Anyone know about Aspergers dx being dropped?

[Chopstheduck]

Our OT mentioned that it is early stages yet, but she thought that aspergers is going to be dropped as a dx, and children will now be dx with a spectrum disorder, either high or low functioning. Has anyone else heard anything?

I really haven't kept up with current developments lately. But after 5 years or so of a working dx of dyspraxia, hypermobility and Social & communication difficulties (with a view to dx PDD-NOS) ds is going to be formally dx with Developmental Coordination Disorder due to hypermobility and we're back to the paed to see about the PDD-NOS.

It's all very confusing. We were told that ds would not fit into aspergers in any case, because he wasn't able enough, but didn't fit with classic autism neither, hence the PDD-NOS label.

Not really looking forward into getting into the whole hunt for a label thing again, but every year we have issues with new teachers as there is no real detail on his school records of his problems, and his DLA is also up for renewal next year, so it's getting to the point where he NEEDS something. The OT was also saying about it being useful in the future for support in the workplace, which scared the life out of me! ds is only 9!!

Well the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is being released as issue 5 in May 2013 so I am assuming it will be then, as this is the manual that professionals go by when giving a DX.

Apparently the DSM V will not have Aspergers in it. It would seem that all ASDs are being lumped together within the manual.

When you consider all the issues with overlapping dxs it does seem that it would make sense to have one all encompassing dx. I think the OT also mentioned it may encompass dyspraxia too.

It might even help stop the 'he doesn't seem like he is autistic' comments too if people realised how wide the spectrum can be! We've battled that since ds was tiny, and it's only when he goes into full meltdown bouncing off the walls, rocking, or curling up into a ball unresponsive that it is blatantly obvious.

I wonder if PDD-NOS would then be dropped as a separate dx too? The problem with the PDD-NOS label is that people rarely know what it is, and it is simpler to say he is on the spectrum or has social, communication, sensory issues, etc.

It's making my head spin thinking about it all. I'm really dreading sitting down with the pen and paper listing his issues all over again for the new paed. For the past few years we haven't really thought about it, we've just got on with it. He had a good year last year too, but is def a lot more unsettled since the new term started.

I have another little question too - is it possible for children with an asd to learn sarcasm/irony? ds still doesn't have a hope in hell of using it himself, but after a lot of work, and huge 'nudge, nudge' type cues when using sarcasm or irony he has mostly learned to recognise it when we use it to him. We still often have to give little cues, eye contact with a smile or whatever. Has anyone else had any success teaching this?

He still struggles with other people using them, and usually takes other people literally.

In the suggested wording of DSM criteria I have that is the case Chops

Some people with ASD have excellent skills in the field of irony and sarcasm. Very little with ASD is fixed; actually no, nothing is! At the end of the day if a child presents with difficulties in X Y and Z and fulfil criteria they get the dx; it does not imply and shared behaviours really, ds1 and ds3 are extremely different children although clearly something is shared genetically. For example ds1 is touch aversive and very controlled with his emotions, ds3 is a huggy enthusiastic bear: just both at extremes that fulfil criteria for social difficulties.
Sarcasm / eye contact / etc come under the heading of 'common in ASD' but are possible within the DX, ds1 (AS and at AS Base) has sarcasm down to a tee as does my mother who has no official dx but is well aware she is on the spectrum

Chops is he like my ds3 I wonder?

Just what you said about him rings familar.

DS3 has a dx of HFA; yet is in a SN Base and unlikely to ever not be. No matter what his IQ might be he has a low functional ability. He could ahve the IQ of Einstein for all it would matter, he is powered by a combination of absence and obsession!

I know a lot of us within the ASD field are keen to use functional ability over IQ.

I have alink for new criteria will take some digging but holler if you want

Remember its none of it finalised until publication

I really should do that lenin, then I have a hard copy for reference. They should have my last copy on file (unfortunately was handwritten as was out of printer ink at the time) but I'm not counting on it.

He could have the IQ of Einstein for all it would matter, he is powered by a combination of absence and obsession! -I love that peachy! That sums up ds1 very well. with ds he does present as extremely bright sometimes, but actually tapping that is extremely difficult. His approach to any task is usually completely atypical. His brain just doesn't work in the normal way. It means he can be very unpredictable at times, too . It's very frustrating as some teachers he clicks with better than others, and his performance goes up and down with them. If they can't reach him, he'll switch off and they wonder why he is 'daydreaming'.

His OT is fab, she taught him to do his laces with a routine of a meerkat going under a tree. Though ds was anxious that the meerkat was going to get strangled

He is tactile but not with people. It all seems to be tied in with his dcd somewhere. He rocks, and flaps, fiddles with his face repeatedly, strokes soft things, collects cuddly toys, etc. As a baby he hated to be held, would kick and squirm until put down, but he likes a very quick cuddle occasionally now. He doesn't talk much, and not TO people, mostly a monologue AT people. I timed him once and he managed 12 mins talking straight at me not actually wanting or needing any response!

Sounds like him; ds3 is at a decent base now so always has a TA to engage him, even then he can't really attend MS classes (except PE which he likes and topic because it does not matter too much if he fades away- the history eg of the Ryder Cup being of less importance than interaction with his MS peers)

You know, I have no idea about your finances but there is someone attached to the Dyscovery Centre who does DCD and I can personally recommend them as being very good indeed. They know their stuff on ASD too so you'd be well away (they are linked to my MA)

Chopstheduck
Aspergers is now part of the Autistic Spectrum of Disorders, which was part of a modification of DSM IV.
DSM V will be published in 2013 but that does not mean that all in written in stone forever more.
DSMs are published at long intervals in terms of decades, and the research into to the various causes of the issues on the ASD will quickly overtake DMS V and well before DMS VI, so expect quite a few modifications before your DS leaves school.
The existing diangnosis describes and defines your DSs issues using the best information available at the time. Research regarding these types of issues is moving at a rather rapid pace, in comparison to the late twentieth century. The researchers are talking about possible autisms as they begin to unravel the neurological issues and genetic links responsible for the behavioral traits.

There is a CiteULike Group: Autism - library 306 articles where some like to share ASD related research papers, and there is alos a link to search i did on PubMed regarding the causes of Autism (hopefully the link will work) which is regularly updated by pubmed

Absolutely; autism is the accepted term now, we either use that or ASC at university if we don't want to be tolf off but I am old and set in my ways here.

But autisms is a no brainer really; as we already know that encephalistis, genetics, certain genetic disorders are linked to asd it's obvious that the causes are myriad

chopstheduck my DS uses sarcasm and irony now, but he is 16 and it is very wearing