If your child has been diagnosed with Autistic Disorder (Autism), Pervasive Developmental Disorder “Not Otherwise Specified”(PDD-NOS) or Asperger Syndrome, some important changes are on the way that may affect the services your child receives.
This May, the American Psychiatric Association will release a new version of the DSM—the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual—that will change the way what are now called Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) such as Autism, PDD-NOS and Asperger Syndrome are diagnosed , and this may impact services for those diagnoses. This would be a good time to begin discussing these anticipated changes with the clinicians who take care of your child, including your Harvard Vanguard pediatrician and any developmental and behavioral specialists who work with your child.
All of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders are characterized by difficulties and differences in three areas: communication, social interaction, and behavior. The last area may include restrictive and intense interests as well as repetitive motor behaviors. In different children with PDDs, there is tremendous variation in the severity of symptoms, which determines which specific diagnosis a child is given based on the current DSM. In general, children with PDD-NOS and Asperger Syndrome have milder symptoms, but there can be overlap and confusion about which diagnosis best describes a child’s symptoms.
As a result, and based on review of many research studies, a committee of experts has developed new definitions, which will be published in May in DSM-5, for what are now called PDDs. The decision was made to “lump” the diagnoses of Autistic Disorder, PDD-NOS, and Asperger Syndrome together into a newly created DSM-5 category, which is going to be called “Autism Spectrum Disorders.” This will mean that all related diagnoses, including Asperger Syndrome, will be absorbed into this larger category and will not be separately diagnosed. In addition, the three areas of symptoms listed above will be collapsed into two: 1. Social communication impairment; and 2. Repetitive /restrictive behaviors (which will include restrictive and intense interests, repetitive motor behaviors, and repetitive language).
Because of the new definitions proposed for DSM-5, it is possible that some children with milder symptoms of PDDs, including Asperger Syndrome, may not have the symptoms required to have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
What does this mean if you have a child diagnosed with Autism, PDD-NOS or Asperger Syndrome? The autism spectrum disorders are conditions usually diagnosed by medical providers, but they are treated primarily through the special educational system. It is not yet known whether there will be changes to special education services provided to children with diagnoses under the “old” diagnostic criteria. It will therefore be important to find out if your child’s school requires additional information about his or her diagnosis once the new DSM is published.
Community-based autism support centers and the Asperger’s Association of New England will be following these changes closely and will be a good source of information about the issues as well. The Harvard Vanguard Pediatrics Department is well-equipped with developmental and behavioral specialists to help guide your family through the coming transition.