Posts
Asperger's: No longer a diagnosis
Asperger's dropped from revised diagnosis manual
Saturday - 12/1/2012, 6:52pm ET
WTOP.com
By LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer
CHICAGO (AP) - The now familiar term "Asperger's disorder" is being dropped. And abnormally bad and frequent temper tantrums will be given a scientific-sounding diagnosis called DMDD. But "dyslexia" and other learning disorders remain.
The revisions come in the first major rewrite in nearly 20 years of the diagnostic guide used by the nation's psychiatrists. Changes were approved Saturday.
Full details of all the revisions will come next May when the American Psychiatric Association's new diagnostic manual is published, but the impact will be huge, affecting millions of children and adults worldwide. The manual also is important for the insurance industry in deciding what treatment to pay for, and it helps schools decide how to allot special education.
Read more HERE.
4 comments:
I think this press release is misleading. The diagnoses discussion you are sharing here is incomplete and somewhat inaccurate.Here is an excerpt from the press release from the APA DSM-5
"Autistic disorders will undergo a reshuffling and renaming:
“[Autism] criteria will incorporate several diagnoses from DSM-IV including autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder (not otherwise specified) into the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder for DSM-5 to help more accurately and consistently diagnose children with autism,” according to an APA statement Saturday."
You may want to read more of this summary on http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/02/final-dsm-5-approved-by-american-psychiatric-association/
Tara McManaway, Professor, College of Southern Maryland
when I post news articles on my blog, I do not change the title of the original article, THAT would be misleading. I post articles (both that I agree with and those that I do not) on my blog as a matter of discussion. As for the title, I don't see how it is misleading. From what I ascertained, Asperger's will no longer be a diagnosis. Those that would previously have been diagnosed with Aspergers, will now be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The title of my blog "Ready, Willing and Abell"...you'll have to explain in more detail why it is misleading. On the other hand, i appreciate your feed back and the posting of the additional article for people to read as well.
As I read the heading and the article excerpt you posted here, it seems to me that to a layperson reading this it may appear to mean that if you have a diagnosis of Asperger's, then you will no longer have a diagnosis. That is why I think the title is misleading. Down further in the body of the article you chose to post it does go on to say "And some Asperger's families opposed any change, fearing their kids would lose a diagnosis and no longer be eligible for special services.” That is what I think the choice of wording and the choice of that excerpt perpetuate. The article goes on to say, if you click on the link…
“But the revision will not affect their education services, experts say. The new manual adds the term "autism spectrum disorder," which already is used by many experts in the field. Asperger's disorder will be dropped and incorporated under that umbrella diagnosis. The new category will include kids with severe autism, who often don't talk or interact, as well as those with milder forms." but one has to click on the link to read more. If one does not click on that link, one is left with the impression that " the impact will be huge, affecting millions of children and adults worldwide. The manual also is important for the insurance industry in deciding what treatment to pay for, and it helps schools decide how to allot special education.". -which is what this excerpt says. In all truth, this is NOT the case as you noted. The author of the article you chose to link sensationalizes the issue a bit more, in my mind and opinion, than is necessary. That is why I chose to add the additional links which have a more balanced discussion of the changes, in my humble professional opinion.
And it is just my impression, my measured opinion.
Tara McManaway
I think Ms. Abell can confirm that CCPS already recognizes Asperger’s as “autism spectrum disorder.” The new “diagnosis” is supposed to make that consistent for everyone, in every state, for every school system. I hope it does.
This is a major headline right now...utilizing classic journalistic "hooks"...with all of the major news organizations. Whether an individual actually reads an article depends upon his or her interest, and how this particular name change will impact children and adults is still in debate. That debate has been going on since the APA proposed this almost three years ago. The better informed everyone is, the more likely it is individuals will be consistently and appropriately served.
Post a Comment