Does Asperger Syndrome still exist in ICD-11?

There are rumours circulating that ICD-11 will more closely align itself with the American DSM-5 and exclude the term Asperger Syndrome by incorporating into Autism Spectrum Disorder. I have had a look at the draft of ICD-11 and found the following:

6A02 Autism spectrum disorder

6A02.0 Autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language

Description: All definitional requirements for autism spectrum disorder are met, intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour are found to be at least within the average range (approximately greater than the 2.3rd percentile), and there is only mild or no impairment in the individual's capacity to use functional language (spoken or signed) for instrumental purposes, such as to express personal needs and desires.

All index terms:

Autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language

Asperger syndrome

Asperger

Asperger disorder

Autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and without impairment of functional language

It appears that the official term for the condition is "Autism spectrum disorder without disorder of intellectual development and with mild or no impairment of functional language" that's a mouthful but a generally good technical description whilst Asperger syndrome is included as an alternative / unofficial / popular / colloquial term.

The question now is whether the recent paper by Herwig Czech will impose pressure on the WHO to completely eliminate Asperger syndrome from the final publication of ICD-11.

Parents
  • In my county the nhs do not use the term aspergers. My very recent diagnosis is simply autistic spectrum disorder and the clinicians noted state that if we are researching my condition we should be searching for info on aspergers as that would be useful for me!

  • Weird, isn't it.  My daughter has just got diagnosed (Sept 2019) with Asperger's - and that was NHS.  To tell the truth, I was surprised: they did say at her feedback appointment that they felt she was on the autism spectrum - and then the confirmatory letter arrived a fortnight later with 'Asperger syndrome'...

    I  did raise this at their ASC friends-and-family meeting a few days later (saying I had expected the report to say 'Autism Level 1' - but the psychologist said they still used the term (and this is at a specialist centre for Autism and ADHD).  I've just checked on the NHS website (last reviewed April 2019) and, under 'Autism', it specifically states doctors [sic] do not diagnose Asperger's anymore... 

    Definitely a postcode thing!

  • The NHS doesn't really exist any more than ITV existed in the 1970s. It is a collection of many semi-autonomous trusts just like ITV of the 1970s was a collection of many largely independent programme contractors.

    Therefore some trusts are diagnosing AS whereas other trusts are diagnosing Autism Level 1. It's also possible that different institutions in the same NHS trust are diagnosing patients differently.

    What I find difficult to understand is why NHS trusts make diagnoses (for almost anything) under DSM rather than ICD, when ICD is used for medical conditions by GPs, pediatric consultants, school nurses etc.

    ICD is also free but DSM you have to pay for.

Reply
  • The NHS doesn't really exist any more than ITV existed in the 1970s. It is a collection of many semi-autonomous trusts just like ITV of the 1970s was a collection of many largely independent programme contractors.

    Therefore some trusts are diagnosing AS whereas other trusts are diagnosing Autism Level 1. It's also possible that different institutions in the same NHS trust are diagnosing patients differently.

    What I find difficult to understand is why NHS trusts make diagnoses (for almost anything) under DSM rather than ICD, when ICD is used for medical conditions by GPs, pediatric consultants, school nurses etc.

    ICD is also free but DSM you have to pay for.

Children
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