Re: No More Literature?

[Guest guest]

Writes:

" Anita you seem to be grasping a tall the literature and making

generalisations and challenging people,when it suits you, to prove

you wrong, and then you enjoy the combative phase of the sequence of

events you incite. try understanding what your talking about. "

Anita Responds:

This isn't a contest . I don't think I'm right or wrong, nor

do

I think you are right or wrong. You used the word

" incite. " I

believe that word is exactly what happens when an NT and an AS attempt

to talk to each other.

Snip

Since no two AS are the same, please be benevolent

and understand whatever you tell me is what you experienced and what

works for you… You admonished me

to to " understand what I'm talking about " ....I can't know

exactly what I'm talking about until I attempt to flesh out as much

variation on

the theme as I can.

Me

here :

Anita

– I have also been accused of the same thing, if I remember well. I

was told that I enjoy coming online and causing a discussion just for the

thrill of it – and also by . And it was all in an effort to

learn. That’s why I don’t post much on here – there’s

too many people who are quick to judge. Please understand, he has no

right to assume your intent. I find it ironic that those with AS express

a distaste for NTs trying to assume their intent, yet get a free hall

pass. Many of the things that says work well for many people,

and many of it doesn’t. I figure it’s like a Reader’s

Digest – I skip the things that seem silly, and read the things that don’t.

The magazine is still interesting enough for me to buy it, so it’s not a

waste. But it was wrong of him to tell you how you think and to put words

in your mouth.

– Please understand, I think you are wise in many ways. But you do

not live in our shoes, and what works for you, may not work for another

person. You are not all knowing, yet you sometimes come across that way

and it makes you seem harsh and insensitive. Unless you are in Anita’s

head, you don’t know whether or not she might “enjoy the combative

phase.” I don’t try to get in your head, please try to do the

same, especially for our newer members. Of all people, you should know

better than to assume how someone thinks. I think she understands well

what she is talking about – and who do you think you are to judge?

Who gave you that job??

I don’t

like to see people attacked for trying to understand each other. Anita

seems to be reaching a hand out to understand and all she gets back is a slap

in the face. Shame.

a

[Guest guest]

srabande wrote:

> Writes:

[ snipped, for brevity ]

> Anita Responds:

>

> There have been several pieces of literature posted on the list

> over the last week alone. Each article, position, theory can be

> discussed here, yes? Much of the recent literature here could

> be somewhat polarizing, which is why I don't respond to it. At

> this point, all I'd like to do is understand the basic literature

> otherwise it's like flying by the seat of the pants. Our marriage

> has been flying by the seat of its pants for a long time. My

> husband doesn't like it and neither do I anymore.

>

> AS on this list talk about data and literature all the time. I assume

> AS uses the data they provide to illustrate the points they are

> trying to make about AS. I cite the literature to illustrate my

> understanding of AS. Seems AS and NT " interpret " the literature very

> differently.

Anita, anyone, here is the *defining* literature. Its original source

is the " anchor " document used throughout the USA and a lot of Canada:

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DSM-IV Criteria

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

(NB: also known as Autism Spectrum Disorders)

Listed below are the diagnostic criteria for the five Pervasive

Developmental Disorders (PDDs), also known as Autism Spectrum Disorders

(ASDs), as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), published by the American

Psychiatric Association, Washington D.C., 1994, the main diagnostic

reference of mental health professionals in the U.S.

299.00 Autistic Disorder

299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified

299.80 Asperger's Disorder

299.80 Rett's Disorder

299.10 Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

299.00 Autistic Disorder

An autism screening tool must meet all three primary areas defined by

the DSM-IV description for autistic disorder (#'s 1-3 under A below) to

qualify for a positive rating from First Signs:

A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least

two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

(1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by

at least two of the following:

(a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal

behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures,

and gestures to regulate social interaction

( failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to

developmental level

© a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment,

interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of

showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)

(d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

(2) qualitative impairments in communication, as manifested by at

least one of the following:

(a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken

language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through

alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)

( in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in

the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others

© stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic

language

(d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social

imitative play appropriate to developmental level

(3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior,

interests, and activities as manifested by at least one of the following:

(a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and

restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or

focus

( apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional

routines or rituals

© stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or

finger flapping or twisting or complex whole-body movements)

(d) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following

areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2)

language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative

play.

C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's disorder or

childhood disintegrative disorder.

* * * * *

299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

This category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive

impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal

and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior,

interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for

a specific pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia, schizotypal

personality disorder, or avoidant personality disorder. For example,

this category includes " atypical autism " --presentations that do not

meet the criteria for autistic disorder because of late age of onset,

atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these.

* * * * *

299.80 Asperger's Disorder (or Asperger Syndrome)

An Asperger/HFA screening tool must meet all six areas defined by the

DSM-IV description of Asperger Syndrome (A-F below) to qualify for a

positive rating from First Signs:

A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at

least two of the following:

(1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors,

such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures

to regulate social interaction

(2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to

developmental level

(3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or

achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or

pointing out objects of interest to other people)

(4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

B. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior,

interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and

restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or

focus

(2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional

routines or rituals

(3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or

finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

(4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social,

occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g.,

single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3

years).

E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or

in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive

behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the

environment in childhood.

F. Criteria are not met for another specific pervasive developmental

disorder or schizophrenia.

* * * * *

299.80 Rett's Disorder (or Rett Syndrome)

A. All of the following:

(1) apparently normal prenatal and perinatal development

(2) apparently normal psychomotor development through the first 5

months after birth

(3) normal head circumference at birth

B. Onset of all of the following after the period of normal development:

(1) deceleration of head growth between ages 5 and 48 months

(2) loss of previously acquired purposeful hand skills between ages

5 and 30 months with the subsequent development of stereotyped hand

movements (i.e., hand-wringing or hand washing)

(3) loss of social engagement early in the course (although often

social interaction develops later)

(4) appearance of poorly coordinated gait or trunk movements

(5) severely impaired expressive and receptive language development

with severe psychomotor retardation

* * * * *

299.10 Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

A. Apparently normal development for at least the first 2 years after

birth as manifested by the presence of age-appropriate verbal and

nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior.

B. Clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills (before age

10 years) in at least two of the following areas:

(1) expressive or receptive language

(2) social skills or adaptive behavior

(3) bowel or bladder control

(4) play

(5) motor skills

C. Abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas:

(1) qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment

in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of

social or emotional reciprocity)

(2) qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack

of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation,

stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe

play)

(3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior,

interests, and activities, including motor stereotypies and mannerisms

DD. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another specific

pervasive developmental disorder or by schizophrenia.

* * * * *

Reference:

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., pp.

70-71) Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

A " Text revision " exists, published 6-2000:

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR

[i loaned my copy; it's not been returned yet.]

- Bill, 75, AS

--

WD " Bill " Loughman - Berkeley, California USA

http://home.earthlink.net/~wdloughman/wdl.htm