PDD is a term used to describe several developmental conditions, including autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Symptoms include speech delays, repetitive movements, and lack of interest in playing with others. Early intervention is key, and treatment varies based on severity. Vaccinations are not a cause of PDD.
PDD stands for pervasive developmental (or developmental) disorder, and is occasionally a diagnosis, when called PDD-NOS, or is a general term to describe several developmental conditions. These include autism, Asperger’s syndrome, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD). PDD is also sometimes called PDD-NOS, which stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, and this is an actual diagnosis when a child has autism-like symptoms, but may not be autistic.
There are many symptoms that can be associated with PDD and these can be present in greater or lesser amounts. They usually begin to emerge when children are about three years old, but it may take them some time to fully manifest and a few years to fully identify. Sometimes the symptoms are relatively mild and go unnoticed by the parents. Some of the key things to look for include:
No eye contact
Speech delays or complete lack of understanding or use of language
Repetitive movements
No interest in playing or interacting with others
Loss or delays in developmental milestones
No concern for the environment
When these behaviors are constant they suggest PDD and parents should have a child tested for it. Most conditions that fall into this category, especially autism and Asperger’s, benefit from early intervention. Depending on the degree of these conditions, a child can suffer from minor to major disability, but early intervention has been shown to have the potential to increase function and the ability to pursue a normal life. Some of these conditions like Rett and CDD may not be treated easily, but understanding the cause of a child’s behavior and other symptoms can make treatment much easier and bring more comfort to the child.
How PDD is treated, and how functional a child with it will be, really depends on the severity of the underlying causes and the ability to implement successful interventions. These might include medications to stop self-harming behavior, speech therapy, behavior modification programs, and others. Every child really needs a program designed for him or her.
Depending on the degree to which a child has PDD, he or she may need a specialized education or may be able to attend mainstream schooling with some support. Some children with this condition are highly functional and are able to overcome their difficulties and obtain a college education. This is highly variable and not always predictable.
Parents of children with pervasive developmental disorder may feel that the condition was their fault. Research doesn’t yet point to a cause, but it’s not the parents’ fault. There are many parents who believe that vaccinating children puts them at greater risk for these developmental disorders. The medical community disputes this, and most children are considered to be at much greater risk of developing diseases against which they would normally be vaccinated, when parents choose not to vaccinate.
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