Question about Neurodevelopmental Disorder similar to Autism Spectrum Disorder

[Oz67]

What Neurodevelopmental Disorder would it be if some people only meet diagnostic criteria B for Autism Spectrum Disorder, e.g., restricted interests and repetitive behaviors?

 

[Georgia Galaxy]

I have no idea :O interesting question though!

 

[Luca]

I’m not sure either, but the primary reason for my autism diagnosis was, and has always been special/restricted interests.

 

[VictorR]

Under DSM-4 such an individual would have likely been given a diagnosis of PDD-NOS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pervasive_developmental_disorder_not_otherwise_specified
Those with a legacy PDD-NOS diagnosis are considered to be grandfathered into the autism umbrella under DSM-5.

However it is no longer available as a diagnosis on its own in DSM-5, meaning that such a person today would quite likely receive no diagnosis (e.g. does not meet threshold for ASD diagnosis).

 

[autism-and-autotune]

I’m not sure either, but the primary reason for my autism diagnosis was, and has always been special/restricted interests.

Wait, there can be a primary reason for one's autism diagnosis?? I thought..well, I thought it had to be a mix of a few things (having social awkwardness, restricted interests/repeated behaviours, and sensory issues).

 

[tazz]

As I understand it:

ASC symptom-domains - Social Interaction (SI), Social Communication (SC), and Restrictive and Repetitive Interests and Behaviours (RRB) - with the frequent additional presence of sensory-motor features (S-M), although these are not diagnostically required. The latest versions of the two main diagnostic classificatory systems (ICD and DSM) no longer make a domain-level distinction between SI and SC, instead considering these together as a single, integrated ‘Social’ domain.

All domains need to be present (and from a young age) but not necessarily present with equal intensity and scope.

So one domain could be more noticeable than the others - perhaps therefore "dominant" or "primary".

I didn't interpret "primary" as "only". The definition "of chief importance" would seem to be appropriate in this context. Describing one domain as primary doesn't mean the other domains aren't present.

 

[Nervous Rex]

What Neurodevelopmental Disorder would it be if some people only meet diagnostic criteria B for Autism Spectrum Disorder, e.g., restricted interests and repetitive behaviors?

My own completely-unprofessional opinion:

Spectrumy: Autism is a continuum and psychologists have drawn an arbitrary line in the sand, saying, "This is autism. That is not." It's possible to have some symptoms of autism, but not enough symptoms to be formally diagnosable. I call that "spectrumy". It helps me to have compassion for the person without applying an armchair diagnosis.

 

[Nervous Rex]

What Neurodevelopmental Disorder would it be if some people only meet diagnostic criteria B for Autism Spectrum Disorder, e.g., restricted interests and repetitive behaviors?

For a deep-dive into Neurodevelopment Disorders, the DSM 5 is available in .pdf form here: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM 5).

Before reading further, please understand that:

1. I am not a doctor. I'm just a guy with access to Google. My opinion is not a diagnosis.

2. Self-diagnosis can go very wrong. It's common for people to learn about a mental disorder and see signs of it in themselves. It's so common that in freshmen level psychology classes, they warn you not to go thinking you have every disorder the class will cover.

So... here's what I found when I did a text search for "interest" and "repetitive" in the DSM:

ADHD: "Signs of [ADHD] may be minimal or absent when the individual is ... engaged in especially interesting activities, has consistent external stimulation..." Seems to me like this could lead to a preference for special interests, but also:"The fidgetiness and restlessness in ADHD are typically generalized and not characterized by repetitive stereotypic movements."

Stereotypical Movement Disorder: "Repetitive, seemingly driven, and apparently purposeless motor behavior (e.g., hand shaking or waving, body rocking, head banging, self-biting, hitting own body)."

OCD: "OCD is characterized by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions are recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced as intrusive and unwanted, whereas compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly".

 

[Luca]

Wait, there can be a primary reason for one's autism diagnosis?? I thought..well, I thought it had to be a mix of a few things (having social awkwardness, restricted interests/repeated behaviours, and sensory issues).

I probably worded that incorrectly. There were obviously a bunch of other reasons but that has always been my strongest trait.

 

[autism-and-autotune]

I probably worded that incorrectly. There were obviously a bunch of other reasons but that has always been my strongest trait.

Oh, I see--thanks for clarifying!

 

[Oz67]

Stereotypical Movement Disorder: "Repetitive, seemingly driven, and apparently purposeless motor behavior (e.g., hand shaking or waving, body rocking, head banging, self-biting, hitting own body)."

I always thought that Stereotypic Movement Disorder is like Autism Spectrum Disorder minus communication aspect.