Monthly Archives: March 2014
Autism Diagnoses May Decrease Under Changes to Criteria
According to DisabilityScoop.com, the number of people diagnosed with autism could decrease by nearly one-third under new criteria for diagnosing the developmental disorder. The website reported that a new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as the DSM-5, introduced extensive changes to the criteria for an autism diagnosis. The website reported that the changes include the deletion of “Asperger’s syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified, instead establishing an umbrella classification of ‘autism spectrum disorder’ with clinicians indicating a level of severity.” A new study by the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders has some experts worried that people who previously qualified for a diagnosis on the autism spectrum will be left out, due to the changes. According to DisabilityScoop, researchers with the journal found that 31 percent of those who met the diagnostic criteria for autism under the old DSM…
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Maryland Lawmakers Contemplating Birth Injury Fund
According to the Baltimore Sun, lawmakers in Maryland are pushing for a bill that would create a fund to help pay for treatment for babies who suffer from neurological injuries during birth. The legislation would let hospitals, doctors with obstetrics and gynecological practices, as well as malpractice insurers, pay annual fees to the birth injury fund, which families could used to pay medical bills, recoup lost earnings potential and cover other costs, according to the Sun. Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Maryland Medical System feel that the fund is needed because of several recent multimillion-dollar judgments in the state. The healthcare providers said that if lawsuits continue to mount, it could lead to some practices closing and reduced access to medical care. “What we would like is a fair shake in cost containment,” Andrew Satin, director of gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins Medicine, told the Sun. “I…
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Posted in Birth Defects, Birth Trauma, Brain Damage, Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Shoulder Dystocia Comments Off on Maryland Lawmakers Contemplating Birth Injury Fund
