Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome

Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. The typical age of onset is before three years old.

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 PDD. Other types include Asperger’s Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

There is a wide variation of abilities, behaviors and intelligence but typically repetitive play skills and limited social skills are evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.

Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke