Starting next year, the process of diagnosing autism may see
drastic changes following the revision of the official guide to
classifying psychiatric illnesses. After years of reviewing and
refining criteria used by psychiatrists and other experts to
diagnose mental health disorders, the American Psychiatric
Association board of trustees on Saturday approved major changes
to the manual, better known as DSM-5. The approval of the
changes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders came during a meeting in Arlington, Virginia. The DSM
is considered the "bible" of psychiatry because it's the
criteria mental health professionals use to diagnose their
patients. It is also used by insurance companies, schools and
other agencies responsible for covering or creating special
provisions for individuals with developmental or mental
disorders. Whether someone receives the death penalty or a
lesser sentence can rise or fall depending on criteria for a
mental health disorder as defined in the DSM. Autism di