PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS The 5 “official” types According to DSM-IV

WHAT ARE PDDs? A group of disorders categorized by impairments in: Verbal and non-verbal communication Social Interaction Imaginative or creative play PDDs are often referred to as a “spectrum” of disorders ranging in severity

AUTISTIC DISORDER  Impairment in social interactions (no eye-to-eye gaze, inappropriate facial expressions, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of spontaneous seeking to share, lack of social/emotional reciprocity)  Impairments in communication (delay or total lack of spoken language, inability to initiate/sustain communication, repetitive or idiosyncratic language)  Repetitive/stereotyped patterns of behavior (motor movements, nonfunctional routines, preoccupation with objects or parts of objects)  Prior to age 3, abnormal functioning in at least one of the following: social interaction, language, symbolic or imaginative play

ASPERGER’S SYNDROME  Similar to Autistic Disorder, with the exception of Communication difficulties (can speak very well). Though language develops normally, communication is still impaired by other issues  Impaired ability to utilize social cues, such as body language, irony, sarcasm  Restricted eye contact  Limited range of encyclopedic interests  Perseverative, odd behaviors  Concrete thinking  Over sensitivity to certain stimuli

PDD-NOS  Pervasive Developmental Disability Not Otherwise Specified  Used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction but for whatever reason, do not meet criteria for other types  Could be late age of onset, atypical symptoms, subthreshold presentation of symptoms

RETT’S DISORDER All of the following must be present: Apparently normal prenatal development Apparently normal psychomotor development for first 5 months Normal head circumference at birth Deceleration of head growth between 5-48 months Loss of previously acquired purposeful hand skills between 5-30 months, plus the development of stereotyped hand movements Loss of social engagement Poorly coordinated gait or trunk movements Severely impaired expressive and receptive language

CHILDHOOD DISINTEGRATIVE DISORDER (CDD)  Apparently normal development for at least the first 2 years  Clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills before age 10 in at least two of the following: expressive or receptive language, social skills or adaptive behavior, bowel or bladder control, play, motor skills  Abnormalities of functioning in at least 2 of the following areas: impairment in social interaction (failure to develop relationships), impairments in communication (inability to maintain or initiate a conversation, lack of make-believe play, repetitive use of language), restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior or interests  Not better accounted for by another PDD or schizophrenia