The diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), as opposed to specific developmental disorders (SDD), refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of multiple basic functions including socialization and communication. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy and typically onset is prior to 3 years of age. PDD is not fatal and does not affect normal life expectancy. Although a person with such a disorder can be emotionaly more unstable, and can feel that it must take its own life at one point. (Although this is not common) The following codes are used with International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. ... The following is a list of codes for International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. ... Specific developmental disorders categorizes specific learning disabilities and developmental disorders affecting coordination. ... Disorder may refer to : A disease, in medicine Randomness (lack of order), in information theory This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Socialization in the study of animal and human behavior (ethology, social psychology, and psychology) is the process by which human beings or animals learn to adopt the behavior patterns of the community in which they live. ... Communication is the process of exchanging information usually via a common system of symbols. ...

Symptoms

Symptoms of PDD may include communication problems such as:

• 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). Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. ... Communication skill is the basic trait required in nurturing relationships, building a good business and in every aspect of human interactions. ... Asperger described his patients as little professors. Aspergers syndrome (AS, or the more common shorthand Aspergers), is characterized as one of the five pervasive developmental disorders, and is commonly referred to as a form of high functioning autism. ... Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) is a rare condition characterized by late onset (>3 years of age) of developmental delays in language, social function, and motor skills. ... // Introduction Retts syndrome (Rett syndrome, Retts disorder) is a progressive neurological disorder, one of the leading disorders of mental retardation in females. ... PDD not otherwise specified or PDD-NOS is a pervasive developmental disorder. ...

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 autistic spectrum disorders, which makes it more difficult to receive aid for early intervention. The autistic spectrum, or autism spectrum, is the idea that autism is a developmental and behavioral syndrome that results from certain combinations of traits. ... Early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders can help the child communicate much better with peers and make daily life much easier. ...

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 plays a critical role in improving the outcome of individuals with PDD.

See also

• Autism
• Autistic spectrum
• Asperger's syndrome
• Atypical autism
• Rett syndrome
• Childhood disintegrative disorder
• Overactive disorder associated with mental retardation and stereotyped movements
• PDD not otherwise specified
• Specific developmental disorder
• Multiplex developmental disorder
• Multisystem Developmental Disorder

Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, patterns of interests, and patterns of behavior. ... The autistic spectrum, or autism spectrum, is the idea that autism is a developmental and behavioral syndrome that results from certain combinations of traits. ... Asperger described his patients as little professors. Aspergers syndrome (AS, or the more common shorthand Aspergers), is characterized as one of the five pervasive developmental disorders, and is commonly referred to as a form of high functioning autism. ... // Introduction Retts syndrome (Rett syndrome, Retts disorder) is a progressive neurological disorder, one of the leading disorders of mental retardation in females. ... Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) is a rare condition characterized by late onset (>3 years of age) of developmental delays in language, social function, and motor skills. ... Overactive disorder associated with mental retardation and stereotyped movements is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) in Chapter V(F) of the tenth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10); its diagnostic code is F84. ... PDD not otherwise specified or PDD-NOS is a pervasive developmental disorder. ... Specific developmental disorders categorizes specific learning disabilities and developmental disorders affecting coordination. ... Multisystem Developmental Disorder, also known as MSDD, is a term coined by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, to diagnose children under the age of 3 who exhibit signs of impaired communication, and/or impaired social skills. ...

Reference

• The ADHD-Autism Connection: A Step toward more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. By Diane M. Kennedy. ISBN 1578564980 – The aim of this book is to explore the similarities that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shares with a spectrum of disorders currently known as pervasive developmental disorders.

External links

• NINDS Pervasive Developmental Disorders Information Page
• Dr. Bernard Rimland: Plain talk about PDD and the Diagnosis of Autism
• Autism and Computing They argue that the central feature of Autism is attention-tunnelling, monotropism.
• NICHCY fact sheet on Pervasive Developmental Disorder (note: not in the public domain)
• Information about Pervasive Developmental Disorders Yale Developmental Disabilities Clinic
• Nettle, D. Schizotypy and mental health amongst poets, visual artists and mathematicians Comparison of cognitive skills in persons with schizotypal or autistic traits

Note: An earlier version of this article included text from the public domain source "NINDS Pervasive Developmental Disorders Information Page" at [1]