DON'T LET THE DSM-V LEAVE US OUT!
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Although you may not be familiar with the DSM-V, this is the manual on which the diagnosis of our children's learning disabilities is based. The definition of LD in the new version of the DSM-V will have a profound effect on how learning disabilities are diagnosed, and to who services are provided.
Unless we make our voices heard to continue to include dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities ( including dysgraphia and dyscalculia), the language in the new DSM-V will omit these conditions!
Join Us in Submitting Your Comments by Friday, June 15th
Send your comments to the DSM-V Task Force by June 15th, using the suggested copy below, can have a major impact on ensuring that these critical disorders continue to be included in the new, revised edition.
Please submit your comments requesting the needed revisions by using the detailed statement, below, developed by the NCLD (National Center for Learning Disabilities).
Email the Task Force at DSM5@psych.org, by cutting and pasting the recommendations below. Feel free to add your own comments.
Here is the copy to cut and paste into your email to the Task Force:
To Whom It May Concern:
I request that specific revisions be made to
these DSM-V Categories:
•
Make reference to "Specific Learning
Disability" in the "Specific Learning Disorders" category
•
Make specific mention of subtypes of SLD in
Descriptive Feature Specifiers (super-ordinate category headings):
dyslexia
dyscalculia
dysgraphia
•
Expand narrative under "Learning Disability
Not Otherwise Specified" to include an option to consider relevant
information about cognitive processes that transcend specific problems in
reading, math and written expression and that constitute significant obstacles
to learning, daily living and social-emotional wellbeing.
•
Expand narrative under primary heading to
capture:
difficulties in academic learning cannot be
attributed to intellectual disability, sensory impairment, emotional disorder
or lack of educational opportunity
multiple sources of data need to be used to
assess academic skills, including but not limited to norm-referenced measures
of academic achievement
evaluation measures need to be culturally
appropriate
features of "dyslexia" extend beyond
reading decoding and word recognition, often encompassing difficulties in
spelling, written expression, reading comprehension, fluency, math, and foreign
language learning
"contextualized assessment" (e.g.,
measures of progress over time, integrity and duration of
instruction/intervention) should be considered as part of the determination of
a disability or disorder
the needs of individuals who are "twice
exceptional" (giftedness and LD) for whom testing data alone might not
meet criteria for SLD classification/diagnosis
the frequent co-occurrence of specific learning
disabilities and disorders of attention
Sincerely,
(your name here)
Thank you for your support!
