No more Asperger's Syndrome

[Nanda]

Asperger's Officially Placed Inside Autism Spectrum

Asperger's syndrome is really just a form of autism and does not merit a separate diagnosis, according to a panel of researchers assembled by the American Psychiatric Association.
Even though many researchers already refer to Asperger's as high-functioning autism, it hasn't been listed under the autism category in the official diagnostic guide of mental disorders, called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, or DSM. The DSM serves as a guide for mental health professionals and government agencies.
But a new draft fifth edition released Wednesday moves Asperger's officially into the autism category, provoking a wide range of responses among people with Asperger's — some of whom say they do not want to be labeled as autistic.

And just like that, several of the important men in my life go from having Asperger's Syndrome to being "mildly autistic," and my mother and I can't help but wonder what this will mean. Will this effect my youngest brother, who is working his way through Marine bootcamp? They didn't report his AS, because technically, it wasn't autism. Now that it is, what will this mean? Will this effect my partner, who just applied for SSI? Can it only help his chances? If you have AS, how do you feel about the new classification?

 

[Nanda]

The concern here is that autism is such a broad spectrum - with people on one side who may just be socially awkward, and people on the other who have to wear adult diapers and helmets.

 

[KatNotKathy]

I can get why they'd do such a thing, but I could see it being an issue. The thing is, it's just really hard to find an appropriate set of criteria to differentiate AS from other forms of autism. Maybe as it's understood better it will get bumped back out, but for now, I really don't see a better alternative.

 

[KatNotKathy]

So you posting this got me looking into the DSM-V more, and I found something pretty rad. Apparently according to the current drafts they're finally making some much-needed changes.

For instance:

Gender Identity Disorder

A. A strong and persistent cross-gender identification (not merely a desire for any perceived cultural advantages of being the other sex).

In children, the disturbance is manifested by four (or more) of the following:

1. Repeatedly stated desire to be, or insistence that he or she is, the other sex

2. In boys, preference for cross-dressing or simulating female attire; in girls, insistence on wearing only stereotypical masculine clothing

3. Strong and persistent preferences for cross-sex roles in make-believe play or persistent fantasies of being the other sex

4. Intense desire to participate in the stereotypical games and pastimes of the other sex

5. Strong preference for playmates of the other sex

In adolescents and adults, the disturbance is manifested by symptoms such as a stated desire to be the other sex, frequent passing as the other sex, desire to live or be treated as the other sex, or the conviction that he or she has the typical feelings and reactions of the other sex.

B. Persistent discomfort with his or her sex or sense of inappropriateness in the gender role of that sex.

In children, the disturbance is manifested by any of the following:

In boys, assertion that his penis or testes are disgusting or will disappear or assertion that it would be better not to have a penis, or aversion toward rough-and-tumble play and rejection of male stereotypical toys, games, and activities;

In girls, rejection of urinating in a sitting position, assertion that she has or will grow a penis, or assertion that she does not want to grow breasts or menstruate, or marked aversion toward normative feminine clothing.

In adolescents and adults, the disturbance is manifested by symptoms such as preoccupation with getting rid of primary and secondary sex characteristics (e.g., request for hormones, surgery, or other procedures to physically alter sexual characteristics to simulate the other sex) or belief that he or she was born the wrong sex.

C. The disturbance is not concurrent with a physical intersex condition.

D. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Code based on current age



Specify if (for sexually mature individuals):

Sexually Attracted to Males

Sexually Attracted to Females

Sexually Attracted to Both

Sexually Attracted to Neither

Is being changed to:

Gender Incongruence (in Adolescents or Adults)

A. A marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender, of at least 6 months duration, as manifested by 2* or more of the following indicators:

1. a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and primary and/or secondary sex characteristics (or, in young adolescents, the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)

2. a strong desire to be rid of one’s primary and/or secondary sex characteristics because of a marked incongruence with one’s experienced/expressed gender (or, in young adolescents, a desire to prevent the development of the anticipated secondary sex characteristics)

3. a strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics of the other gender

4. a strong desire to be of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)

5. a strong desire to be treated as the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)

6. a strong conviction that one has the typical feelings and reactions of the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)

This is a good thing.

