Autism Under the Proposed New DSM-5 Criteria

As the DSM5 moves closer to its anticipated release next year, several areas are generating widespread debate and discussion both in the public and in more academic circles.  One diagnosis certainly getting its share of attention is Autism.  Under the proposed new guidelines, a single Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will replace the different sub-diagnoses of […]

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Access to Child Mental Health Care in Times of Shortage

It is no surprise to anyone working in primary care or mental health that access to child psychiatrists and other mental health experts is very difficult.  Here at the VCCYF, our own waitlist has grown to many many months despite everyone working on all cylinders.  Frustrations by parents, clinicians, and (yes) those of us here […]

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Rising Rates of Autism and ADHD: What are We to Make of This?

Several recent studies have reported continued increases in the rates of both ADHD and autistic spectrum disorders. For Autism, a new study from the CDC found an overall rate of 1 in 88 children (1 in 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls).  This rate is much higher than the 1 in 155 reported in […]

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Antiquated Psychiatric Terms: Time to Retire “Organic,” “Functional,” “Acting Out,” and “BioPsychoSocial”

21st century neuroscience has done much to bring psychiatry and mental health into the modern age.  Our language, however, still lingers behind.  Four terms in particular deserve our scrutiny and, in the opinion of many in our field, some alterations. ORGANIC Why it doesn’t work:  This word used to be invoked when behavioral symptoms were […]