Developmental Evaluation

Hey everyone,

I am exhausted, so I am going to keep this short. This is for everyone that is wondering about Ethan’s Developmental Evaluation today. Ethan was “partially diagnosed” (I say partially because he still has to meet with a psychologist to have another evaluation done before they can give a “final” diagnosis) with an Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) called Pervasive developmental disorder NOS (PDD-NOS). I have posted some information on this disorder below for those of you who haven’t heard of this before. Ethan won’t have a final diagnosis until December 6^th. Oh and in case you’re wondering, this is both good and bad news, good, because we can get Ethan in the proper treatment working more specifically towards his needs. But it’s still going to be a big change. But the biggest thing to remember is, Ethan is healthy and happy and is going to be getting the help that he needs. Thanks.

AUTISM

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of related developmental disabilities, caused by a problem with the brain, that affect a child's behavior, social, and communication skills.

There is currently no cure for ASDs, however, children with an ASD can progress developmentally and learn new skills.

The AAP strongly believes in the importance of early and continuous surveillance and screening for ASD to ensure that children are identified and receive access to services as soon as possible. The sooner an ASD is identified, the sooner an intervention program can start.

Scientific understanding of the cause of autism is far from complete. The AAP strongly supports ongoing studies funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health that are trying to determine factors in our modern environment that may be responsible for autism.

Pervasive developmental disorder NOS: This diagnosis is applied to the child with some characteristics of an ASD who does not meet full criteria for Autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome. Children with a diagnosis of PDD-NOS typically meet criteria for autism in the social domain and have variable impairment in the other domains. The diagnosis of PDD-NOS may apply to a child with global developmental delay who demonstrates impairment in some, but not all of the three developmental domains affected in ASD. This diagnosis may apply to individuals who meet ASD diagnostic criteria but in whom a history of language delay or regression cannot be documented

More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDD-NOS