Childhood disintegrative disorder CDD

By
Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), also known as Heller's syndrome and disintegrative psychosis, is a rare condition marked by late-onset developmental delays in language, social function, and motor skills (>3 years of age). CDD is the oddest and most disturbing developmental condition you've probably never heard of.

Childhood disintegrative disorder is a condition in which children develop normally until they are three or four years old. Then, over time, they lose language, motor, social, and other previously learned skills.

It is uncommon, affecting 1 or 2 out of every 100,000 children. A child with CDD will experience deep, sharp reversals along multiple lines of development, including language, social skills, play skills, motor skills, cognition, and bladder or bowel control, after typically developing for two to ten years (the average is three or four).

It is a rare condition with a late onset (typically older than 3 years old) that causes developmental delays in:

  • Motor skills
  • Play skills
  • Social function
  • Language
  • Social skills
  • Bowel and bladder control

Its current cause (etiology) is also unknown.

vectors by Freepick; graphic design by Vadot

Facts

Children with CDD have at least two years of normal development in all areas, including language understanding, speech, muscle control, and social development. Following this period of normal development, the child begins to lose the skills he or she has learned. This loss typically occurs between the ages of three and four, but it can occur at any age up to ten. The prevalence of CDD is one in every 100,000 boys, with an estimated 8 boys for every 1 girl.

In approximately 75% of cases, this loss of skills is preceded by days or weeks of intense anxiety and even terror in the child: nightmares and waking nightmares, as well as bouts of confused, jumpy disturbance that resemble psychosis.

Reference:

What to Know About Different Types Communication Disorders. (2022). Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/communication-disorder-types-5220602#toc-types-of-communication-disorders

‌Communication Disorders | Abnormal Psychology. (2013). Lumenlearning.com. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-abnormalpsych/chapter/communication-disorders/#:~:text=unspecified%20communication%20disorder%20%E2%80%93%20This%20category,symptoms%20cause%20distress%20or%20impairment.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Neuro Developmental Disorders Intro

By
Image
Despite the fact that the term "neurodevelopmental disorders" has a long history, it was not included in prior editions of the ICD or the DSM. The term refers to a group of early-onset disorders that affect both cognitive and social communicative development, are multi-factorial in origin, have significant sex differences with males being more commonly affected than females, and have a chronic course with impairment lasting into adulthood. The term separates these diseases from other more prevalent childhood disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, which were assumed to be the result of some form of psychosocial stress and to have a more episodic history. Following extensive research, we divided these disorders into five major categories, each with its unique system: 1. Motor Disorders 2. Communication Disorders 3. Intelectual Developmental Disorders 4. Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 5. Specific Learning Disorder We st...
Read more

ADHD/ADD

By
Image
ADD, or attention deficit disorder, is an outdated term for the disorder known as ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADD was the name until 1987 when the word "hyperactivity" was added. Previously, a child would be diagnosed with ADD, either with or without hyperactivity, say in 1980. That child, however, would be diagnosed with ADHD beginning in the early 1990s. Diagnoses included one of three types from the early 1990s until recently. Inattentive type refers to children who only have inattentive symptoms. Children who were only hyperactive and impulsive were classified as hyperactive/impulsive. Children who had all three symptoms were identified as having the combined type. ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the resul...
Read more

Ataxia

By
Image
Ataxia is defined as a lack of coordination, a broad term that refers to the general impairments in movement coordination and accuracy that occur as a result of cerebellar damage. Ataxia patients lose muscle control in their arms and legs. This can result in a loss of balance, coordination, and difficulty walking. Fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and even eye movements can be affected by ataxia. There are two major forms of cerebellar ataxia. Disturbances of posture or gait result from lesions to the vestibulocerebellum. Patients have difficulty maintaining their posture due to the loss of fine-control mechanisms programmed by cerebellar circuits that translate vestibular signals into precise, well-timed muscle contractions to counteract small sways in the body. As a result, patients frequently develop abnormal gait and stances to compensate. When the patient stands still, for example, the feet are often spaced widely apart to provide a more stable base for m...
Read more

About Us