What are Pervasive Developmental Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders?
The term Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) refers to a group of five childhood disorders that are similar to each other, but differ with regard to the severity of the problems the child experiences. • Autism Disorder • Aspergers Syndrome • Rett Syndrome • Childhood Disintegrative Disorder • Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified The latter three, Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified, Rett syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder are not described on this page. You can learn more about them by exploring the resources listed below. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is the term currently used to describe Autistic Disorder and Asperger Syndrome. These childhood disorders are characterized by a range of impairments in communication and social interactions as well as stereotyped patterns of behavior. The following information focuses on the Autism Spectrum Disorders of Autistic Disorder and Asperger Syndrome. The Autism Spectrum Disorders a
