Publication of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in May 2013 will mark one the most anticipated events in the mental health field.
As part of the development process, the preliminary draft revisions to the current diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnoses are now available through the American Psychological Association (APA) for public review and comment.
Before we move into the "public review and comment" part, let's first see what the new DSM-5 beholds for our topic of interest: Autism!!!
Well, to begin with, they want to change the part about Aspergher's Syndrome.
It was back with the DSM-4 that finally Asperger's Syndrome became its own master so to speak, by claiming a seat in this wonderful DSM (please read this part with a sarcastic tone of voice in your ears, because the DSM as it is, it is nothing like wonderful).
The DSM began as a manual of all possible causes of death. Yes, following the Aristotelian paradigm, science just loves to place everything into pigeon holes, even though only pigeons love being in such holes.
So, they decided one bright day to make a list of all possible causes of death and to also add to this list all criteria for each such cause. Since the "boom" of psychiatry many more causes of death were added to this manual and of course like all things it took a life of its own.
It became a manual of diagnosis of all possible psychiatric disorders and as autism and Asperger's were thought such a disorder they were also added there with Asperger's being the late bloomer who made the DSM just in the mid 90's!
Only things did not go as science thought they would!
Those anughty autistics who had Asperger's began opening their big fat mouths (blame their non-existant language delay on early childhood) and telling the world that Autism was not a disease, was not a disorder, was not a cause of death and did not belong to any DSM, let alone to any psychiatric ward or psychiatric office...
Aspies messed up things for science.
Not fair thought all the hard working scientists who make their hard earned bread from all those autistic kids worldwide. If Autism is not an illness we will lose far too many patients. We will end up having to explote a different subgroup of the human population, and Autism is sooooo attractive.
There are so many kids all over the eowrld being born that we can easily label autistic and have as clients for ever and ever... Not fair what those Aspies do. Let's kick them out of the DSM. They do not play fair they spoil our scientific fun with Autism telling all those monstrous lies about Autism not being a disorder.
Here is what we will do:
We will wipe Asperger's out of the picture. We will change the criteria for Autism, we will adjust them as we see fit (fit meaning to make these criteria safe and secure from any Aspie saying they can speak for all autistics) and to divide Autism and of course rule!
Here is how we will exactly do it:
Asperger’s syndrome would be folded into “autism spectrum disorders” under proposed changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) which is expected in May 2013.
The DSM serves as the bible for mental health professionals, researchers and
insurers as it determines what symptoms are worthy of an official diagnosis. The
current edition was released in 1994.
Experts recommend that autism, Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) should be combined under the umbrella term “autism spectrum
disorders,” with diagnosticians indicating a level of severity.
Changes to the autism diagnoses were long expected to be considered in the DSM
revision, and anticipation alone stirred significant debate. Many with the
diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome said the possibility of eliminating the term which is widely recognized both in popular culture and among health care and educational providers would mean losing a sense of identity.
Nonetheless, the working group recommending the change determined that an
umbrella term would bring clarity. (Clarity to whom I dare ask? Not to the Aspies it seems from their comments...)
“The recommendation of a new category of autism spectrum disorders reflects
recognition by the work group that the symptoms of these disorders represent a
continuum from mild to severe, rather than being distinct disorders,” said Dr.
Edwin Cook, a member of the committee. “We expect that the proposed changes will
improve the sensitivity and specificity of the criteria for autism spectrum
disorders, so that clinicians may be able to more accurately diagnose these
disorders.”
Above information was taken partially from © 2010 Disability Scoop.
Now the thing is, that with this new measure of what is severe and mild autism, many who have Asperger's might never fit this new DSM shoe and will be left out of the picture. They will not be allowed to speak for those who are in the "more severe" part of the new measure, and science will have a again a free hand to rule and decide for us autistic but without us autistics who do have the verbal ability to say things as they are about OUR Autism!
We do have a last chance.
The American Psychological Association (APA) is open to "public review and comment". So please, if you do care what happens with Autism, if you feel that this travesty called DSM and calling Autism a disorder should stop, then act now. Send your comment to APA through their website at
http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx
