What causes Pervasive Developmental Disorders?
Pervasive Developmental Disorders are neurologically-based, medical disorders that are not caused by errors in parenting, a specific environmental toxin, poor prenatal care, etc. In a percentage of cases, there may be a genetic cause. Although scientists are making strides in identifying their cause(s), right now, there does not appear to be one specific cause for all cases. A physician or psychologist may diagnose one of these conditions using a medical model (following the criteria set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-Fourth Edition, DSM-IV). Alternatively, an education team may assign an educational eligibility (autism), based on a child’s special needs for educational modifications. At the present time, there is no medical test that indicates an autism spectrum disorder; however, routine medical screenings (metabolic, genetic, and Fragile X) are recommended to rule out the presence of another identifiable condition. In either case, the diagnosis of a PDD is based on b
