Aspergers Disease, Autism and Information on Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

PDD or Pervasive Developmental Disorders is a category for diagnostics which refers to five disorder groups that are characterized by developmental delays in basic multiple functions which include communication and socialization which are referred to traditionally as autism.

Some parents are able to note some symptoms of Pervasive Developmental Disorders in as early as when their child is an infant before the age of three. Keep in mind that PDD does has no effect on life expectancies. Included in pervasive developmental disorder categories are:

• Rett syndrome
• Asperger syndrome
• Autism
• PDD-NOS which are pervasive development disorders not otherwise specified which include atypical autism
• CDD or childhood disintegrative disorder

Here is some information on two of the PDD’s, namely Aspergers and Autism

Aspergers:

1. What is Aspergers Disease?

A kind of pervasive developmental disorder, Aspergers syndrome is characterized by restricted interests, behavioral patterns which are repetitive and persistency in social action impairments. Unlike autism disorders, there are no delays which occur in the development of language or cognition. Aspergers is evident in kids who are older than the age of three and occur more pervasively in boys than in girls.

2. Pediatrician Hans Aspergers

Aspergers was named after Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger who wrote more than three hundred publications regarding autism in children. Asperger’s first definition of the syndrome was published for the first time in 1944, when he identified a behavior pattern and a group of abilities he named ‘autistic psychopathy.’

3. Common Aspergers Disease Symptoms

Common Aspergers disease symptoms in children include the exhibition of limited capacities of social interacting which is spontaneous and the limited number of interests which are usually very focused. An Asperger syndrome child are usually called ‘odd’ or teased in school for not fitting in.

Even if there are some Aspergers individuals who have specific problems in communication, most have great verbal and cognition skills. Early physical symptoms include childhood delays in motor skills, difficulty with fine motor skills, clumsiness, odd movements and gait abnormalities. 

Autism:

1. Autism Spectrum Disorders

Also called autism spectrum conditions or autistic spectrum disorders, an autistic spectrum disorder is one spectrum of conditions which are psychological and characterized by lacked communication skills, abnormal social connections and interactions that are widespread as well as repetitive behavior and restricted interests.

2. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule is the tool used for assessing and diagnosing autism. Created in 1989 by Susan Risi PhD, Pamela DiLavore PhD, Michael Rutter M.D and Catherine Lord, PhD, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule consists of semi-structured tasks.

These are tasks that were structured and include social interactions between the subject and the examiner. Abbreviated to ADOS, this tool takes between thirty and sixty minutes to complete.

This literally means ‘self personality disease.’ The pattern he found in all four boys included having no empathy, one sided conversations, no or minimal abilities in friendship-forming, clumsy movements and focused absorption in specific interests.

3. Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale

Also known as GADS, the Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale is an instrument used for diagnosing Aspergers syndrome. It is basically a behavior rating scale which can be utilized by either professionals or individuals and is used commonly by school psychologists.

This diagnostic tool is comprised of thirty-two diagnostic characteristics which are divided into 4 different subscales. The subscales are: pragmatic skills, cognitive patters, restricted patterns of behavior and social interaction.

You can also add ‘early development’ as an option to the subscale. Each subscore rating is combined by a summation which is simple to form a score called an ‘Asperger’s Disorder Quotient.’

4. Childhood Autism Rating Scale

Also known as CARS, the Childhood Autism Rating Scaleis a rate scale for behavior for the intention of helping in creating a diagnoses if autism. Developed by Barbara Rochen Renner, Robert J Reichier and Eric Schopler, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale is designed to help make the differentiation of autistic children from other children with delays in development, such as mental retardation.

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