0 Pervasive developmental disorders are grouped under the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in DSM S.
Disorders covered by this diagnosis:
• Autistic disorder
• Asperger's syndrome
• Childhood disintegrative disorder
• Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
Common features of these tables:
• Limitation in social communication and interaction.
• Limited, stereotyped and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities.
Autistic Disorder
• Approximately 70% of autistic individuals have mental retardation and mental retardation is the most common comorbid condition.
• High-functioning autism is defined for those with an intelligence quotient (IQ) higher than 70-85 points, and low-functioning autism is defined for those with a lower intelligence quotient.
Clinical Features
They can be noticed around the age of two.
All children with autism have a disorder in showing interest in their parents or other people and in establishing interpersonal intimacy.
In infancy, many of these children do not have social smiles.
Abnormal eye contact is a common finding. They have peripheral (peripheral) gaze instead of looking directly at objects.
It has been reported that a child with autism does not have attachment behavior and that personal attachment is impaired.
Children with autism often seem unable to recognize or distinguish the most important people in their lives—mothers, fathers, teachers.
They may not show separation anxiety when they are alone with people they do not know in a foreign environment.
They do not imitate the behavior of others, they do not use means of communication such as showing, giving and sharing objects.
Qualitative deterioration in communication: Major deficiencies and deviations in language development are among the important criteria for the diagnosis of autistic disorder. Failure to start speaking is the most common reason for admission in preschool children.
It can be seen that some high-functioning autistic children are fascinated by numbers and numbers and learn to read on their own (hyperlexia) in preschool.
However, these children read without understanding.
Limited, stereotyped, and repetitive patterns in behavior, interests, and activities: Children with autism often spin around, can flap their hands in a flapping fashion, walk on tiptoe, turn objects around, knock on the floor, or line up.
Asperger's Syndrome
• Unlike autistic disorder, there is no delay in language development and cognitive development.
• Intelligence is usually normal.
• Due to their difficulties in relating to others, they often appear insensitive, formal, and indifferent to others' emotions. As in other autistic spectrum disorders, prosopagnosia is one of the symptoms in Asperger's disorder.
• The use of language in children with Asperger's disorder is likened to "one-way traffic". Such children can talk non-stop.
• For example, the child with Asperger's disorder may try to relate to others by hugging or screaming; then he may be surprised by their response.
• Their conversations are usually about their favorite topics of interest.
• They often do not look at whether the listener is interested or following the topic. They are disinterested in the other person's attempts to interrupt and comment or change the subject.
Childhood Disability Disorder
• Age of onset is the key defining feature for DDB.
• It accepts the 2-year normal development requirement as a criterion for its diagnosis.
• DDD presents symptoms indistinguishable from classical autism.
• It differs markedly from classical autism with marked regression in acquired skills.
• The most striking finding is communication disorder.
• Most show severe and severe mental retardation.