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Written by: Dave Pughe-Parry

Published: 23 March 2026

One of the most important parts of having a mental condition is the diagnosis.

 The criteria to wear the badge of the condition you have been diagnosed with are found in the DSM Version 5 and the ICD 10 codes. (The first is compiled by the American Psychiatric Association, while the ICD 10 Codes are used in the rest of the western world. South Africa tends to use the DSM version.

 Once you have a diagnosis you are able to set about managing the condition. The enabler of managing the condition is medication.

  Now, the kerfuffle in this article is all about how many criteria must you meet in order to wear the badge. For ADHD there are 18 symptoms divided into 2 groups of 9 each. To qualify to wear the badge, your child must have 6 in each group of 9, as an adult you need to have only 5 in each group.

  Uta Frith courtesy of WikipediaWhat has happened in the Autistic community is that one of the gurus - Uta Frith - has been quoted in the TES magazine saying that the criteria for an diagnosis are too broad.

  Here is the key part of the interview: "... criticized current conceptualization of autism, calling it “too inclusive” and asserting that “the spectrum has widened to the point of collapse.”

  She went on to state her regret about introducing the idea of a spectrum, and her belief that a return to the categorical, more narrowly defined understanding of autism presented by Kanner would be more appropriate.

  Imagine if you miss out on a diagnosis because you only have 4 criteria, instead of the required 5? But where do you draw the line?

 You can read the article here  You can also read about Uta Frith on Wikipedia here She is highly qualified and respected.

  I would be very interested in your responses.