Childhood Disabilities & Disorders
- When to Seek Therapy
- Disabilities & Disorders
- ADHD/ADD
- Anxiety Disorders
- Apraxia of Speech, Childhood
- Articulation Disorders
- Asperger's Syndrome
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Birth Injuries
- Central Auditory Processing Disorder
- Cerebral Palsy
- Clubfoot
- Conduct Disorder
- Down Syndrome
- Elimination disorders (enuresis and encopresis)
- Failure to thrive/feeding disorder
- Fine and Gross Motor Delays
- Fluency/Stuttering
- Fracture
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Gait abnormalities
- Global Developmental Delay
- Hip dysplasia
- Language Delays
- Learning Disabilities
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
- Mental Retardation
- Mood Disorders
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
- Oral Motor Disorders
- Orthopedic conditions
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Pica
- Reactive attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood
- Reading Disorders
- Scoliosis
- Selective Mutism
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Tic disorders
- Torticollis (Wry Neck)
- Additional Resources
Pervasive Developmental Disorder
Pervasive developmental disorders are five disorders characterized by delays in the development of multiple basic functions, including communication, motor behaviors, language and socialization. Other characteristics include repetitive and unusual play skills, unusual responses to sensory information, such as lights and loud noises, and difficulty with changes in routine.
The five disorders are:
1. Autism
2. Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
3. Asperger syndrome
4. Rett syndrome
5. Childhood disintegrative disorder
The first three disorders are the most common, and are generally referred to as autism spectrum disorders; while the last two are seen much less often.
Diagnosis is typically done during early childhood. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy; though onset is usually before the child turns three years old. At the higher-functioning end of the spectrum, particularly in the cases of Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS, diagnosis is often much later, occurring in late childhood, adolescence or even adulthood.
Early intervention is important in order to improve pervasive developmental disorders. This includes tailored therapy, specialized educational programs and support services.
