Redefining Autism: Will New DSM-5 Criteria for ASD Exclude Some People?
Monday, January 30, 2012 - 07:00
in Psychology & Sociology
People have been arguing about autism for a long time--about what causes it , how to treat it and whether it qualifies as a mental disorder. The controversial idea that childhood vaccines trigger autism also persists, despite the fact that study after study has failed to find any evidence of such a link. Now, psychiatrists and members of the autistic community are embroiled in a more legitimate kerfuffle that centers on the definition of autism and how clinicians diagnose the disorder. The debate is not pointless semantics. In many cases, the type and number of symptoms clinicians look for when diagnosing autism determines how easy or difficult it is for autistic people to access medical, social and educational services. [More]