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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffChildren with childhood disintegrative disorder typically show the following signs and symptoms:
Normal development for at least the first two years of life
This includes normal development of age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, and motor, play and self-care skills.
Significant loss of previously acquired or learned skills
This loss occurs before age 10, in at least two of the following areas:
- Ability to say words or sentences (expressive language)
- Ability to understand verbal and nonverbal communication (receptive language)
- Social skills and self-care skills (adaptive behavior)
- Bowel and bladder control
- Play skills
- Motor skills (ability to voluntarily move the body in a purposeful way)
Lack of normal function or impairment
This lack or impairment occurs in at least two of the following areas:
- Social interaction. This may include impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, and lack of social or emotional reciprocity — an inability to share, recognize, understand and respond to social cues and interactions or to feelings of others.
- Communication. This may include delay or lack of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, and lack of varied imaginative or make-believe play.
- Repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities. This may include hand flapping, rocking, spinning (motor stereotypes and mannerisms); development of specific routines and rituals; difficulty with transitions or changes in routine; maintaining a fixed posture or body position (catatonia); and preoccupation with certain objects or activities.
Loss of developmental milestones may occur abruptly over the course of days to weeks or gradually over an extended period of time.
When to see a doctor
Children typically develop at their own pace, but any loss of developmental milestones is cause for concern. If your child has suddenly lost previously acquired language, social, motor, play, thinking (cognitive) or self-help skills such as toilet training and feeding, or if you suspect that your child has gradually shown a loss in any area of development, talk to your doctor.
