Thread by @Richard_Autism

I standby this comment, any credible or reputable autism expert should be saying PDA is NOT autism.

There are too many reasons for me to go into at this moment. Two example is how Newson said PDA is not autism, or did not base PDA on Triad of Impairment.

https://twitter.com/Richard_Autism/status/1325845820630044673

Newson's clinical interpretations do not fit well into accepted clincial practice, as she used her own definitions for 2 diagnostic groupings she placed PDA in.

Newson's definitions for Pervasive Developmental Disorders are broader than what was accepted including non-autistic persons in it, while not including other accepted PDD's of Childhood Disintegrative Disorder & Rett's Syndrome.

Newson's definitions for PDD-NOS is again broader than what was accepted in DSM-4, as Newson's definition included non-autistic persons.

These and other reasons, are why I say PDA is likely a new type of mental disorder.

Frankly any credible or reputable autism expert engaging with PDA should be noticing such things & reaching similar conclusions to me.

Also important to above point is Newson never systematically investigated autism features or assessed her CYP with PDA for autism. Removed cases from her database with autism features.

We know Newson's PDA descriptions are problematic fitting into autism, e.g. amount of manipulative behaviours seen in PDA, is done with intent etc.

I find it hard to view PDA as an ASD for such and other reasons.

It is false equivalence fallacy to include PDA in the autism spectrum.

It should be blatantly obvious to anyone engaging with PDA if they are presented with the relevant information.

I have worked out how Christie & others argue PDA is autism. How Wing & Gould argued PDA is not a syndrome, but reflecting features in autistic population. It is largely because they are using Newson's work before 2003.

Christie uses Newson's1999 Pervasive Developmental Disorders diagram, instead of her 2003 version. Wing & Gould made their observations of Newson's work before her 2003 article was published containing her updated views.

I not seen anywhere where either Christie argues PDA is autism using Newson's 2003 diagram. Or Wing and Gould argue PDA is not a syndrome from the work & views Newson published in 2003. It is substantially harder to say PDA is ASD with the 2003 scholarship.

PDA does not have to go in the ASD. It can almost end up anywhere, even its own diagnostic grouping. Newson invented her own diagnostic grouping for, so precedent has been set.

I keep stating that any credible or reputable autism expert should be saying PDA is not autism, as there is a robust case for that.