PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Child Development Disorders, Pervasive”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Clumsiness in autism and Asperger syndrome: a further report.

Clumsiness has been proposed as a diagnostic feature of Asperger syndrome (AS), a type of pervasive developmental disorder recently introduced in the ICD-10 and DSM-IV. However, the extent to which this symptom is specific to AS is not clear. To investigate this issue, we compared a sample of AS children with age- and sex-matched groups of children with autistic disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS). Twelve subjects with AS (ICD-10/DSM-IV; 11 males; average age 11.4 years; mean full-scale IQ 104.9) were compared with 12 subjects with autistic disorder (DSM-III-R; II males; average age 10.3 years; mean full-scale IQ 78.4) and 12 subjects with PDDNOS (DSM-III-R; 10 males; average age 10.1 years; mean full-scale IQ 78.2). The BruininksOseretsky test, a standardized test of motor coordination, was administered blind by the same investigator to all the three groups. While coordination deficits were found in all three groups, children with AS were found to be less impaired than those with autistic disorder and PDDNOS. However, no significant relationship was found between coordination scores and diagnosis after adjusting for the level of intelligence. These findings suggest that some patients with AS may be less clumsy than those with autistic disorder and that this difference may be the result of their higher level of intelligence. Studies based on larger samples using multiple measures of coordination are needed to further clarify the role of clumsiness in the classification of pervasive developmental disorders.

Adolescent↗

Platelet serotonin levels in pervasive developmental disorders and mental retardation: diagnostic group differences, within-group distribution, and behavioral correlates.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate group differences, the within-group distributions, and the clinical correlates of platelet serotonin (5-HT) levels in pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). METHOD: Platelet 5-HT levels were measured in Dutch children and young adults, recruited from 2001 through 2003, with PDD (autism, Asperger's, and PDD-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS]; n = 81) or with mental retardation (MR; n = 54) but without PDD, and in normal controls (n = 60). The distribution of platelet 5-HT levels was assessed using mixture-modeling analyses. Relationships between platelet 5-HT levels and a full range of demographic, clinical, and behavioral variables were examined. RESULTS: Group mean (+/- SD) platelet 5-HT levels (nmol/10 platelets) were significantly higher in the autistic (4.51 +/- 1.61, n = 33) and PDD-NOS (4.90 +/- 1.54, n = 43) groups compared to the MR (3.48 +/- 1.33, n = 54) or the normal control (3.58 +/- 1.08, n = 60) groups (F4,190 = 9.35, p <.001). Platelet 5-HT values in the combined PDD group showed a bimodal distribution, and an empirical cutpoint for hyperserotonemia was determined. None of the behavioral variables examined was significantly associated with platelet 5-HT levels. CONCLUSIONS: The platelet hyperserotonemia of autism was replicated in Dutch subjects. Platelet 5-HT levels were also increased in PDD-NOS, while no elevation was seen in MR. Platelet 5-HT levels appeared to be bimodally distributed in the PDD group, with an apparent hyperserotonemic subgroup.

Adolescent↗

[Detection of pervasive disorders in the child: a maternal perspective].

Invasive developmental disorders are characterized by the early occurrence of changes that come up in the areas of communication development, behavior and interpersonal relationship. This study aimed to discover how the disorder detection process took place from a maternal perspective. A quantitative and qualitative study was carried, based on a semi-structured survey with 20 mothers of children in this condition. Results were processed through content analysis and indicated that these disorders have been diagnosed after the established age and that early typical signs are noticed by the family, particularly by the mother. These findings that child health professionals do not seem to be aware of the importance of effective developmental follow-up, which would lead to the early detection of these disorders, thus minimizing its present and future negative effects.

Adult↗

Treating autistic spectrum disorders in children: utility of the cholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine tartrate.

Rivastigmine tartrate is a dual-action cholinesterase inhibitor shown to improve language, cognition, and global functioning in patients with Alzheimer's disease, likely via increased availability of cerebral acetylcholine. Because cholinergic receptor abnormalities can contribute to the neuropathology of autistic spectrum disorders, rivastigmine tartrate could prove to be an effective therapy for affected children. Observations of improved behavior and language output from prior open-label and double-blind treatment of autistic children with donepezil, another cholinesterase inhibitor, prompted this 12-week open-label study with rivastigmine tartrate of 32 autistic patients. Therapeutic indices were the Childhood Autistic Rating Scale, Gardner's Expressive and Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary tests, and the Conners' Parent Rating Scale. Testing administered at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks showed gains in both expressive speech and overall autistic behavior over baseline. These improvements were statistically significant and supported the hypothesis that treatment with cholinergic enhancing drugs in autistic spectrum disorders yields positive therapeutic effects.

Acetylcholine↗

Age of symptom onset in young children with pervasive developmental disorders.

Data from 39 young children with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders were examined to determine the relevance of the age of social symptom onset and language symptom onset to other developmental variables. Contrary to the authors' hypotheses, earlier onset of social symptoms was not indicative of a greater severity of autistic symptoms, retardation, or incidence of insecure attachments. Early speech loss was associated with lower IQ, greater social deficits, and poorer language development, while the presence of useful speech at age 2 was related to better functioning in multiple domains. Thus, language functions, rather than the social behaviors examined, carried the greatest predictive power regarding short-term outcomes.

Age Factors↗

Clinical variables at age 2 predictive of mental retardation at age 5 in children with pervasive developmental disorder.

This study attempted to find clinical variables evaluated at age 2 that would predict mental retardation (MR, IQ/cognition-adaptation developmental quotient [C-A DQ]<70) at age 5 in 57 children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). About two-thirds of subjects had MR at both initial and outcome evaluations. The C-A DQ at initial evaluation was significantly lower in mentally retarded PDD (MRPDD) than in high-functioning (IQ >or= 70) PDD (HFPDD). MRPDD changed less than HFPDD in IQ/C-A DQ between ages 2 and 5. The C-A DQ at age 2 was a potent predictor for MR at age 5 and the total score and three item scores of Childhood Autism Rating Scale-Tokyo Version evaluated at age 2 were also useful in predicting MR at age 5.

Autistic Disorder↗

Practice parameters for the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Working Group on Quality Issues.

Autism and the related pervasive developmental disorders are characterized by patterns of delay and deviance in the development of social, communicative, and cognitive skills, which arise in the first years of life. Although frequently associated with mental retardation, these conditions are distinctive in terms of their course and treatment. These conditions have a wide range of syndrome expression, and their management presents particular challenges for clinicians. Individuals with these conditions can present for clinical care at any point in development. The multiple developmental and behavioral problems associated with these conditions often require the care of multiple providers; coordination of services and advocacy for individuals and their families is important. Early, sustained intervention is indicated, as is the use of various treatment modalities (e.g., pharmacotherapy, special education, speech/communication therapy, and behavior modification).

Adolescent↗