Pervasive Development Disorder

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Pervasive Development Disorder and Profound Deafness

Pervasive Development Disorder refers to a group of disorders that are characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills ("Pervasive Developmental Disorders," n.d.). Pervasive Development Disorder is quite often referred to as PDD. Parents may note communication and socialization skills lacking as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is before 3 years of age. Parents can start to notice that their infant or young child might not be similar to other children that are the same age. Parents might see that their child is understanding what is said to them, They might also notice that the language of their child is not coherent or is lacking …show more content…

One typical diagnosis is Autism ("Pervasive Developmental Disorders," n.d.).

Autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, and a limited range of activities and interests) is the most characteristic and best studied PDD. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors ("What Is Autism?," n.d).

Other types of PDD may include Asperger's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett's Syndrome. Some children with PDD can have a wide variety of abilities, such as intelligence can be very high or very low, depending upon the severity of the disorder. Another ability that can vary is their behavior, some can have good behavior were others might have completely inappropriate behavior according to social norms that are understood for children. Some children do not speak at all, and will never speak, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident. Unusual responses

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