The new draft of the manual for diagnosing mental disorders arrived this week and its changes to the definition of autism and other disorders could affect the early learning world.

For example, the draft would drop the Asperger’s diagnosis and wrap it into an autism spectrum disorder, media outlets are reporting. This revamped diagnosis would cover a range of symptoms for a disorder that is already defined by a wide range of behaviors.

While doctors, experts and advocates are still digesting all of the changes, there already are thoughts about what will happen now. Darrel Regier, vice-chair of the DSM-5 (the manual) task force, suggested it could lower the number of people who are diagnosed with autism, according to USA Today. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 1 in 91 children are diagnosed with the disorder.

Meanwhile, noted autism author Roy Grinker thinks the changes could help.

The change is welcome, because careful study of people with Asperger’s has demonstrated that the diagnosis is misleading and invalid, and there are clear benefits to understanding autism as one condition that runs along a spectrum.  –Grinker, author of “Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism.” Op-ed, New York Times, 2/9/10.

What does it mean for early learning? It’s too early to tell, but the increasing number of kids diagnosed with mental illnesses, disorders and behavioral issues, often at younger ages, is a big issue for educators. Hopefully, the final version of this manual will offer some clarity.

We will keep track of what these changes mean and report developments here.

Don’t Waste Obama’s Budget: Amid budget cuts, President Barack Obama created the opportunity for a major investment in early learning in his fiscal 2011 budget. National Institute for Early Education co-director Steven Barnett writes we shouldn’t waste this chance in “Rx for President Obama’s Early Learning Budget: Tie it Firmly to Education Reform.”

Check it out.