Dr. Cathy Pratt Offers Perspectives on the DSM-V Changes

May 21, 2010

  http://soundmedicine.iu.edu/segment/2442/New-DSM-Category--Autism-Spectrum-Disorder

How might DSM changes affect services?

This week, Autism Society Board Chair and Director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, Dr. Cathy Pratt, gave some insights on the possible DSM-5 changes to diagnoses on the autism spectrum in an interview with the radio program Sound Medicine.

Under the proposed changes, which are still in draft form, Asperger's Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) would both be subsumed into the Autistic Disorder category, meaning that they would no longer be considered a separate diagnosis from autism, and the inclusion of potential co-morbidities with ADHD and other medical conditions.

Dr. Pratt discusses the changes in the context of how it may affect services and supports. Listen to the interview.