A new set of criteria has been set to diagnose autism, which may lead to fewer children being diagnosed, according to a new study.
The study was published in he Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAMA Psychiatry). The data collected for the study was compiled of 6,577 eight year old children that were diagnosed under the old criteria, according to Medical News Today.
According to Fox News, the findings from the study show that 81 percent of children that are currently diagnosed under the old criteria would be diagnosed under the new criteria. The changes will be slow as it will take time for doctors everywhere to learn the new criteria and change diagnosis for children.
This is causing growing concern with parents of autistic children because those who were diagnosed, but are no longer will not be able to receive the same educational help as they once had. Yet, the majority of those diagnosed now will continue to be considered autistic once the new criteria has been released.