New Autism Guidelines Leave Some Children Without Aid

Due to new guidelines for the diagnosis of autism, many children with developmental delays and learning disabilities are missing out crucial social and educational aid, according to a new study.

The study, which was recently published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, provides evidence that suggests that the latest autism diagnosis guidelines issued by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) is leaving scores of children with developmental disorders without the treatment they need, as they can no longer be diagnosed as autistic.

The new APA guidelines, which were issued in May of last year, redefined what physicians could diagnose as autism spectrum disorder. The guidelines have limited the range of criteria of an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, leaving a significant number of children with developmental problems once associated with autism undiagnosed.

Researchers from the Columbia University School of Nursing in New York, N.Y. reviewed 418 studies looking at autism diagnosis. After analyzing diagnosis specifics, the researchers found that under the new APA guidelines, there were 31 percent fewer autism diagnoses, compared to the number of diagnoses prior to the guideline changes.

In concluding statements the researchers wrote that they were worried about the implications of this result. With this year's diagnosis numbers dropping by nearly a third of previous numbers, potentially thousands of children in need to aid and learning assistance will not receive it due to a lack of a label for their learning and developmental disabilities.

According to the Center for Disease Control and prevention, approximately 1 in 88 children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but that statistic may slowly go down in the wake of the APA's arguably limiting guidelines.

The study was published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders and made public in the February issue.