 

[T-Dawg]

This is an outrage!

It's bad enough that they consider Asperger's to be a defect in the first place, now they're comparing me to people with Autism? Ridiculous. That's like trying to say my brother and I have the same "disease." He is "mildly autistic," and he can't even speak coherently (although he is getting better at simple phrases). All my Asperger's is doing is making me smarter than the average person at the cost of being able to naturally understand bizarre social rituals. How dare they say we have the same condition?

This is just an attempt by those afflicted with Neurotypical Disorder to try and label normal (Asperger's) people as "diseased."

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Asperger's Officially Placed Inside Autism Spectrum




And just like that, several of the important men in my life go from having Asperger's Syndrome to being "mildly autistic," and my mother and I can't help but wonder what this will mean. Will this effect my youngest brother, who is working his way through Marine bootcamp? They didn't report his AS, because technically, it wasn't autism. Now that it is, what will this mean? Will this effect my partner, who just applied for SSI? Can it only help his chances? If you have AS, how do you feel about the new classification?

My son has always been labeled both. He is 15 now, but was diagnosed at age 5. Not sure this is anything new, but maybe it is just officially announced. Autism has always had a spectrum, and was never a specific diagnosis.
Am I missing something?

 

[KatNotKathy]

^^^Nope, that's pretty much exactly it. This really shouldn't be news, and probably wouldn't were it not for the epidemic of self-diagnosis that can be found all over the internet. Just look at the little ********* it caused on Wikipedia when this was announced. Just check the talk page.

This is an outrage!

It's bad enough that they consider Asperger's to be a defect in the first place, now they're comparing me to people with Autism? Ridiculous. That's like trying to say my brother and I have the same "disease." He is "mildly autistic," and he can't even speak coherently (although he is getting better at simple phrases). All my Asperger's is doing is making me smarter than the average person at the cost of being able to naturally understand bizarre social rituals. How dare they say we have the same condition?

This is just an attempt by those afflicted with Neurotypical Disorder to try and label normal (Asperger's) people as "diseased."

This post is hilarious. Asperger Syndrome has always been an Autism spectrum disorder. If this isn't some (actually pretty brilliant) troll, then you are exactly the reason such a large stigma is attached to AS online.

Asperger Syndrome has always been a form of autism. As it turns out, studies aren't finding enough significant differences in treatment and diagnosis to distinguish. That's how science work. It doesn't care about feelings when they get in the way of accuracy, and that's how it should be.

Science rules

 

[Nanda]

This is an outrage!

You could benefit from a little of this: chaoticidealism: Why insist you're not autistic?

 

[ChristineES]

My oldest son is autistic and my younger son is Asperger's syndrome. There is really nothing in common between the two.

 

[Nanda]

My oldest son is autistic and my younger son is Asperger's syndrome. There is really nothing in common between the two.

Your autistic son is only one example of autism, and your other son only one example of Asperger's - the range of characteristics for Asperger's is broad enough, nevermind the autism spectrum. My two brothers and my boyfriend all have Asperger's syndrome, yet none of them are anything alike. My youngest brother is the classic example of no eye contact, no tact, "talks to much," no-concept-of-personal-space Asperger's, while my boyfriend makes eye contact and can recognize emotional changes in facial expressions on others, but doesn't emote, and has crippling social anxiety. My other brother learned to cope early on, and is able to "pass." He leads a completely normal life - Wife, house, kid, job, friends - the whole nine yards.

And that's really the whole point - in trying to decide where these different people all fit within the autism spectrum, they were losing sight of the big picture. By getting rid of separate classifications, doctors can better focus on the individual symptoms of each patient.

That's the idea, anyway.

 

[T-Dawg]

Asperger Syndrome has always been a form of autism. As it turns out, studies aren't finding enough significant differences in treatment and diagnosis to distinguish. That's how science work. It doesn't care about feelings when they get in the way of accuracy, and that's how it should be.

Science rules

Irrelevant. Of course it was always part of the autistic spectrum, but it has always had it's own category.

And what's with this talk of "treatment"? Treat Asperger's?!? Never! If you people really think you're going to try and "cure" me...

 

[Nanda]

Irrelevant. Of course it was always part of the autistic spectrum, but it has always had it's own category.

