Autism and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Exploring the Dimensional View

1998 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 589-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail Myhr

Objective: To examine empirical data on children with autistic disorder (AD), Asperger's disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) for continuities or distinguishing features between disorders and to see to what extent the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) diagnostic criteria reflect observed data. Method: Studies were identified in 4 ways. 1) A Medline search from 1976 to the present of articles with the key words autism, pervasive developmental disorder, autistic spectrum disorder, and Asperger; of these articles, those with mesh headings or textwords “cluster,” which identified cluster analyses deriving pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) subtypes, were retained. 2) The Journal of Autistic and Developmental Disorders from 1990 to the present was hand-searched to identify other empirically derived studies on diagnosis, prevalence, classification, and validity of PDD subtypes. 3) Key review articles were searched for their references. 4) The references of all identified articles were searched. Results: Eight cluster studies were retained for their relevance to diagnostic issues, as were 7 empirically derived studies delineating clinical characteristics of children with AD, Asperger's syndrome, or PDD-NOS. Data suggest that children with PDD may fit into 1 of 2 overlapping groups, including a lower-functioning group with greater developmental compromise, social aloofness, and a greater number of autistic symptoms and a higher-functioning group with higher IQ, fewer autistic symptoms, and more prosocial behaviour. The PDD subtypes resemble each other and can be seen as existing on a continuum, differing only by degree of impairment. Conclusion: Children exhibiting the triad of autistic impairments can be seen as suffering from disorders on a PDD continuum. While the DSM-IV does identify a lower-functioning autistic group (AD), the higher-functioning group is less well served. Asperger's disorder as defined in the DSM-IV is not clearly distinguishable from AD and PDD-NOS, and the PDD-NOS subcategory is not operationalized. Further research is required to elaborate criteria for the higher-functioning PDD group, and measures related to etiology, outcome, and treatment response may help determine which diagnostic criteria can meaningfully separate one disorder from another.

2022 ◽  
pp. 448-471
Author(s):  
Duygu Çelik Ertuğrul ◽  
Atilla Elçi

Individuals with pervasive developmental disorders should be supported with special education programs that are planned according to the type and degree of the disorder, age, characteristics, and needs of the individual. Search over internet resources may provide suitable educational material and methods (and associated activity/game). However, syntactic search in today's static-based internet is insufficient to offer desired relevant results. An intelligent system able to identify the needed educational methods and material with the help of semantic web-based agents will not only contribute to the development of individuals with disorders, and support education specialists in this process, but also be extremely useful for the families of these individuals in assisting and monitoring their child's developmental progress. In this chapter, an agent-based educational activity suggestion system of children with pervasive developmental disorder for guiding education and training staff activities is proposed.


1985 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 236-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry Burd ◽  
Jacob Kerbeshian ◽  
Wayne Fisher

Hyperlexia is a condition occurring in a group of children who traditionally have been described as having word-recognition reading skills which far exceed their other language and cognitive abilities. The incidence of this particular skill in a group of children with pervasive developmental disorders had not previously been documented. In the state of North Dakota 68 children who meet DSM-III criteria for pervasive developmental disorders (including autism) have been identified. Four of these children show hyperlexia. This computes to a prevalence rate of 6.6% of school-aged children with pervasive developmental disorders.


2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1339-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. LAURITSEN ◽  
C. B. PEDERSEN ◽  
P. B. MORTENSEN

Background. Based on prevalence studies and the few incidence studies of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) the prevalence and incidence of these disorders have been claimed to be increasing.Method. The annual and age-specific prevalence and incidence rates of childhood autism, atypical autism, Asperger's disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) in Denmark during the period 1971–2000 in children younger than 10 years were estimated using data from the Danish Psychiatric Central Register.Results. A total of 2·4 million children younger than 10 years were followed and 2061 cases with the PDDs studied were identified. Generally, the prevalence and incidence rates of the PDDs studied were stable until the early 1990s after which an increase in the occurrence of all disorders was seen, until 2000. The annual incidence rate per 10000 children younger than 10 years was 2·0 for childhood autism, 0·7 for atypical autism, 1·4 for Asperger's disorder, and 3·0 for PDD-NOS in 2000. We calculated a ‘corrected’ prevalence of childhood autism at 11·8, atypical autism at 3·3, Asperger's disorder at 4·7, and PDD-NOS at 14·6 per 10000 children younger than 10 years on 1 January 1 2001.Conclusions. We found that the estimated prevalences of the PDDs studied were probably underestimated. Furthermore, the increasing prevalence and incidence rates during the 1990s may well be explained by changes in the registration procedures and more awareness of the disorders, although a true increase in the incidence cannot be ruled out.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Aamir Jalal Al Mosawi ◽  

Background: Pervasive developmental disorders include five chronic disorders marked by early impairment in socialization, communication and behavior. Little is known about the types of pervasive developmental disorders in Iraq. This is a retrospective clinical study aiming at determining the types of pervasive developmental disorders in Iraqi children observed at the pediatric psychiatry clinic in a tertiary pediatric referral center. Patients and methods: During nine months period (November 18th, 2018 to July 18th, 2019), fifty one patients with a diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders (30 males and 21 females) were observed at the psychiatry clinic at the Children Teaching Hospital of Baghdad Medical City. Their ages ranged from two and half years to twelve years. Results: Thirty two (17 males and 15 females) patients had autism without significant mental retardation as indicated by adequate urine and bowel control and self care skills particularly spoon feeding. Thirteen patients were considered to have atypical autism or Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (10 boys and 3 girls), in eleven of them, the disorder was considered atypical because of the lack of adequate urine and bowel control and self care skills particularly appropriate spoon feeding indicating significant degree of mental retardation. In one patient, his condition was considered a typical because of the presence of an acceptable eye contact and response appropriately to name in most instances. Three patients had Asperger syndrome including two girls and one boy. Two boys had childhood disintegrative disorder (Heller syndrome), one of them have changes on brain MRI suggestive of cerebral vasculitis. One girl had Rett syndrome and her case and early treatment was published. Conclusion: In this series, typical autism without significant mental retardation accounted for 63%. Atypical autism (Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise) was the second most common type of Pervasive developmental disorders accounting for about 25%. Asperger syndrome accounted for only 6% of the cases in this series


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