What are Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) is a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns.

Autism is the most characteristic and best studied pervasive developmental disorder. Children with pervasive developmental disorders vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors.

Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident.

There is no known cure for pervasive developmental disorders. Medications are used to address specific behavioral problems; therapy for children with pervasive developmental disorders should be specialized according to need.

Some children with pervasive developmental disorders benefit from specialized classrooms in which the class size is small and instruction is given on a one-to-one basis. Others function well in standard special education classes or regular classes with additional support.

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