An Autism Spectrum Diagnosis is important for someone on the Autism Spectrum because individuals need to get the right treatments in order to function properly in society. The Autism Spectrum label should be something for a person to look beyond at, but at the same time use it to get better treatments. I understand where the DSM V committee wants to change the Diagnostic labeling because the criteria for Autism Spectrum varies widely among every one diagnosed. Autism Spectrum Disorders are very precise and range from mild symptoms to severe. The symptoms begin as an infant and if not treated right away can lead to more severe symptoms along the way. An example of early intervention for any one to look at would be Temple Grandin or myself. If either of us didn’t have early intervention, Temple Grandin would not have earned her credentials and I would not be where I am today (I have much more to succeed at). Even though I was not diagnosed officially when I was an infant because many people really didn’t know much about Autism back in my childhood, I consider myself lucky to have had early intervention. Temple Grandin was lucky enough to have had a diagnosis of Autism when she was a child. Comparing myself to Temple Grandin, I feel we are both very lucky people. Both my mother and Temple Grandin’s mother should be given high regard for their good intended actions.

By not getting a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder when I was young, but obtaining much early intervention from my mother, speech therapy, early self-contained classes, and the constant pushing myself to achieve more, I proved getting an Autism Label during childhood doesn’t really matter. It helps more by knowing exactly what is wrong, but the diagnosis does not instantly say this person will achieve. The achievement must come from within the person who has any kind of problem fitting in with society. Temple Grandin proved by having an Autism Label in childhood, it would not stop her from doing what she loves. When I spoke to Temple Grandin at the AHA conference at Adelphi University this past May, she felt Ultrasound was a great job for a person with Autism with Visual Thinking. Ultrasound is looking at images, visualizing the body, and being a Visual thinker like myself who wants to see things, this makes my life better.

An Autism Spectrum diagnosis change in the DSM V should not matter because what should matter is how the person will achieve their goals to be a somebody, to be a ‘contender in society’ (By the way ‘On the Waterfront’ is my favorite movie). The idea in this world is not to have a label to use it to your advantage when something goes wrong, but the idea is to use it to your advantage to achieve anything you want to by constantly pushing yourself to be better a person.

Every one wants to succeed or at least I hope. It is up to someone to become a person who finds themselves with their own talents doing something great for society and fitting in rather than sink deeper to failure. There are many great talents the world has seen, sees, and will see in the future who had problems in the past. These great talented people pushed through their problems to achieve big things. The DSM V committee should really change their book to include the section on Autism Spectrum entitling it “The First step labels to help a person achieve past their problems.” Actually that should be the new name for the DSM V. The DSM which stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel for Mental Disorders really does not fully express how every body has problems and does not stress earliest intervention. Unfortunately there are many people who use these labels as an excuse to continue their problems.

People with Autism Spectrum Disorders should look at success stories like Temple Grandin, myself, and others who have succeeded as a role model for success. Getting a diagnosis by a professional who is an Autism Specialist is very important for everybody because a professional diagnostic individual knows how to ask questions to the patient to make a correct evaluation of the patient they are going to treat. The professional knows how to make sure the test is done right. When someone is self-diagnosing themselves, they can easily change the answers to fit in the diagnosis of their choice and what they want to see, not what is really there.

I feel Temple Grandin may be right about not getting rid of the Asperger Syndrome diagnosis because a lot of people with Aspergers are vocal and leading the way to many good things. At the same time, I agree with Ari Ne’eman because he feels no body is above anybody else. By having an Aspergers diagnosis,this does not make the person better than someone with Autistic Disorder.

An ever changing world will eventually be always aware and on top of their new child who is born with any problems by never neglecting them. When a child is first born, the child needs those parents who created them to begin the intervention. It is true that a child with special needs, needs more attention for skills than a child who does not have special needs. The first family a child starts with should respectively show the child the ways of the world as simple as they can express it.

A child lives with the family g-d intended the child for and while growing up, the child relates to other people adding to the original family they have. As the parents grow older, the child grows to live his or her life the way he or she wants to, hoping to fit in with the society the parents brought him in to. Some people choose to have a family and a spouse, while others choose never to engage in having a spouse and children. It is up to the child growing up and figuring out his way of leading his own life. For instance, a child may never want to engage in any sexual behavior and have strictly platonic friendships his or her whole life. It all depends upon whether or not the person can follow having a sexual relationship in their life. Every body is different, but still Human beings.

Anyway, I hope the DSM V committee constructs their newest book to help people better including those with Autism Spectrum disorders. Some day people will better further continue their success.

posting soon enough,

OUT, J