New here and need support! | Autism PDD

The DSM IV criteria for the autistic disorders

The full diagnostic criteria for the pervasive developmental disorders are outlined below. As mentioned above, the diagnostic criteria for the autistic (PDD) disorders are defined by the DSM IV criteria.

1. Childhood autism
   1. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):
      1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
         1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction.
         2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
         3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
         4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity
      2. Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:
         1. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
         2. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
         3. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
         4. lack of varied spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level
      3. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least of one of the following:
         1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
         2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
         3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole body movements)
         4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
   2. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.
   3. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's disorder or childhood disintegrative disorder.

2. Asperger's syndrome
   1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
      1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
      2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
      3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
      4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity

   2. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least of one of the following:
      1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
      2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
      3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole body movements)
      4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

   3. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
   4. There is no clinically significant delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).
   5. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.
   6. Criteria are not met for another specific pervasive developmental disorder or schizophrenia.

3. Rett's disorder
   1. All of the following:
      1. apparently normal prenatal and perinatal development
      2. apparently normal psychomotor development through the first five months after birth
      3. normal head circumference at birth
   2. Onset of all of the following after the period of normal development:
      1. deceleration of head growth between ages 5 and 48 months
      2. loss of previously acquired purposeful hand skills between ages 5 and 30 months with the subsequent development of stereotyped hand movements (e.g., handwringing or handwashing)
      3. loss of social engagement early in the course (although often social interaction develops later)
      4. appearance of poorly coordinated gait or trunk movements
      5. severely impaired expressive and receptive language development with severe psychomotor retardation

4. Childhood disintegrative disorder
   1. Apparently normal development for at least the first two years after birth as manifested by the presence of age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior
   2. Clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills (before age 10 years) in at least two of the following areas:
      1. expressive or receptive language
      2. social skills or adaptive behavior
      3. bowel or bladder control
      4. play
      5. motor skills
   3. Abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas:
      1. qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity)
      2. qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe play)
      3. restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, including motor stereotypies and mannerisms)
   4. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another specific pervasive developmental disorder or by schizophrenia.

5. PDD NOS
   This category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present but the criteria are not met for a specific pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder, or avoidant personality disorder. For example, this category includes "atypical autism" – presentations that do not meet the criteria for autistic disorder because of late age at onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these

Hi

My name is Marie and my son Anthony just turned 5 in April. He is speech delayed, developmental delay disorder, dyspraxia, anixiety and major senssory integration dysfunction. And the last few months he has been having behavoir issues. Lots of tantrums and he gets so mad and frustrated all the time. He is hypersensitive to certain voices and sounds. Freaks out about the loud speaker at school, or the stores, train stations, etc.. Even is someone says anything negative to him or someone near him, my son will have a fit and get angry and bite me or scratch me. He is not potty trained. He HATES to poop on the potty. He will have a major fit about going to poop.  He is seeing and OT and a behavior therapist. Both his therapist think he has PDD/NOS and his special ed teacher says no way.  His teacher says he has good eye contact and is social and does not stare into space?? So can someone tell me what the symptons of a PDD child is?? From the bit that I wrote so far does it sound like it? We saw a few doctor and they so no and we are seeing another one this month who says maybe? We saw her quickly in April. My son does not play with toys the right way,can not play with kids the right way, would rather toss the toys all over the place. he has poor muscle tone also. I am just rambling on here since I don't know how much room I have, but I REALLY need other people to talk with. I feel sooo lonely. Anthony pretends he is a loud speaker quite often and loves elevators and stairs. Talks about them alot.    My days are sooo very hard with him. My hair is getting gray!! I don't know how much more I can handle all these major fits and all the other things. I try so hard, but I can't seem to do it anymore. My daughter is 8 and I feel like all she sees is her little brother getting in trouble all the time.   Any support would be great and I am posting my e-mail address if anyone would like to talk. I just feel like I am stuck in pause and nothing is helping him and he is getting worse and worse. 

Marie   (marielyn@optonline.net)

Mom to Melissa 8 and Anthony 5