Childhood disintegrative disorder (patient information)

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Editor-in-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S.,M.D. [1] Phone:617-632-7753; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.

Synonyms and Keywords: Disintegrative psychosis; Heller syndrome

Overview[edit | edit source]

Childhood disintegrative disorder is a condition in which children develop normally through age 3 or 4. Then, over a few months, children lose language, motor, social, and other skills that they already learned.

What are the symptoms of Childhood disintegrative disorder?[edit | edit source]

• Delay or lack of spoken language
• Impairment in nonverbal behaviors
• Inability to start or maintain a conversation
• Lack of play
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Loss of language or communication skills
• Loss of motor skills
• Loss of social skills
• Problems forming relationships with other children and family members

What causes Childhood disintegrative disorder?[edit | edit source]

• The cause of childhood disintegrative disorder is unknown, but it has been linked to brain and nervous system problems.

• A child who is affected loses:

• Communication skills
• Nonverbal behaviors
• Skills they had already learned

• The condition is similar to autistic disorder.

When to seek urgent medical care?[edit | edit source]

Call your provider if your child has any delays in development or starts to lose developmental abilities.

Diagnosis[edit | edit source]

• The health care provider will determine whether the child has this disorder, or a similar condition such as childhood schizophrenia or pervasive developmental disorder (autism).

• The most important sign of childhood disintegrative disorder is the loss of developmental milestones. Generally, the diagnosis is made if the child has lost function in at least two areas of development.

Treatment options[edit | edit source]

• Treatment is the same as for autistic disorder because the two disorders are similar.

• One experimental treatment uses steroid medications to slow the progression of the condition.

Where to find medical care for Childhood disintegrative disorder?[edit | edit source]

Directions to Hospitals Treating Childhood disintegrative disorder

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?[edit | edit source]

• The outlook for this disorder is poor.

• Most children with the condition have an impairment similar to that of children with severe autism by age 10.

Source[edit | edit source]

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001535.htm

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