Comments about ‘Proposed autism definition could 'cure' epidemic’

Didn't they used to call this a persons IQ? From what this article says, IQ is relevant diagnosis for a persons as autism. Maybe it is time to put stricter standards on many diseases getting misdiagnosed so hospitals can claim medical treatment brain foods and natural development. If a person has a low IQ then it means they are autistic? But IQ is relevant to learning and knowledge so how is that a brain disease?

Maybe confusion and misinformation it why we have the news media.

Yeah, that's the ticket. If you have a problem and can't solve it, re-define it. That'll cut it in half.

The Government has been doing this with the definition of unemployment since the Reagan Administration invented the practice. And yes, every administration since Ronny is guilty, especially the current administration.

By the way, it's "Asperger's Syndrome", not "Asperger Syndrome."

I think it's an excellent idea to redefine Autism. As Dr. Nancy Snyderman said the definition is squishy. People who are just different in their development who used to get along fine at some point, are now being defined as "diseased". The medical community seems to need to quantify and give names to everything.

For example, take the BMI. They are saying there is an obesity epidemic in this country based on a truly stupid measurement. Learn the history of the BMI. It wasn't even a doctor who came up with it. But now they say people "are overweight or obese" which constitutes an epidemic. What do they consider overweight, one pound? 5 pounds? 20 lbs?

The same with Autism. If your kid is shy and doesn't want to go to strangers, does that make him/her Autistic? What if s/he has a tic? Where do you draw the line? It just seems to get weirder and weirder.

If a definition directly impacts income or lost of income, then lets define autism to include the largest number of patients possible. That way we can maximize our income, and reassure constant demand for our health related services.

There are people in our communities that have bona-fide needs.

My comment in no way disparages that reality.

My comment is directed towards the "diagnosis" conundrum.

If you are sitting while reading my comment, there is probably some reference in the DSM lableing your behavior as some type of syndrome.

"...An expert panel assembled by the American Psychiatric Association is considering proposed changes that would tighten the definition as part of an update of the group's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. That guide is a standard reference that helps experts make diagnoses and insurance companies and policymakers decide coverage, among other things...".

"...helps experts make diagnoses and insurance companies and policymakers decide COVERAGE (read Money) among other things...".

Isn't it always about money?

The bigger the net, the bigger the catch.

One example...

"...pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)...".

Newt Gingrich?

This type of "diagnosis" makes a mockery of a sometimes paradoxical, seemingly insoluble problem.

Any time a financial incentive is involved, you will find people taking advantage of the system, and that includes doctor shopping to have their own children diagnosed as being autistic.

While no doubt, there are insurance companies that will benefit from redefining autism, I think the real motivation for this has more to do with focusing research efforts. It's hard to focus on finding an effective treatment a cure if you're including symptoms or conditions that aren't necessarily part of the disease. As disorders go, autism is a fairly new one, and is still largely misunderstood. I think when it comes to matters of health and medicine, it's always better to focus on what things are, and not what they "kind of" are or "could be considered."

Just wait until the government gets more and more involved in healthcare. As the government becomes more and more responsible for paying the bill, the government will likewise push for ways to NOT pay. They'll tighten up standards and definitions, as discussed here regarding autism so that fewer qualify for treatment. They'll pay doctors less and less and delay payments thus forcing some doctors to not accept medicare/medicaid. They'll delay authorizing procedures until the last minute. This is what is done in Canada and Europe and results in many patients dying while waiting for the government to approve their operation.

Just wait...

I can plainly see that none of the people who have made comments thus far do not have a child with Autism. 30 years ago my son was diagnosed with mild retardation he was 4 years old. They said the label was so that he could get special funding from the district. I don't think they spent any extra money on him but oh well. Amazingly he learned to read and was a perfect speller but socially he was grossly inept. So educators began looking at other possibilities for his behavior. The terms laziness, "what are you doing at home" and of course the "mother was the problem." They retested and said he had a Neurological Brain disorder (what ever that means) The school years were torture until finally his last 4 months of the senior year I pulled him out. Prepared him to go on a mission. It was then a kind lady called me from New York and asked me if he had being diagnosed with Autism. She said he was definitly on the "Spectrum". What a blessing to be pointed in the right direction. With research we could understand it much better.

The rest of the story: He is now 34 and working for his dad and is a good worker. Is he still socially innept? Yes, but we deal with it much better. and interesting twist...my daughter started working with children with Autism and now owns her own business. She has helped us alot in learning how to deal with him as an adult. There is only one proben way to help these children and that is ABA (Look it Up) With early intervention these children can and do change their brain to function normally. I wish I had know this 30 years ago when we really could have made a difference. My heart aches for these families who have to deal with Autism at whatever level. You can't even imagine the stress they constantly deal with. An early and proper diagnosis can make all the difference. So there is my two cents!

Independent Woman please actually research what goes into a diagnosis. My son was observed in his classroom, his teacher and us filled out several pages discussing the frequency of behaviors, skills and traits. He was seen in multiple sessions on multiple days in the office and tested and observed. Multiple people asked to comment on behavior in multiple settings and he was observed in multiple settings. It's not just someone thinking a kid is shy. In fact my kid isn't. But he does have it. I wish there were a brain scan, blood test something more concrete but right now there isn't. The medical community has done us wrong. First they blamed moms for being cold and in some cases removed the child from the mother. I don't know how they got away with that cruelty? I don't know how they got away with the notion it was moms fault? They the diversion of the immunizations. So much time wasted.

Who wants their child to have this label? Doctor shopping? Really? What financial incentive is there for families? It's expensive and time consuming for families to have this diagnosis.

So Asperger's is no longer being recognized by the DSM as a mental disorder. But fear not, most current Aspies will still have representation in the Psychiatric Bible. From what I hear, plans are afoot to include introversion (of which Asperger's has been called an extreme manifestation) as a mental disorder. Nothing new; all that changes is the label. Seems like what we call "reality" is simply somebody's interpretation or label. In the end, everything is completely subjective.