DSM 5 ASD MANUAL

restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.social communication and social interaction and.

The new criteria for ASD require people to have persistent deficits in two areas: Some students with these disorders had difficulty obtaining services, so it was thought that giving a single label (autism spectrum) to all students would provide a common language and term that everyone could understand. There was also a lack of clarity on the part of school systems and insurance companies about what Asperger’s and PDDs were. In this case, the research indicated that there was little consistency in the way Asperger’s and PDDs were applied. The DSM is sometimes referred to as a “living document,” meaning it changes as we learn more about various mental health issues. The change itself, however, wasn’t arbitrary at all, for it reflected new research and ongoing psychiatric practice. It seemed somewhat arbitrary to Billy’s parents to have a diagnosis-and one that fit so well-taken away from him. However, when DSM-5 was released, it folded the previous diagnoses into one broad category-autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-meaning that Billy’s diagnosis changed from Asperger’s to ASD. Under those criteria, Billy exhibited the symptoms of Asperger’s, but not symptoms of autistic disorder. The DSM-IV listed criteria for autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, and pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). It lists criteria for depression, anxiety, learning disabilities and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), among many others. The DSM is used to diagnose mental, behavioral and learning conditions.

DSM 5 ASD MANUAL

In 2013, a new edition-the fifth edition-of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). In fact, it was no longer considered a disorder at all! What had happened? But, in 2013, Billy’s parents were surprised to find out that he no longer met the criteria for Asperger’s. They found relief in knowing that help was available. When he was diagnosed with Asperger’s, Billy’s parents did some research and were amazed by how closely Billy fit the descriptions they found.

Though he had a high IQ, he sometimes had trouble expressing himself, and often was unable to pick up on social cues. Billy had always gotten along well with adults, but he was never quite able to fit in with his peers. Billy’s parents had always thought he was a quirky child-at age 2, he was obsessed with outer space, then dinosaurs, then foreign coins by the time he was 8. In 2012, when Billy was 9, he received a diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder, a disorder characterized by problems with social skills, difficulty in certain aspects of communication and a tendency toward highly-specialized interests in particular subjects. He could talk incessantly about World of Warcraft, and impressed adults with his knowledge of geography. Billy was an intelligent, 12-year-old boy who excelled at math, and loved Japanese anime.

Dsm 5 asd