Pervasive Developmental Disorder Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Sufen Chiu, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Caroly Pataki, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jun 7, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

Psychosis is often the most difficult symptom to elicit and diagnose appropriately in children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). Not long ago, children with PDD were often identified as having childhood-onset schizophrenia. The DSM establishes criteria that clearly distinguish PDD from childhood-onset schizophrenia. The DSM recognizes that children with PDD may develop psychotic disorders if they present with clear evidence of auditory, visual, tactile, and/or olfactory hallucinations. Nevertheless, determining whether a child has PDD or psychosis may be difficult during the initial clinical evaluation. For example, individuals with intellectual disability may present with cognitive disorganization; they may link irrelevant thoughts together or have beliefs in magical beings, even as adults. These findings are considered normal in a person with intellectual disability.

Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder, along with those in the next section, include the following:

  • Reactive attachment disorder
  • Landau-Kleffner syndrome
  • Schizotypal personality disorder
  • Mental retardation

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Sufen Chiu, MD, PhD  Assistant Clinical Professor (Volunteer Faculty), University of California, Davis, School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of Sacramento County; Consulting Staff, Sutter Center for Psychiatry; Consulting Staff, Transcultural Wellness Center

Sufen Chiu, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric Association, California Medical Association, and Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Randi Jenssen Hagerman, MD, FAAP  Professor of Pediatrics, Medical Director MIND Institute, Endowed Chair in Fragile X Research, Division of Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics, University of California Davis Medical Center

Randi Jenssen Hagerman, MD, FAAP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society of Human Genetics, Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Society for Pediatric Research, and Western Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Roche Grant/research funds PI on study; Novartis Grant/research funds PI on study; Seaside therapeutics Grant/research funds PI on study; Johnson and Johnson Grant/research funds PI on study; Forest Grant/research funds PI on study; curemark Grant/research funds PI on study

Specialty Editor Board

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Caroly Pataki, MD  Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Division Chair, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California

Caroly Pataki, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York Academy of Sciences, and Physicians for Social Responsibility

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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Young child with fragile X syndrome who does not have obvious dysmorphic features.
 
 
 
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