Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified

Not to be confused with Personality disorder not otherwise specified or Persistent depressive disorder.
Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), (including atypical autism)
SpecialtyClinical psychology, psychiatry, pediatrics, occupational medicine
Usual onsetfrom birth

Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)[1] is a historic psychiatric diagnosis first defined in 1980 that has since been incorporated into autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5 (2013).

According to the earlier DSM-IV, PDD-NOS referred to "mild or severe pervasive deficits in the development of reciprocal social interaction and/or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and/or activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific PDD" or for several other disorders.[2]

PDD-NOS was one of four disorders collapsed into the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5,[3] and also was one of the five disorders classified as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) in the DSM-IV.[4] The ICD-10 equivalents also became part of its definition of autism spectrum disorder, as of the ICD-11.

PDD-NOS included atypical autism, a diagnosis defined in the ICD-10 for the case that the criteria for autistic disorder were not met because of late age of onset, or atypical symptomatology, or both of these.[5]

Even though PDD-NOS was considered milder than typical autism, this was not always true. While some characteristics may be milder, others may be more severe.[6]

  1. ^ Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-IV-TR (4th, text revision ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. 2000. pp. 14, 84. ISBN 0-89042-024-6.
  2. ^ "First signs". firstsigns.org. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Autism spectrum disorder fact sheet" (PDF). DSM5.org. American Psychiatric Publishing. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "Autism spectrum fact sheet from Illinois" (PDF). pbisillinois.org. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  5. ^ Gray, Kylie M. (2013). "Atypical Autism". In Volkmar, Fred R. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer reference. New York: Springer. pp. 304–309. ISBN 978-1-4419-1698-3.
  6. ^ "PDD-NOS Signs, Symptoms and Treatment". National Autism Resources.