dx question

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DD was dxed today on the cusp of autistic disorder. I thought I verified that if she improved she would still be on the spectrum but perhaps a lesser dx like pdd-nos. On another site someone said this is not so, that pdd-nos is atypical autism.

Does this mean that if she improves she will be off the spectrum?

on her first eval I read there was a spectrum cut off score and then an autistic disorder cut off score

can someone set me straight?

added note. The test used was the ADOS I believe the catagories are autism autism spectrum and no autism-so does this mean that if she was borderline autistic disorder then she between autism and ASD?

I don't think that PDD-NOS is a lessor or milder form of autism - just that the person exhibits the characteristics of autism, but does not fit into the autism or Aspergers criteria. So it is sometimes referred to as atypical autism but that doesn't mean mild. One doctor considered my son PDD-NOS because he felt that since he was developing normally and regressed that he did not fit into autism (which is supposed to have language delays from birth) or Aspergers (which has no significant language delays). However, my son was very much autistic in presentation and others labeled him autistic based on appearance. I also know another woman who has a son who is significantly impaired who is also PDD-NOS. PDD is itself the umbrella catagory of which all the spectrum disorders fall under - autism, Aspergers, PDD-NOS, CDD, Rhetts. PDD is not a diagnosis but PDD-NOS is.

I don't know quite what to say about being borderline autistic or on the cusp of the disorder. I would ask for a further clarification.

thanks walk in the rain

Sounds a bit like being "a little" pregnant.

When our son was dx'd last year, we were told he scored 120, and that 80 is the "bottom" score to be considered AS. However, PDDNOS isn't on a continuum somewhere between Kanner's autism and AS. It is more of a dx for those who have developmental delays, but don't fit the AS/HFA criteria.

I think that there are a lot of things we can do to help our children be the best person they can be. However, under certain circumstances, in certain places, my son can appear very autistic. In other places, he appears very NT. It is as much about the stress and anxiety and how it is dealt with that makes him express certain behaviors.

We went for the dx mostly because we needed the accomodations only an IEP could provide, for his sensory issues and scheduling issues.