By Lisa Ackerman On March 31, 2016 the CDC issued their new official rate of autism per their latest survey (1.) The rate is 1 in 68 US children has a diagnosis of autism. For this first time in over a decade the rate compared to their 2010 survey results is flat. It is important... Continue Reading →
Why Would a Government Panel Question Universal #Autism Screening? UPDATE
By Lisa Ackerman Editors Note: this blog originally posted in August 2015. There are new updates to this story below. When a serious developmental disability increases from 1 in every 10,000 US children in 1970 to 1 in 68 in 2015, how should the government respond (1)? One would think perhaps scale up screenings?... Continue Reading →
DSM-5, the fall out begins
By Holly Bortfeld TACA has been reporting on the potential effects that the proposed DSM-5 changes, which eliminated PDD, PDD-NOS, Asperger’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative disorder and others, from the DSM since 20111. Now, we see the first tangible proof2 that the new diagnostic criteria will reduce the number of those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder... Continue Reading →
The DSM-5 Nightmare
By Lisa Ackerman Since 2011, TACA has been warning families about changes proposed to the diagnostic guide used to detect autism (formerly known as the DSM-IV). The DSM-5 is the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders released at the American Psychiatric Association’s Annual Meeting in May 2013. This is a... Continue Reading →
A Physician’s Perspective on the Proposed DSM-5 Autism Diagnostic Criteria
By Dr. Bob Sears- TACA Physician Advisor With the upcoming proposed changes in the DSM - 5 diagnostic criteria for autism, many parents are worried that their child may no longer qualify for much-needed services. One 2009 study published in Pediatrics (1) revealed that almost 40% of children who were previously diagnosed with autism improved so... Continue Reading →