Social Communication Disorder

Post Reply New Topic

I was diagnosed with Social Communication Disorder recently. I'm in my early 20's. Anyone else diagnosed with this?
I know it's not actually on the Spectrum but it's close. The psychologist said I could consider it Asperger's (since it isn't in the DSM anymore) but that I didn't meet the new criteria for ASD. She said probably in the future they'll change the diagnostic criteria again and I'll fall on the Spectrum.
I'd also like to add that I assumed ASD but never mentioned it to her because I wanted to see if my symptoms were actually noticeable (which they were obviously).
Oh, I'm in the US and I guess that's the only place where SCD is recognized so far.

Did she ever say you met the AS criteria under the DSM-IV or other ASD?

She didn't mention AS criteria specifically. When I asked why it wasn't ASD we went through the DSM5 criteria. She said something about it being AS but that it's gone now.

She's wrong; you couldn't have AS by meeting only the social criteria of autism.

I have at least one of the other four ASD things for sure but she didn't think the other three were severe enough. She said stimming only counts if it interferes directly with activities you're trying to accomplish. My "special interest" would be movies/shows but that's not odd (everyone watches movies). And I don't react to change by lying on the floor screaming. She seemed to have a more textbook idea of autism. More like Rain Man I guess.

I believe that SCD was included in the new DSM secifically to eliminate the milder end of the spectrum dx-wise, basically to answer 'autism-epidemic'. This is not about traits. I find it a bit odd though that there are more to SCD than only communication disorder, like stims, sensory sensitivities, execution-function deficit, and so on, that might be overlooked and remain untreated, unaccounted for.

I agree OJani. (Sorry, I don't know how to quote.) I wouldn't want to be diagnosed with something I don't actually have but it seems like people will wind up with many diagnoses. SCD and ADD or SCD and Tourette's or SCD and sensory processing disorder. Or like you said they'll just focus on the one disorder.

For quoting there is a box in the upper right hand corner of all the posts that should say "quote"

Diagnostic Criteria for Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder
http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/?pageId=368

The way I interpreted her remarks is she does think you are the spectrum but not under the current criteria.

The DSM 5 is fairly new so there is confusion and I agree that an important reason was the belief there had been widespread overdiagnosis of autism in general, but particularly Aspergers.

We make not like it but for those of us living in certain areas the DSM 5 manual has been forced upon us so we have to deal with it. The idea now is to get the help you need for your difficulties, whatever it is labeled.

If she said you should consider it aspergers and it feels right for you go ahead and consider yourself that.

On paper according to the definitions she should say ASD if she considers it AS. She's responding to social pressure to diagnose ASD less.

Some people think it's okay even essential to diagnose based on history and some people think it's not. Those people who go only on what's in front of them think you graduate from having ASD when you look typical enough in the present in the neuropsuchogists office.

She'll never admit it but she's confused. They all are now.

I think what it means is she would have met the AS criteria under DSM IV but she didn't meet the new ASD criteria so therefore she does not have it. If she would have been diagnosed before May 2013, she would have had it because the new criteria allows people with already diagnosed ASDs to keep their dx. But unfortunately kids have gotten rediagnosed since then and getting SCD and losing all their help they are getting in school. Schools are using this loophole to save money by not giving the kid the help they need anymore. This is what I have read online and heard at my local autism group. Plus I have seen a study online showing how much people with diagnosed AS don't fall under the new ASD criteria. But according to the DSM, people including children were supposed to be getting better help and not get unnecessary treatment they don't need but it seems to be doing the opposite I hear. I also hear it gets misused. I am no sure how that works, how do you misuse the DSM?

I just think you can make anyone fit a criteria if you keep on rewriting it until it fits that person.

I did a search for "social communication disorder" and revived this thread. I'm blind, and I know other blind people who are more socially adept than I. They seem to know how to handle social hierarchies and difficult conversations, so I know there's more to my social story than my blindness.

Is there anything to this social communication disorder diagnosis in adults? What I mean is, how do clinicians actually treat adults? The reading I've done so far discusses teaching children basic social skills. What about predicting difficult situations adults might face? What about figuring out if an adult is as effective as possible at attracting like-minded friendships or handling conflict?

