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	IT&#39;S the &quot;eccentric&quot; condition that many believe afflicted WB Yeats, Samuel Beckett and Albert Einstein.</p>
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	But now the term Asperger&#39;s Syndrome, a mild form of autism, has been dropped, leaving around 15,000 people in Ireland in limbo. Many parents now fear their children will not get the help they need.</p>
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	This is because the most widely used diagnostic bible by psychiatrists worldwide when assessing children with possible symptoms of autism (the DSM-5) was revised in May and no longer recognises Asperger&#39;s as a separate category.</p>
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	Dr Carmel O&#39;Sullivan, head of the School of Education in Trinity College, said it now came under an umbrella diagnosis of &quot;autism spectrum disorder&quot;. She has organised an international conference in Trinity College Dublin on Friday and Saturday, questioning the changes.</p>
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	&quot;Children with Asperger&#39;s have problems with social interaction and behaviour which can pose serious challenges for them functioning in society,&quot; she said.</p>
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	Sean Leaney, from Glasnevin, Dublin, was diagnosed with Asperger&#39;s when he was nine and is now studying chemical and pharma science in Dublin City University. It was thanks to his diagnosis that Sean got a special-needs assistant at Scoil Chaitriona to assist his schooling.</p>
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	Sean believes there is a very low awareness among people about the dropping of Asperger&#39;s and hopes the conference, involving leading experts from the US, will highlight the issue.</p>
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	<em>More details on the conference are available at (01) 87800297 or challengingdsm5.org.</em></p>
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	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/parents-in-limbo-after-redefining-of-aspergers-29724032.html">http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/parents-in-limbo-after-redefining-of-aspergers-29724032.html</a></p>
