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| #Post#: 18-------------------------------------------------- | |
| What is a Pervasive Developmental Disorde? | |
| By: BMHC Date: December 27, 2013, 11:14 pm | |
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| Prepared by: | |
| Office of Communications and Public Liaison | |
| National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke | |
| National Institutes of Health | |
| Bethesda, MD 20892 | |
| NINDS health-related material is provided for information | |
| purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by | |
| or an official position of the National Institute of | |
| Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. | |
| Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should | |
| be obtained through consultation with a physician who has | |
| examined that patient or is familiar with that patient's medical | |
| history. | |
| All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may | |
| be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated. | |
| Last updated November 6, 2013 | |
| URL of this page: | |
| http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pdd/pdd.htm | |
| http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pdd/pdd.htm | |
| [quote] | |
| What are Pervasive Developmental Disorders? | |
| The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders | |
| (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in | |
| the development of socialization and communication skills. | |
| Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the | |
| typical age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may | |
| include problems with 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, and repetitive body movements or | |
| behavior patterns. Autism (a developmental brain disorder | |
| characterized by impaired social interaction and communication | |
| skills, and a 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, | |
| and Rett's Syndrome. 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. Unusual | |
| responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and | |
| lights, are also common. | |
| Is there any treatment? | |
| There is no known cure for PDD. Medications are used to address | |
| specific behavioral problems; therapy for children with PDD | |
| should be specialized according to need. 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 additional support. | |
| What is the prognosis? | |
| Early intervention including appropriate and specialized | |
| educational programs and support services plays a critical role | |
| in improving the outcome of individuals with PDD. PDD is not | |
| fatal and does not affect normal life expectancy. | |
| What research is being done? | |
| [/quote] | |
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