Pervasive developmental disorder

Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:DiseaseDisorder infobox

WikiDoc Resources for Pervasive developmental disorder

Articles

Most recent articles on Pervasive developmental disorder

Most cited articles on Pervasive developmental disorder

Review articles on Pervasive developmental disorder

Articles on Pervasive developmental disorder in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Pervasive developmental disorder

Images of Pervasive developmental disorder

Photos of Pervasive developmental disorder

Podcasts & MP3s on Pervasive developmental disorder

Videos on Pervasive developmental disorder

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Pervasive developmental disorder

Bandolier on Pervasive developmental disorder

TRIP on Pervasive developmental disorder

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Pervasive developmental disorder at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Pervasive developmental disorder

Clinical Trials on Pervasive developmental disorder at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Pervasive developmental disorder

NICE Guidance on Pervasive developmental disorder

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Pervasive developmental disorder

CDC on Pervasive developmental disorder

Books

Books on Pervasive developmental disorder

News

Pervasive developmental disorder in the news

Be alerted to news on Pervasive developmental disorder

News trends on Pervasive developmental disorder

Commentary

Blogs on Pervasive developmental disorder

Definitions

Definitions of Pervasive developmental disorder

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Pervasive developmental disorder

Discussion groups on Pervasive developmental disorder

Patient Handouts on Pervasive developmental disorder

Directions to Hospitals Treating Pervasive developmental disorder

Risk calculators and risk factors for Pervasive developmental disorder

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Pervasive developmental disorder

Causes & Risk Factors for Pervasive developmental disorder

Diagnostic studies for Pervasive developmental disorder

Treatment of Pervasive developmental disorder

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Pervasive developmental disorder

International

Pervasive developmental disorder en Espanol

Pervasive developmental disorder en Francais

Business

Pervasive developmental disorder in the Marketplace

Patents on Pervasive developmental disorder

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Pervasive developmental disorder

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

The diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), as opposed to specific developmental disorders (SDD), refers to a group of five disorders characterized by delays in the development of multiple basic functions including socialization and communication. The most commonly known PDD is (1) Autism, with the remaining identified as (2) Rett syndrome, (3) Childhood disintegrative disorder, (4) Asperger syndrome, and (5) Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (or PDD-NOS).[1]

Parents may note symptoms of PDD as early as infancy and typically onset is prior to 3 years of age. PDD itself generally does not affect life expectancy.

There is a division among doctors on the use of the term PDD.[1] Many use the term PDD as a short way of saying PDDNOS.[1] Others use the general category label of PDD because they are hesitant to diagnose very young children with a specific type of PDD, such as autism.[1] Both approaches contribute to confusion about the term, because the term PDD actually refers to a category of disorders and is not a diagnostic label.[1]

PDD-NOS and terminology

PDD-NOS is often incorrectly referred to as simply “PDD.” The term PDD refers to the class of conditions to which Autism belongs. PDD is not itself a diagnosis, while PDD-NOS is a diagnosis. To further complicate the issue, PDD-NOS can also be referred to as “atypical personality development,” “atypical PDD,” or “atypical Autism”.

Symptoms

Symptoms of PDD may include communication problems such as:

  • Difficulty using and understanding language
  • Difficulty relating to people, objects, and events
  • Unusual play with toys and other objects
  • Difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings
  • Repetitive body movements or behavior patterns

Types and degrees

Autism, a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, and limited range of activities and interests, is the most characteristic and best studied PDD. Other types of PDD include Asperger's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome, and PDD not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).

Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident as well. Unusual responses to sensory information – loud noises, lights – are also common.

Diagnosis

In early childhood

Some clinicians use PDD-NOS as a "temporary" diagnosis for children under the age of 5, when for whatever reason there is a reluctance to diagnose autism. There are several justifications for this: very young children have limited social interaction and communication skills to begin with, therefore it can be tricky to diagnose milder cases of autism in toddlerhood. The unspoken assumption is that by the age of 5, unusual behaviors will either resolve or develop into diagnosable autism. However, some parents view the PDD label as no more than a euphemism for autism spectrum disorders, problematic because this label makes it more difficult to receive aid for Early Childhood Intervention.

Cure and care

There is no known cure for PDD. Medications are used to address certain behavioral problems; therapy for children with PDD should be specialized according to the child's specific needs.

Some children with PDD benefit from specialized classrooms in which the class size is small and instruction is given on a one-to-one basis. Others function well in standard special education classes or regular classes with support. Early intervention, including appropriate and specialized educational programs and support services play a critical role in improving the outcome of individuals with PDD. PDD is very commonly found in individuals and especially in children with the range of 2 to 5 years of age. These signs can be easily detected within the classroom settings, home, etc.

See also

References

Further reading

  • Volkmar FR (ed) (2007). Autism and pervasive developmental disorders (2nd ed ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521549574.

External links

Template:Pervasive developmental disorders

Template:SIB

de:Tiefgreifende Entwicklungsstörung he:הפרעה התפתחותית נרחבת nl:Pervasieve ontwikkelingsstoornis sv:Autismspektrumstörning Template:WH Template:WS