DSM V changes.. How do you feel?

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There are very few hard and fast rules - someone who's HFA can end up with a diagnosis of PDD-NOS, AS, or Autism, depending upon who diagnoses them.

This is one of the many reasons that the diagnoses are being merged.

Also: There may very well be differences between people who manifest autism in a particular way and people who manifest autism in other ways (such as the research about dyspraxia and NVLD). Given that autism appears to cover multiple conditions this is not a surprise by any means, nor that the more rigorous criteria for Asperger's Syndrome might tend to cluster a particular "subtype" of autism. The question then becomes whether a separate diagnosis is actually helpful, and that is actually pretty questionable. Most of the objections I have read have been "I don't want to have the negative stereotypes about autism applied to me" which is not really a medically or scientifically sound reason. I have also seen "Some research says that there's a definitive difference between Asperger's and autism," such as in this thread - but there's also a lot of research that fails to find such differences, and it becomes a matter of choosing that which fits what one wants.

So I guess my question is:

What is the tangible, concrete benefit of having a separate diagnosis for Asperger's Syndrome?

Is that why they're meshing the disorders into one? So that children, or adults with PDD-NOS/Asperger's can get accesses to services? I've heard (at least in America) that someone with HFA might be labeled with Aspergers more likely than PDD-NOS, (although that's not always the case), since you cannot get an HFA label here in the States, I believe.

I've read into the similarities with ASDs and NVLD, and even thought I had NVLD, since Math has been my worst subject since the 5th Grade, but didn't think about it after I configured my sensory issues, and my grades in math were no higher than C's until college (I didn't deserve any of the B's I got, since the teachers allowed us to re-do each of the online Homework Grades at the end of the semester).

With all that said. I'm not sure that if it help or not still until after it's official, still....

I've read articles on the similarities of NVLD and ASDs, and Math has been my worst subject since the 5th grade, which has made me think about whether I had

I do not know if it is specifically about services. What the rationale says is that trying to distinguish each diagnosis from the others was like trying to "cleave meatloaf at the joints." Basically, the research they refer to in the rationale says that there's not enough tangible differences to justify multiple diagnoses - and that the majority of people diagnosed on the spectrum (with AS, PDD-NOS, autism, and CDD) fit the criteria for autism.



I am not sure about the similarities between ASDs and NVLD and what they mean.

@The First Statement -
Okay then....that makes sense....

@Second Statement
http://www.nldontario.org/articles/NLDvsAS.html
http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm03/FS11.pdf

Here's two links I read of the similarities. But I've read several of them, and cannot find the one that I was looking for in particular at the moment...

That is the closest description of the dichotomy I have been noticing in adults. I would add:

For AS, louder (monologue and talking over others), in part due to a particular kind of mental "inertia" (once started keep going and the need to share info).

For HFA, quieter, in part due to a more profound mental processing delay/confusion.

If they are two different conditions, perhaps there is a subset of people with both AS and HFA.

BUT... as we all are discussing, the lines are so fuzzy. I kind of have to agree with the idea of one big diagnostic category. Then, within that, hopefully we will discover patterns and subcategories. Then, we can discover effective ways for getting through life to match each subcategory. But, for now, the categories are not very meaningful.

I've read a lot of articles on the similarities. I don't know what they mean.

I must have HFA written all over me. I am very passive, quiet, and confused for the most part.

Oh. My apologies....

For me I think a bit part of the issue is that the alleged differences between the different categories are so subtle, translating them into criteria that could be consistently applied by clinicians is almost impossible. Things like "active but odd" and "aloof and passive" are just too subjective to translate into reliable diagnostic criteria, in my opinion.

Nothing to apologize for.

1) Different therapies may apply for different subtypes of ASD.
2) For researchers, it wouldn't help their work if everyone with an ASD was to put in the same category without further distinction.
3) It wouldn't be wise to eliminate subcategories (within the ASD spectrum) and then bring them back at a time in the future. It would confuse people more in general than maintaining subcategories that are not perfect but have the potential to evolve.
4) In a sense, stereotypes help people understand the differences between the subcategories of ASD. Again, it wouldn't be advisable to confuse them with the seemingly elegant step of removing the boundaries completely thus cutting the Gordian Knot of fuzzy diagnostic criteria that nevertheless provided means to apprehend some of the differences within the spectrum so far.
5) Getting financial aid based on categories. I can see how detrimental can a misdiagnosis be by such a practice, but I can see no more good in a merged ASD in this respect either. It would only cause even more uncertainty and bring forth more subjectivity.

I was thinking about writing something similar. It's not about being "higher" or "lower". Everyone with an ASD should be able to find his way to have a life as whole as possible AND at the same time be as contributive to the society as one can.

I think our best bet is definitely a big category.

If we want to define things further within that, then I wouldn't want sugroups at all, but specific features.

There are things that occur with some people on the spectrum, but not others. Having one feature doesn't seem to predict whether you'll have any other. So, it makes more sense to diagnose "autism spectrum disorder" and then have a list of features that apply to you.

For example, you might be diagnosed as "ASD with speech delay", or "ASD with regression" or "ASD with developmental delay".

For the moment, it's probably better to just stick with one big category, but once we get over our hangups about subcategories, we should be better able to figure out which main features can be found on the spectrum. It's like diagnosing attention deficit disorder: Everybody has trouble with attention control; but only some have problems with impulsivity, hyperactivity, or a slowed, daydreamy sort of thinking style. So you diagnose ADHD, and then add a little suffix, like in my case, ADHD-I for ADHD, primarily inattentive. Makes more sense, I think, than trying to divide the whole thing into separate diagnoses.

But, if you do that, people who are now under Asperger's and people who are now under LFA will receive the exact same help and treatment. I think the various ADHD diagnoses are based on variations in quality, while I think the autism spectrum is generally a matter of severity.

Why would they receive the same treatment? That's kind of silly. Think of all the diagnostic categories we have now which have a wide range of different expressions. Do we treat everyone with CP the same? We don't give a fellow a wheelchair if all he needs is a pair of crutches and we don't hand out communication devices to people whose speech is perfectly understandable. We don't hospitalize people with mild depression on two-minute checks and ECT; nor do we tell someone who just tried to blow their own head off that all they need is a few sessions with a counselor.

If we can treat other spectrum disorders as individual cases instead of assuming they're all the same, why wouldn't we be able to do that with autism?

I enjoy telling people I'm autistic, rather than saying I have Asperger's. It confuses them and forces them to question the nature of autism and perhaps do some research.

ADHD diagnoses are also a matter of severity. I am not sure what you mean by "quality." ADHD-PI is a useful diagnosis because those with inattentive ADHD who were not excessively hyperactive and impulsive were not being diagnosed at the same rate as those who did have visible hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

The DSM-V criteria has guidelines for ASD severity so that everyone is not being diagnosed exactly the same way with no distinction from one person to the next. Why would every receive exactly the same help and treatment when it is already the case that people diagnosed with autism do not receive exactly the same help and treatment?