DSM controversy makes it to mainstream media

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From my local TV station:

http://www.kcra.com/health/22532321/detail.html

They're presenting it as more of an identity crisis. Personally, I have no problem calling myself "high functioning autistic".

I just read about this.

Honestly, it would not surprise me if protest groups (from either end of the spectrum) started forming against this proposed change. Too many Aspies don't want to be lumped with severe autistics, and too many parents of severely autistic people are saying Asperger's and autism are not the same thing. I even read this morning where a mom who has Asperger's has a child with Classic Autism and she was on youtube commenting about how "Asperger's and autism are not even close." Also, I have already viewed 2 pretty strong videos on youtube against this proposed change and I'm sure more will arise. WOW.... this is really interesting to watch.

They're wrong when they associate language delay with lower I.Q. It isn't that black and white.

I'm proud to be an aspie that does embrace this change. I just don't understand how people will go on about tolerance and how it is wrong to stigmatise someone because they have autism and yet condemn the idea of themselves being reffered to as autistic. Isn't that hypocritical?

I've always identified myself as autistic and I believe that less stigma will be attatched to "autistic" if we all grow up and embrace it. It's not an insult, it's not undermining the severity of classic autism and it's not undermining the abilities of people with high functioning autism.

I hate how the article makes it sound like that the vast majority of those who condemn the change in the DSM V are on the spectrum. Plenty of non-autistic parents condemn it too (and I daresay, just as many as the aspies if not more). In fact, the other day, I came across a moron who thought that calling aspies "autistic" would somehow "dilute" the meaning of autism.

I mean, that's like saying that someone who doesn't have Major Depression is not depressed or that someone that has EDNOS has not really got an eating disorder (whoops- my mistake- the pro ana websites call them "Wannarexics", don't they? ).

And to any of the aspies (and other autistics) who are against it:

What does autism actually mean to you? Just curious.

Funny, my 6 y.o. daughter just got her Asperger's diagnoses yesterday. Asperger's is what we suspected and that's how we've been thinking of her for a while ("probably Asperger's"). I suppose they will have to change it to HFA if this goes through.

My husband pointed out that autism sounds more serious to a lot of people than Asperger's.

I'm fine with it. in fact, it makes more sense to absorb it into the spectrum.

however, I really hate the terms "high functioning" and "low functioning". it's not as if spectrum issues are the same in everyone. extreme sensory issues make life difficult for a lot of people, but it doesn't mean they're incapable of thinking or communicating or learning. same with social issues. if you want to socialize but are horrible at it, does that make you high functioning because you want to socialize, or low functioning because you're bad at it? I'd like to see subscales that report without passing judgment.

also, it would be really nice for people to get over the IQ issue when there are communication or sensory issues. a person who can't verbalize or complete a test because of sensory issues can't be given an IQ score.

The only thing I might be slightly worried about is being in the sub-clinical range, seeing how I am now diagnosed as having PDD-NOS (due to lack of rigidity).

I just say that I'm HFA, anyways, because that's what my diagnosis is. I'm not bothered by it. I get by.

I'm a little bit of a leftie and a little bit of an egalitarian.
I am dx'ed with AS but support a change to a more generic term of "autism" in its many forms and presentations and guises. Just seems more equal to me. I don't like the hierarchisation that is inherent within the division between AS and Autism.
It's as if one is presented as 'superior" to the other, which irks me.

I know some clinical psychs and a lot of people here in OZ in the Asperger community are not too keen on the change.

But I support it and like it.

Personal identity. What a crock.

Someone should make some positive videos/sites about the change.

I'm glad that I could get diagnosed with Asperger's otherwise I never would have found out what was wrong with me. But since then I've learnt a lot about autism and have a completely different mindset to it than I did before.
I embrace the change.

I don't see any controversy at all, other than the big deal people are making over it.

I can only see a problem if you're unable to meet the new criteria due to the fact that it's written more as a disorder now of clear distinguishing features (i.e., meeting the whole lot is needed for the most part). But then, if you only went out of your way to get a label to identify with something or to better understand yourself, rather than due to a clear disability, you're misusing the point of "disorder".

O, and with my nephew who recently went through the diagnosis process here in Oz, they said they don't use the term AS anymore, rather he has an ASD; it's been changing before it's been public knowledge that it has been.

Interesting. I didn't know that In Australia that they are using ASD now. I might tell my job network member to call it ASD instead of AS.
I have heard people say AS is not a disorder but a difference - if it was such a difference then why get diagnosed with it? AS would not exist if it was not a disorder.