New Autism Definition Will Exclude Many, Study Suggests

[Guest guest]

"The changes would narrow the diagnosis so much that it could effectively end the autism surge, said Dr. Fred R. Volkmar... 'We would nip it in the bud.'

In the new analysis, Dr. Volkmar, along with Reichow and McPartland, both at Yale, used data from a large 1993 study that served as the basis for the current criteria. They focused on 372 children and adults who were among the highest functioning and found that overall, only 45 percent of them would qualify for the proposed autism spectrum diagnosis now under review.

372 people from an 19 year-old study. There's some cutting edge science for you!

Winnie

(http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/health/research/new-autism-definition-would-exclude-many-study-suggests.html?hp)

New Autism Definition Will Exclude Many, Study Suggests

Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and might make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests.