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

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.