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Re-defining Diagnostic Criteria for Autism?

Well, my thougths on DSM-5 and the new changes that may be coming are a bit different from yours.

Firstly I would separe the "needing asistance and money thing" from the "ASD" thing. So:
- There can be people in the spectrum needing help and there can be people in the spectrum who doesnt need help.

Secondly, I would use the current diagnosis tools in order to find out who needs some help and who needs more help (from ASD-1 to ASD-3) or whatever many numbers they want to add there. Those tools are basically a way to know how severe are the "autistic" problems of one person and (as I see it) one of the main reasons why autism is still percieved as a problem or illness.

After that, and to honour the spectrum thing I would design tests to diagnose people on the spectrum based on their unique traits that not necessarily are problems. So I could include people like the mentioned Musk, Gates and so. Probably in new categories as ASD-0 (people on the spectrum who requieres no help at all, just some respect) or even ASD minus 1 (people who actually not only doesnt requiere help but is helping others, like Musk and Gates).

This way, the spectrum would be a true spectrum. And autism would not be seen so much as an illness or as a problem. The community would grow exponentially if autism diagnose would not be like "lets measure how broken you are".

Just my 2 cents on the topic, as an ASD0 myself I do not search for help but would love not to mask or hide my differences just because they way autism is diagnosed.

Mmm again a text wall... How do you do to condensate your thougths in just a few paragraphs? :eek:
 
MyLifeAsAnAspie said:
I don't think the criteria for ASD is really being changed. What they are doing is clarifying the social communication part to require all three traits listed:
  1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
  2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction
  3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships
Apparently, some were reading this part as only requiring one of the traits. I always thought it was all of the traits though.

However, since it is not out yet we can't be sure this is the only change.
Click to expand...

I meet all three criteria, so it would not impact me at all. While I have been married for the past 30 years, my wife would say I have a deficit in understanding relationships.
 
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Does anyone know where I can get a PDF of the current version of the DSM-5? It would be helpful to that on hand to diagnose my future children if they change the DSM-5 to hide out existence.
 
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