Formal diagnosis criteria for aspergers



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Joined: 27 Oct 2011
Gender: Female
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05 Nov 2012, 7:29 am

I am sure it varies based on what you live, but this is what it seems like where I am:

If your child has severe enough traits, you can get an autism diagnosis or I think a PDD-NOS diagnosis before 3. If the traits are not severe enough they will wait to give an Aspergers diagnosis at 8 or so, because the social deficits are more readily apparent then.

When the new DSM comes out, they will theoretically give an Autism diagnosis in lieu of Aspergers, if the new criteria is met. Some doctors may continue to use the old terminology, but they probably are not supposed to. The new Autism criteria is supposed to be more streamlined, and may not diagnosis as many people as the current standards that have separate criteria for AU and AS but that will not be known for sure until doctors start using the new criteria. ... spx?rid=94

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Must meet criteria A, B, C, and D:











D. Symptoms together limit and impair everyday functioning.

Revised January 26, 2011

Severity Level for ASD

Social Communication

Restricted interests & repetitive behaviors

Level 3

‘Requiring very substantial support’



Level 2

‘Requiring substantial support’



Level 1

‘Requiring support’





Three domains become two:

1) Social/communication deficits

2) Fixated interests and repetitive behaviors

Deficits in communication and social behaviors are inseparable and more accurately considered as a single set of symptoms with contextual and environmental specificities
Delays in language are not unique nor universal in ASD and are more accurately considered as a factor that influences the clinical symptoms of ASD, rather than defining the ASD diagnosis
Requiring both criteria to be completely fulfilled improves specificity of diagnosis without impairing sensitivity
Providing examples for subdomains for a range of chronological ages and language levels increases sensitivity across severity levels from mild to more severe, while maintaining specificity with just two domains
Decision based on literature review, expert consultations, and workgroup discussions; confirmed by the results of secondary analyses of data from CPEA and STAART, University of Michigan, Simons Simplex Collection databases

Several social/communication criteria were merged and streamlined to clarify diagnostic requirements.

In DSM-IV, multiple criteria assess same symptom and therefore carry excessive weight in making diagnosis
Merging social and communication domains requires new approach to criteria
Secondary data analyses were conducted on social/communication symptoms to determine most sensitive and specific clusters of symptoms and criteria descriptions for a range of ages and language levels

Requiring two symptom manifestations for repetitive behavior and fixated interests improves specificity of the criterion without significant decrements in sensitivity. The necessity for multiple sources of information including skilled clinical observation and reports from parents/caregivers/teachers is highlighted by the need to meet a higher proportion of criteria.

The presence, via clinical observation and caregiver report, of a history of fixated interests, routines or rituals and repetitive behaviors considerably increases the stability of autism spectrum diagnoses over time and the differentiation between ASD and other disorders.

Reorganization of subdomains increases clarity and continues to provide adequate sensitivity while improving specificity through provision of examples from different age ranges and language levels.

Unusual sensory behaviors are explicitly included within a sudomain of stereotyped motor and verbal behaviors, expanding the specfication of different behaviors that can be coded within this domain, with examples particularly relevant for younger children


In contrast to the DSM IV model:

Autistic Disorder




(b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level


(d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity




(c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language






(d) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