And what's with this talk of "treatment"? Treat Asperger's?!? Never! If you people really think you're going to try and "cure" me...

You're being ridiculously defensive for absolutely no reason. Almost everyone who has posted in this thread has a loved one or several loved ones with Asperger's syndrome or autism, so calm the hell down. No one here is interested in attempting to "cure" you.

 

[T-Dawg]

You're being ridiculously defensive for absolutely no reason. Almost everyone who has posted in this thread has a loved one or several loved ones with Asperger's syndrome or autism, so calm the hell down. No one here is interested in attempting to "cure" you.

As it turns out, studies aren't finding enough significant differences in treatment and diagnosis to distinguish.

Although you're right, I'm overreacting, she probably didn't mean it that way... or at least I hope not...

 

[Mr Cheese]

First Pluto becomes Goofy...

Now Ausbergers becomes daffy...

...

Carrots and their effects on hunters.......Next on Oprah

 

[KatNotKathy]

Irrelevant. Of course it was always part of the autistic spectrum, but it has always had it's own category.

And what's with this talk of "treatment"? Treat Asperger's?!? Never! If you people really think you're going to try and "cure" me...

Geez man, you're flipping out over nothing. AS was not found to be significantly different enough from other forms of autism to deserve it's own categorization. Big deal. As far as understanding and learning to accommodate people with autism, this is a good thing.

Personally, I fully support people developing a cure or prevention for autism, but I wouldn't force it on anybody. If somebody doesn't want treatment and isn't a danger to society, that's totally their right.

 

[T-Dawg]

Geez man, you're flipping out over nothing. AS was not found to be significantly different enough from other forms of autism to deserve it's own categorization. Big deal. As far as understanding and learning to accommodate people with autism, this is a good thing.

Personally, I fully support people developing a cure or prevention for autism, but I wouldn't force it on anybody. If somebody doesn't want treatment and isn't a danger to society, that's totally their right.

Oh, ok, I misunderstood you then. But still, I don't see the point in trying to classify this huge range of conditions into one "disease." Mild Autism is a heck of a lot different than severe autism. Heck, even Asperger's doesn't seem to have consistency in what the characteristics are. You have people like me who are just socially awkward, and then there's people who have a special problem with looking people in the eyes, and there's probably Asperger's people who are like my brother and can't talk coherently. Why lump them all in the same category?

 

[Nanda]

Oh, ok, I misunderstood you then. But still, I don't see the point in trying to classify this huge range of conditions into one "disease." Mild Autism is a heck of a lot different than severe autism. Heck, even Asperger's doesn't seem to have consistency in what the characteristics are. You have people like me who are just socially awkward, and then there's people who have a special problem with looking people in the eyes, and there's probably Asperger's people who are like my brother and can't talk coherently. Why lump them all in the same category?

Because they have to have some kind of category, and there are too many different, individual symptoms to have more specialized ones, it seems.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Irrelevant. Of course it was always part of the autistic spectrum, but it has always had it's own category.

And what's with this talk of "treatment"? Treat Asperger's?!? Never! If you people really think you're going to try and "cure" me...

As a person who has worked in the mental heath field for over 20 years (not in the last 5) I understand your reaction. Anytime someone is diagnosed they are automatically placed in the box of "identified patient" its like saying they have "problems" and we need to fix you. I have worked (on and off)with folks who are on autistic spectrum for years. I have always believed that autism is just a catch all box to put people inside. I also have found that some of the behavioral methods that people use to treat autism to be dehumanizing.

 

[KatNotKathy]

Because they have to have some kind of category, and there are too many different, individual symptoms to have more specialized ones, it seems.

That's my understanding of it. It's much easier to say "Here is a condition that has a lot of variation, but retains these basic symptoms" and work from there than trying to classify every little variation on it.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I use to work with Autistic children with the Floortime techniques for building a child's emotional reciprocity and engagement. It is a nature method of teaching children. I even use to use it with my own "commonly wired child" when he was young and he loved it. I found it to work well and be less stigmatizing. For aeons human children learned how to interact with the world though play (Not flash cards) so the floor time approach is a very natural method to teach small kids.