Autism and
pervasive developmental disorders sourcebook; basic consumer health information about autism spectrum disorders (ASD) including autistic disorder, asperger syndrome, rett syndrome..., 2d ed.
The DSM IV incorporates five diagnoses under
pervasive developmental disorders: autism, Rett's disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), Asperger's disorder (ASP) and
pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).
Today, prevalence estimates are 20 per 10,000 for autism and about 60 per 10,000 for
pervasive developmental disorders. This is not a trivial difference, but I do not believe that the change represents a rise in new cases--a requirement for an epidemic.
Of the 58 (34%) children flagged by the test, 39 had autism or another
pervasive developmental disorder, and the remainder had some type of developmental disorder, such as mental retardation.
Q My five-year-old son was diagnosed about two years ago with
pervasive developmental disorder. He did fairly well in a developmental preschool.
and Director of Pinnacle Academy, states, “Art provides an outlet for children and adolescents who are living with a spectrum condition, including autism, Asperger's syndrome, anxiety, attention-deficit-disorder, non-verbal learning disorder, or
pervasive developmental disorder. Art class offers a creative process, which teaches imagination & abstract thinking, sensory processing, self expression, fine motor skills, and leisure skills.”
A smaller number of children will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders or
pervasive developmental disorder. An even smaller number of children are able to close the gap, emerging with specific learning disorders.
Other differential diagnoses to consider when evaluating delayed speech include disorders of input, including hearing impairment and environmental deprivation, and other disorders of CNS processing, like mental retardation,
pervasive developmental disorder, and developmental language disorder.
Autism is a
Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD).
A total of 31 children being assessed for an initial diagnosis of
pervasive developmental disorder made up the clinical sample assessed by physicians or psychologists.
The most frequent neurobehavioral disorders were
pervasive developmental disorder (8%), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (7.5%), loss of self-esteem (9%), and self-induction of seizures (7%).
Sandler's trial included 56 patients diagnosed with autism or with
pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified; 16 variables were measured through the use of standardized behavioral assessment tools.