I have had a lot of questions posed to me about what PDD-NOS is exactly and what is the difference between that and Autism. To tell the truth I really did not do much research earlier (like I said before I was just to scared of what I might see) but since Thursday I have sat down a few times and did some research and this is what I found that may help to explain a little better.
How do professionals tell the difference between autism and PDD-NOS?
Primarily by the pattern and degree or number of characteristics observed or reported. However, there are difficulties associated with this differential diagnosis, and it often takes a clinician with extensive experience with both disorders to make the call. Problems may occur when a child's developmental level is quite low, so that assessing the areas of concern would be quite difficult at a similar age equivalent.
A second problem occurs with children who are toddlers and young preschool-age children. Many of the behaviors that are considered crucial for diagnosis are still very variable in typically developing young children in this age range. Some children may receive a diagnosis of PDD-NOS as a toddler because they did not have any communicative behavior; later they may qualify for a diagnosis of autism as their communication develops and it becomes more evident that a qualitative difference exists in that area. For parents and educators, the important thing to focus on is not the specific label a child receives, but what can be done to help the child develop skills in the areas of concern.
What is the long-term prognosis for children diagnosed with Autism/PDD-NOS?
Autism/PPD-NOS is a life-long disability, and individuals with Autism live a full lifetime. There are no cures, and even those individuals who proclaim themselves "recovered" continue to have difficulties with subtle social processes. However, with advances in education, early intervention, and research, today individuals with Autism/PDD have a greatly expanded range of outcomes as adults. In the past, the majority of individuals with Autism lived in institutional care as adults. Current trends, based on increased knowledge of how to educate children with Autism and the importance of early education, emphasize building skills and abilities in order to prepare young adults with Autism/PDD to work, to live in the community, and in some cases, to pursue higher education. Outcome appears to depend on both degree of overall impairment and intensity of educational/treatment effort. Prognosis is markedly better for individuals who develop verbal language before the age of 5 years
I found these two quesion/answers to outline everything pretty clearly. There is also a link to a great article that give a more indepth explanation about PDD-NOS if you are so inclined to read it.
Wow this must be the most boring blog to read right now, sorry but my focus is limited.
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3 Response:
I completely understand the frustrations of lack of information on PDD-NOS. My brother is identified as PDD-NOS and being a special education major I have done months and months of research to get more acquainted with this ELN. This exceptionality has not been researched all that much. I pray that the new DSM-V expected to come out in May 2012 will provide a better explanation and reasoning behind this diagnosis.
I just read your blog and wanted to send an email saying that you sound like such an amazing mother. The patience needed to handle this sometimes is sometimes extraordinary. My 6 year old son just got diagnosed with PDD-NOS and my husband and I are so overwhelmed.We're in CA and trying to find out different therapies and getting his school to help. It's a long road from here, but well worth it.
Thank you for sharing some information on PDD-NOS.
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