What Is the Real Meaning of PDD.

K., I have no experience with PDD but here's a link with a good deal of useful information:

http://www.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/pddinfo.html

Wishing you all the best, C.

i dont know a whole lot but my daughter was diagnosed with pdd-nos last year i do know it is a form of autism but i you go to wikipedia.com and type pdd in it gives you a whole lot of information..

It is not so much the difference in opinion as the enormity of symptoms that fit under this umbrella. Is your daughter receiving special education assistance at school? If not, you may want to consider get her the extra help she needs. At the very least, you may want to put together a small package of material for each teacher explaining PDD with a note explaining how it is manifested in your daughter. When my son started school I sent along a list of problem areas and ways to sooth or work through them. Good luck & keep advocating - you are not alone.

Hi K.,

I'm a mom in Natick, and my son has PDD-NOS, which is Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. Other forms of PDD include Asperger's and Autism. (PDD-Asperger's)(PDD-Autism) There are all different kinds of PDD, even beyond these 3.

You might want to check back in with the medical professional who gave your daughter the PDD diagnosis, and ask further questions about her specific condition. Also, you may want to re-read any evaluation that concluded the PDD diagnosis, since a good written evaluation will provides a section (usually at the end) called "Recommendations."

These recommendations can be a good guide for your daughter's teachers to start to understand her needs. And the diagnosis itself is a great way to initiate a dialogue with your school about whether or not your daughter needs an IEP (Individualized Education Plan).

This may be more than you bargained for in a response, but pls let me know if you'd like more info!

Cheers,
C. in Natick

Hi K.. This was our experience... We had my son tested by a neuropsychologist and it was the best thing we could have done for him. We've always known he was a bit quirky and as soon as he hit 1st grade the problems really started. We brought him to two different psychiatrists and got totally different Dx's (Asperger's, Tourette's, ADD, etc). His teacher was completely unsupportive, telling me that he just doesn't know how to behave and things like that. NH doesn't perform CORE evaluations (or whatever they're called) so I was stuck with these different Dx's, getting emails every other day about my son and going into the school every couple of weeks to tell them, for the hundredth time, how to deal with him. BTW, he's not an unruly kid, he's actually very well behaved...but he tends to talk out of turn, talk A LOT, focus on odd things, etc.

The neuropsychologist spent a day and a half with my son. She was extremely thorough and the best part is she sat with me after all the testing was done to explain what his actual Dx was and what it ment and even suggestions as to how to help him. BTW, he has ADD/OCD and he tested 2 to 3 grade levels ahead. Still, his teacher refused to accept any of this...and due to looping, he was going to have the same teacher for 2nd grade. This is why we homeschool now. However, that's not always an option so I would look into a neuropsychologist and make her Dx "official". Make a meeting with her teachers and the prinicipal after the testing is complete and explain everything to them the best you can. Also, a neuropsychologist will help you set up an IEP plan or a 504 (or is it 405) plan as well.

It's extremely difficult to navigate and support your daughter's disabilities all on your own. I have been working in special education for almost 10 years and there is alot of resources and experienced professionals that can offer you and your daughter excellent services. I'm not sure how old your daughter is or exactly what her significant limitations are but you should request testing from your school district (which would/should) include a psychological eval, OT eval, Speech and Language eval, eduacational assessment. If you have not had any testing done, you should start with that. That will at least give you a baseline of your daughters current skills and functioning. Also, by law, your school district has 30 days by law to complete the testing. This would be a starting step if you havn't done this already

Hi K.,

How old is your daughter? There are a lot of resources out there that will help you navigate this disorder. Including list serves and support boards. PDD is considered to be on the Autisum spectrum. It generally means that your child has difficulty in relating socially and may demonstrate a variety of odd behaviors. She may too show a delay in language development. Children can display behaviors and delays that are very mild to much more severe, so it is hard to put your finger on it. Generally, children do well in integrated classrooms where there are typical children to act as models for those having a harder time with socializing. Each case is so different. I wish you the best and don't be afraid to get support from the school and other families that are in similar situation as yours.

Hi K.,

PDD is under the umbrella of Autism or an Autism Spectrum Disorder. For help with advocating, try contacting the Autism Project - I think they have an office in the Providence area.

How old is your daughter? The earlier she receives intervention (speech, special ed, possibly OT) the better. The Autism Project may prove to be a good resource.

Best of Luck.

Most people don't understand what PDD is & don't know how to react to it. Depending on your schools Special Education classes will you get some decent help. I would seek out an outer source of help. Ask her doctor who they may suggest for help, call CCMC & if she's under 3 contact the Birth to 3 program. There are many programs & resources for parents w/special needs, even thou sometimes they are hard to find.
Good luck & I know how you feel.
:)

Pervasive Development Disorder is a fancy way of saying that your child has learning delays, possibly across the board, including academic knowledge. My 5 yr old has PDD and Asperger's Disorder, so we had to request that our school system evaluate her to get her special services such as occupational therapy, academic support, and speech therapy. What helped was getting a diagnosis from a child psychiatrist. Our next step is getting her assessed and tested with autism specialists, who will do some genetic testing through blood samples as well as an MRI and comprehensive standard tests. Once she's all set with them, she'll get additional outside occupational therapy and whatever else she needs.