pervasive developmental disorder; autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Clinical manifestations

• delays in the development of psychosocial skills
  • delays in socializing with others
  • delays in communicating
  • delays in use of imagination
• confusion
• difficulty understanding the world around them
• typically identified in children ~3 years of age

More general terms

• developmental disorder
• chronic mental disorder

More specific terms

• Asperger syndrome
• autism (autistic spectrum disorder, ASD)
• childhood disintegrative disorder
• Rett syndrome