•  On Oct, 04, 2017
•  Mary Keating
•   Blog

Autism Level 1

In Autism Level 1, known as Aspergers Syndrome in the past, is the focus.

How a diagnosis is made:

DSM or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and
the ICD, The International Classification of Diseases

are the two most influential and widely used handbooks when diagnosing Asperger’s syndrome in English-speaking countries.

Although the DSM-IV is still used, it has been superceded by DSM-V.   The American Psychiatric Association publishes the DSM. Their intention was for DSM-IV and V to work alongside each other until a full transition is made. If diagnosis was made under the DSM-IV it remains.

The latest version, DSM-V,  appeared in 2013 and Asperger’s syndrome moved into the autism classification and is the mildest form, that is, Level 1.

Only a medical practitioner with recognised qualifications in psychiatry can make a reliable diagnosis. The legal term, Level 1 Autism, has a lot more meaning for the psychiatrist because it determines the support measures that will be recommended. The differences between the levels is not clear-cut and a child may straddle two levels in different behaviours. Trust the professionals.

The DSM-IV states that for a diagnosis of Asperger’s the individual must exhibit

“severe and sustained impairment in social interaction, and the development of restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests and activities that must cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.”

Level 1 Autism is also the mildest form on the autism spectrum. And yet, it is obvious that the symptoms can be quite serious. A diagnosis of Asperger’s under the DSM-IV regime is the same as a Level 1 Autism diagnosis according to DSM-V

Link to another post where Aspergers is mentioned: Some Children Can’t Write, Post

Diagnoses and Government Funding

Labelling can be disabling: In the early 1990’s there was a steep increase in the number of children diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in the United States when the Federal Department of Education increased services for unspecified pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). The DSM-III was current at the time. Diagnoses did not increase in California where services were not enhanced. And so the number of diagnoses of Asperger’s syndrome remained static there.

As a result in the other states of the USA, some children with limitations in social communication were lumped in with children who were genuinely on the autism spectrum or had PDD. It was noted over time that they suffered loss of self-esteem, loss of learning opportunities and mainstream experiences. This was an unintended consequence but a serious one for those students.

Asperger’s diagnoses in Australia : The same two handbooks are used by psychiatrists to diagnose a child or adult on the autism spectrum. Of concern is the number of people in Australia diagnosed with autism, particularly the mild form of Asperger’s, that increased by 42% between 2012 and 2015, that is 50,000.