Here’s the easiest way to reduce autism rates – just change the definition of autism

The rate of new autism cases exploded over the past 20 years. But there’s an easy way to reverse that trend.

Just change the definition of autism.

Done!

As I’ve mentioned before, psychiatrists are revising their “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” The new edition will change the way they practice psychiatry.

But for patients, revisions may be life changing. Literally.

The New York Times reports that the definition of autism may be “tightened.” This would sharply reduce the number of new autism cases. As one official told the Times, it would end the autism surge. He said, “We would nip it in the bud.”

Of course, typing different words on a page in a manual doesn’t make your patient better. So the printer would basically be nipping it in the bud, not the medical profession.

And it’s not just a formality. It will leave patients in the lurch.

With a narrower definition, many support services would no longer be available to parents of higher functioning autistic children. This includes kids with related disorders like Asperger syndrome.

Conveniently, the change will also inhibit research into the potential link between vaccines and autism.

With a new definition of autism, vaccine defenders will eventually be able to argue that as the number of vaccines increased (and they will increase), autism rates went down.

No connection! Problem solved!

Maybe they’ll cure schizophrenia in the next edition.

Sources:
“New Definition of Autism Will Exclude Many, Study Suggests” Benedict Carey, New York Times, 1/19/12, nytimes.com