Search

All currently accepted definitions of autism include three main criteria which have to be met for a diagnosis to be made. These are: disturbance of reciprocal social interaction, disturbance of communication and restriction of normal variation in behaviour and interests. The criteria used in the ICD-10 include all these domains. On the other hand, the number of mentally handicapping conditions and brain damage syndromes show the same triad of symptoms. Many of patients actually fulfill all currently accepted criteria for autism, but, for some reason do not receive the diagnosis. We analysed retrospectively the clinical picture of all children hospitalised in Department of Child Psychiatry in the last 10 years before the introduction of ICD-10 in Poland (1986-1996) and diagnosed as having autism, autistic traits or features. The group consist of 19 children (0.8% of all children hospitalised in that time). 4 of them had been diagnosed as having autism, 4 as having features of autism and 11 as having autistic traits. Additional diagnoses were: organic brain damage in 2 children, carnitine deficiency and cerebral palsy in 1 child and minimal brain dysfunction in 3 cases. Despite of the diagnosis all children met current ICD-10 criteria for autism or atypical autism, according to age of onset. There were no significant differences in constellation of symptoms included in ICD-10 between groups divided according to the past diagnosis.