Pervasive developmental disorder

"PDD" redirects here. For other uses, see PDD (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with PDD-NOS.

Pervasive developmental disorder
Specialty	Psychiatry, pediatrics, clinical psychology, psychomotor education

The diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to delays in the development of multiple basic functions including socialization and communication. Today, it is more commonly referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). PDD can usually be dependably identified by the age of 3 years, and in some cases as early as 18 months.¹ PDD itself does not affect life expectancy.

The term for this group of five disorders was introduced by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980.

A related category is "specific developmental disorders" (SDD).

==Classification The pervasive developmental disorders are:

• Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), which includes atypical autism (or is also called atypical autism), and is the most common;
• Autism, the best-known;
• Asperger syndrome;
• Rett syndrome; and
• Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD).

The first three of these disorders are commonly called the autism spectrum disorders; the last two disorders are much rarer, and are sometimes placed in the autism spectrum and sometimes not.

PDD and PDD-NOS

There is a division among doctors on the use of the term PDD. Many use the term PDD as a short way of saying PDD-NOS. 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. 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.

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".

Because of the "NOS", which means "not otherwise specified", it is hard to describe what PDD-NOS is, other than its being an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some people diagnosed with PDD-NOS are close to having Asperger syndrome, but do not quite fit. Others have near full fledged autism, but without some of its symptoms. The psychology field is considering creating several subclasses within PDD-NOS.

Symptoms

Symptoms of PDD may include communication problems such as:

• Difficulty using and understanding language
• Difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; for example, lack of eye contact, pointing behavior, and lack of facial responses
• Unusual play with toys and other objects
• Difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings
• Repetitive body movements or behavior patterns, such as hand flapping, hair twirling, foot tapping, or more complex movements
• Unable to cuddle or be comforted

==DegreesChildren 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

Diagnosis is usually done during early childhood. Some clinicians use PDD-NOS as a "temporary" diagnosis for children under the age of five when, for whatever reason, they are reluctant to diagnose autism. There are several justifications for this. Very young children have limited social interaction and communication skills to begin with, so it can be tricky to diagnose milder cases of autism in toddlers. The unspoken assumption is that by the age of five, 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.

See also

• Overactive Disorder Associated with Mental Retardation and Stereotyped Movements
• Specific developmental disorder
• Multiple-complex Developmental Disorder
• Multisystem Developmental Disorder
• Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, a rare and severe neurological disorder which shows developmental regression in infants and toddlers

References

•  This article incorporates public domain material from NINDS Pervasive Developmental Disorders Information Page. National Institutes of Health.

External links

• CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." campaign - Information for parents on early childhood development and developmental disabilities
• NINDS Pervasive Developmental Disorders Information Page
• NICHCY fact sheet on Pervasive Developmental Disorder (note: not in the public domain)
• Information about Pervasive Developmental Disorders Yale Developmental Disabilities Clinic
• http://childstudycenter.yale.edu/autism/pddnos.html