The other day a friend alerted me to a recent article in the New York Times. Titled,
A Powerful Identity, A Vanishing Diagnosis, it talks about how revisions are being considered to the new DSM, or psychiatry diagnostic manual, due out in 2012.
Looks like the powers that be want to do away with the Asperger's Syndrome and PDD-NOS labels, putting all those affected under the umbrella of "Autism Spectrum." Diagnoses will be made according to the severity of the disorder, i.e. severe, moderate or mild.
I can tell you from what I've seen online, there's been a lot of opinions on both sides of the fence on this one. Some argue that Asperger's Syndrome in particular has been around long enough, and that those diagnosed identify with it. To delete this as a diagnosis would be taking away part of their identity.
Others say that this change has been a long time coming and that whether a person is severely autistic or has PDD-NOS, they have the same difficulties. The difference is a matter of degree.
I'm not sure what I think about this yet. The jaded side of me sees this as a way for the powers that be to get out of providing services -- even more than they've done already. If my son is no longer Asperger's, but mildy autistic, does this mean he only needs mild supports? I shudder to think of this.
On the other hand, autism
is a spectrum. There are so many misconceptions regarding both Asperger's and PDD-NOS, it would be nice to call a spade a spade. I remember during on fateful IEP meeting, we discussed what interventions were appropriate for children with autism. One well meaning, but obviously uneducated, school professional commented, "But your son isn't autistic, he has Asperger's."
I nearly fell from my seat to hear this so-called expert spouting something so illiterate. Maybe with this new diagnostic criteria, this type of ignorance will change.
No matter which way it goes, there is a theme that has been on my mind a lot lately. And that is the tendency the medical profession, the educational system and even some of us parents have to place our children neatly in one box or another.
As parents, myself included, I think we sometimes look for a label so we are looking for answers. We try desperately to make some sense of things that seem so much out of our control.
I don't think other parties are as altruistic in their motives. The medical profession looks at symptoms. If you check box A, C and D, you have autism. If its box B, E. and F you have ADHD. The problem here is that this is not a particularly holistic approach and our children can not be defined simply by some multiple choice answers.
As for the educational system, I've always seen their approach as One Size Fits All. If your child does not fit neatly into the self-proclaimed "right" way to learn, they are automatically labeled as different, difficult or oppositional. This is totally antiquated, because there is so much research out there that tells us that learning styles can be unique as the individuals themselves. How many children have been told there were bad students, when in fact they were just not taught properly? I shudder again.
What it comes down to is the fact that no one label, whether it be Autism or Asperger's, can adequately describe our children. They are all unique beings, with their own set of abilities, challenges and potential. I think the world would be a much better place if we just threw away our boxes and started from scratch.
Your thoughts?
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