiful, and to have somebody say they are being uncorrectly diagnosed is such madness.
This makes me so angry, why can't they focus on finding a cure? A cause? Some help at all? Grr.

Answer by JackieGirl007 at 12:19 AM on Jan. 27, 2012
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And I swear the next person to tell me that ADHD and Autism are the same thing... Well, I hope they step on a lego.

Answer by But_Mommie at 12:40 AM on Jan. 27, 2012
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I read this in a comment under an article on the subject:
"
This is a rather desperate and irresponsible attempt to reduce the incidence of ASD. It is the equivalent of re-defining Melanoma as a “skin disorder” simply to reduce the cancer rate."

I love it-I wish I could claim it.

Answer by But_Mommie at 1:05 AM on Jan. 27, 2012
Credits: 124469 Level 40 Politics & Current Events Minor

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