DJones
New Member
I'd like to know how many parents on the board here would feel comfortable, without referring to the DSM or other medical or scientific sources, discussing these categories, types and subtypes with someone in a conversational-style question/answer session. Moreover, are you able to apply these terms, categories, their similarities and differences to your own child in the context of their behaviour.
For example, there are several types of meningitis, almost all of the types have a number of similar, overlapping symptoms and many of the symptoms are also symptoms of other maladies and diseases, can produce secondary diseases (comorbid with) whose symptoms also overlap.
But there is at least one, very important differentiator among all them that separates each from the others and separates itself from other pathologies, even those with nearly identical symptoms. At some point, with enough testing, it will be classified as a bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic or non-infectious form of meningitis - or the disease known as "meningitis", can be confidently ruled out altogether and testing for the next likely culprit. Symptoms may look almost exactly like those produced by meningitis - but we know its not.
But, does this hold true for the Autism Spectrum?
I recall not long after our son was given his PDD-NOS diag 3 yrs or so ago, the doctor mentioning something about Asperger's (I felt like I had a vague idea of what Asperger's meant, but I would have been hard-pressed to string together three words defining it) and that it was no longer.
"No longer what? What's no longer?"
"It's no longer. Asperger's is no longer."
But not to worry; it was, however, now something else.
"What is it, now?" My mind was reeling, trying to grasp the term "it" that the doctor had mentioned. There was no "it". It was "they", "those" - symptom(s), behaviours, ways, responses, that had manifested themselves.
"Pervasive Developmental Disorder - not otherwise specified."
"Huh?"
I suppose its only natural that when a series of words are strung together to make up a term we are not familiar with, we pull out the individual words of the term that are easiest for us to define.
"Developmental" - development, growth, - ah, 'developmental milestones'! - No, can't be right - my son hit every single one of his right on time, there was no de-"He hasn't displayed the classic signs of Autism", the doctor went on, "its not otherwise specified".
Pervasive...pervasive, I'd quit listening to the psychiatrist at that point and focused on trying to find some logical commonality in the seemingly incongruous words that my son's life was being defined upon - and it was getting harder....pervasive... "there was a pervasive sense of doom as pork belly futures sent markets tumbling..." If you're like me, the emotive connotations of words stay implanted long after textbook definitions have been forgotten.
Yes, it was becoming so clear to me now. Pervasive Developmental Disorder...of course! It fit - nothing.
"Its no longer"
"No longer what"
"Its no longer viral meningitis. If its not bacterial, parasitic or fungal, its not otherwise specified."
"So what is it?"
"Non-Concussive, Self-Replicating Inflammatory Heartburn"
For example, there are several types of meningitis, almost all of the types have a number of similar, overlapping symptoms and many of the symptoms are also symptoms of other maladies and diseases, can produce secondary diseases (comorbid with) whose symptoms also overlap.
But there is at least one, very important differentiator among all them that separates each from the others and separates itself from other pathologies, even those with nearly identical symptoms. At some point, with enough testing, it will be classified as a bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic or non-infectious form of meningitis - or the disease known as "meningitis", can be confidently ruled out altogether and testing for the next likely culprit. Symptoms may look almost exactly like those produced by meningitis - but we know its not.
But, does this hold true for the Autism Spectrum?
I recall not long after our son was given his PDD-NOS diag 3 yrs or so ago, the doctor mentioning something about Asperger's (I felt like I had a vague idea of what Asperger's meant, but I would have been hard-pressed to string together three words defining it) and that it was no longer.
"No longer what? What's no longer?"
"It's no longer. Asperger's is no longer."
But not to worry; it was, however, now something else.
"What is it, now?" My mind was reeling, trying to grasp the term "it" that the doctor had mentioned. There was no "it". It was "they", "those" - symptom(s), behaviours, ways, responses, that had manifested themselves.
"Pervasive Developmental Disorder - not otherwise specified."
"Huh?"
I suppose its only natural that when a series of words are strung together to make up a term we are not familiar with, we pull out the individual words of the term that are easiest for us to define.
"Developmental" - development, growth, - ah, 'developmental milestones'! - No, can't be right - my son hit every single one of his right on time, there was no de-"He hasn't displayed the classic signs of Autism", the doctor went on, "its not otherwise specified".
Pervasive...pervasive, I'd quit listening to the psychiatrist at that point and focused on trying to find some logical commonality in the seemingly incongruous words that my son's life was being defined upon - and it was getting harder....pervasive... "there was a pervasive sense of doom as pork belly futures sent markets tumbling..." If you're like me, the emotive connotations of words stay implanted long after textbook definitions have been forgotten.
Yes, it was becoming so clear to me now. Pervasive Developmental Disorder...of course! It fit - nothing.
"Its no longer"
"No longer what"
"Its no longer viral meningitis. If its not bacterial, parasitic or fungal, its not otherwise specified."
"So what is it?"
"Non-Concussive, Self-Replicating Inflammatory Heartburn"
