"Petition against changes to Autism Spectrum Diagnostic Criteria"

Dear Autism Community,


I wanted to draw your attention to this important petition that I recently signed:


"Petition against changes to Autism Spectrum Diagnostic Criteria"
This petition is against the proposed changes to the DSM-V, which would eliminate high functioning ASD patients (PDD-NOS, Aspberger's and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder) from the Autism Spectrum. More than 3/4 of high-functioning autistics would no longer be considered autistic, placing their access to social and school services in jeopardy. Changing the name of their diagnosis from ASD to another name does not make them any less autistic. Basic formative differences exist in all autistic children's brains - including enlarged white matter growth in the first year of life leading to a large cranial size in infancy; reduced brain stem size and function, and confused neural connections, which lead to sensory and social difficulties. These formative differences exist in patients with PDD-NOS and Aspberger's as well. Changing a name will merely shift the tide, rather than stopping the epidemic, and it shifts focus from the real problem - and that is the root cause of autism, which must be addressed.


I really think this is an important cause, and I'd like to encourage you to add your signature, too. It's free and takes just a few seconds of your time. Please sign the petition below and be sure to share with everyone you know! 

Create a Petition by iPetitions.com

Thanks!


Lorrie Servati
Family & Friends Autism Team "Nathan's Voice" support almost 9 year old Nathan in his daily struggle to function with Asperger's Syndrome. Changing the manual won't change the fact that these individuals are still affected by this disorder ...it will however keep them from receiving the services they now receive and will still continue to need in the future. Making these changes to the manual will mean the available resources will be taken away from these students, "robbing" them of the "trust" and "routine" they have built in the system that is supposed to "protect" them!