I joined this forum because I relate to many of the people who post here about their analytical, systematic way of viewing the social world. The prospect of meaningful discussion around these issues really appealed to me, and I also want to share what I learn as I go through life. I don't have an SCD/ASD label, and I hope that doesn't matter for the purpose of getting help, support, or enjoyment from this forum. A lot of people on here have shared their experiences with me already, and it's been amazing.

What is the likelihood of Social Communication Disorder appearing all on its own, without sensory issues, stims, special interests, etc?

Is that a literal question or a rhetorical one? Either way, I really have no idea. SCD is sort of an empty diagnosis in that from what I understand, its causes aren't apparent, and it's not officially on the spectrum. Shrug.

It's interesting that I can't entirely relate to some of the other aspects of ASD, though I'm starting to understand them. For example, I feel the need for order in my world, but my rules, systems, and routines are not arbitrarily put in place to create that order. I can definitely get lost in interests, and yet, I can generally bring myself back to balance. I'm an extrovert, and although I've been told I'm very sensitive, I don't have the sorts of sensory issues many people describe here.

It's also interesting that when I was describing some of my concerns to a life coach I know who happens to have an MSW, she asked me if I was on the spectrum. No one's ever asked me that before, which prompted me to take another look at this site.

Mostly literal, but slightly rhetorical

I think that what I was reacting to was a total lack of explanation for why a person would display these behaviors. Also, I doubt these social issues would show up without some sort of compensating behaviors. If social life is not satisfying you, something else has to.

That's an interesting way to look at it. I'd say that analysis and systemizing are compensatory behaviors for social issues and anxiety, and there's sort of a feedback loop going with the behaviors and being out of touch with intuition. I wonder, if I didn't have these issues, would I be as analytical? Either way, my question about how clinicians actually help adults who make social mistakes still stands. I've had therapists look at individual situations, but they've never created situations to see how I'd react, or anything like that.

As i have somewhat mentioned in a post before, its seems funny that the DSM has been following ICD until now, after all the ICD is internationally recognized non profit backed by the world health organisation, then you have DSM that are somewhat a profit entity, selling their bibles, cough cough books to psychiatrists around the world but only really relevant for the US.. We already had one internationally proclaimed organisation, seems why did the US feel like they had to confuse the rest of the world with their own interpretations? and now they wish to change things in a time where more professionals are becoming more aware with more information about said condition, so it goes against all logic to change it to something that in effect follows all the hallmarks of Aspergers, but for children now getting diagnosed/re-diagnosed with SCD dont get ANY insurance coverage!? Where the ICD doesnt recognize SCD condition, to add to that one of the directors that had been updating AS in the past resigned because he saw that the new SCD was brought in on a financial based decision with the insurance companies ( i do have the link to this in my zillions of favorite tabs and will find!)... Then add to that Hardly anyone professionally has heard of SCD or how to deal with it, and i havent seen any evidence yet to show where this information was compiled from to get this decision! I feel its a purely monetary thing and there is even talk of getting rid of the DSM altogether and sticking with ICD and i sure hope this happens, because no matter what it is, when money gets involved people are easily influenced, if you dont believe me, look at our closest neighbor, Autism S@#%ks... People have a hard time diagnosing those on the Asperger's spectrum as it is, now they create something else that even has the professionals blooming confused, just as headway is being made, some selfish prat/s throw a hockey ball on a snooker table and screw things all up!... Theres just too many patterns of negligence to show this change was based on a financial decision.. get rid of DSM and stick with one internationally recognized organisation ICD. Or this will turn into a medical version of a religious war where apparently two sides are fighting for the same thing but with differing opinions and who will suffer? the kids, thats who, but bank balances for some seem more important!... Sorry a bit of a rant but i have been reading some posts from parents, whos doctors have changed their childrens diagnosis to SCD and they dont know what to do because there is no cover, no support, and no one can find any real literature other than the DSM diagnosis. Its appalling! ICD doesnt even recognize SCD instead they say it comes under social and language development disorders that arent associated with the problematic s of ASD..
Whats more, there has been a very good reason DSM has followed behind ICD and thats simply because when a doctor does diagnose you under DSM ( in the US as far as i know anyway) he has to use the codes from ICD, So what logical sense then is it that DSM have jumped the gun and now created their own Diagnosis that cant be corresponded with any of the 68,000 codes the ICD has, simply because its a financial factor! Will change mind if someone could prove otherwise ( edit: sorry shouldn't really be a smiley face, but at least wanted a happy ending).

PS. if you want to know the ICD code is:
F80.89