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Brief Report: Intersection of Sets of Symptoms Between Congenital Blindness and ASD: Proposing of Differential Criteria

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Abstract

To propose novel differential criteria of the DSM-5 for diagnosing transient Autistic-like behaviors in children with congenital blindness as a secondary condition. Most references indicate a significantly higher prevalence of autism in children with congenital blindness compared to sighted children. These behavioral symptoms may be transient Autism-like behaviors that should be diagnosed as a secondary condition. Differential criteria are proposed: gaining more adaptive responses to effective interventions; presenting more efficient adaptation to environmental changes; gaining improved use of language in a more typical manner; acquiring more mature interactions with family as well as with others and, proving more positive prognosis due to spontaneous maturity and life experiences. Decreasing false-positives and true-negatives in the assessment process and diagnosis of primary vs. secondary ASD and comorbid conditions. Developing novel assessment tools to distinguish between ASD and autism-like behaviors in the intersection area. Future revision of DSM publication may reconsider these proposed changes in diagnostic criteria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational Therapy, The Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine

    Waleed Jarjoura

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  1. Waleed Jarjoura
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Correspondence to Waleed Jarjoura.

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Jarjoura, W. Brief Report: Intersection of Sets of Symptoms Between Congenital Blindness and ASD: Proposing of Differential Criteria. J Autism Dev Disord 54, 389–391 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05585-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05585-0

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