Symptoms

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

These are children who develop normally for the first 3 years of life. Later they seem to regress and develop some autistic features associated with a severe functional impairment. They must be thoroughly evaluated for the possibility of the development of seizures, affecting the speech area of the brain, or Landau Kleffner syndrome (acquired epileptiform aphrasia) where seizure activity ¡§robs¡¨ the brain from previously acquired speech.

The diagnostic criteria for Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is defined by the DSM IV criteria.

1. Childhood disintegrative disorder
   1. AApparently normal development for at least the first two years after birth as manifested by the presence of age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior.
   2. Clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills (before age 10 years) in at least two of the following areas:
      1. Expressive or receptive language.
      2. Social skills or adaptive behavior.
      3. Bowel or bladder control.
      4. Play.
      5. Motor skills.
   3. Abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas:
      1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity).
      2. Qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe play).
      3. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, including motor stereotypes and mannerisms).
   4. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another specific pervasive developmental disorder or by schizophrenia.