What are Pdd's and What Can We Do About Them?

Pervasive developmental disorder or PDD refers to a group of disorders that affect the neurological development of children. Some of these disorders will last a lifetime. This article is a glimpse into research that attempts to understand the neurological basis for PDD.


What is PDD?

PDD or pervasive developmental disorder is a category describing a group of dsorders that effect how the brain functions. These disorders are typically noticeable by the age of three and include Kanner's (or typical) autism, Asperger's (sometimes called high functioning autism), childhood disintegrative disorder and Rett's syndrome. Fragile X syndrome is sometimes also included within this group. There is also a form of autism known as PDD-NOS or Pervasive Developmental Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified, which means that the child has a sort of "atypical" autism that does not fit into the two main categories.

What Causes PDDs?

While the exact causes or neurological basis of PDDs are still unknown, recent research points to a variety of genetic factors including predisposition caused by immune disfunctions or genes reacting to exterior damage such as pollutants.

Autism tends to run in families and some doctors hypothesize that there are a number of autisms, some of which are hereditary and may present in distinctive or unique ways different from autisms caused by exterior damage. The basic theory is that some people have weak genetic information that becomes damaged after birth, like a broken switch that moves from off to on when bumped accidentally. This is why some parents feel that autism is caused by vaccines even though test results have shown that they do not. What might happen in a few cases is that a child might have an immune disfunction or gene problem that is unknown and gets "bumped" during a vaccine. For example the child might have an unknown allergy to a chemical or metal contained in the vaccine that triggers a reaction that effects the brain and presents as autism. However these are only theories and they may not be right.



Why Should We Learn More About Autism?

Many people do not realize that the drugs currently used to "treat" autism do not actually treat it, but rather "alleviate symptoms" by dulling actions, reactions or behaviors. The problem with this approach is that while convenient for caregivers it may hinder the autistic's ability to process information and growth as well as making it harder for them to learn to care for themselves. On the other hand drugs used to help self injuring autstics are currently made for problems like Schitzophrenia and work by drugging the patient into submission. CM-AT is a new drug in Phase III of clinical trials as of 2010. This drug was made to help children with autism absorb protein. Theoretically this will "allow children with autism greater access to the building blocks for the manufacture of new proteins such as neurotransmitters" according to Medical News Today, meaning that the drug may help autistics by giving them the tools (protein) needed to build new brain pathways so that they can better access information. Another drug being tested using newly discovered information on PDDs is Naltrexone. This drug is being developed to block "opiodes" or a chemical the body releases. In a person with autism an opiod can be released in a number of odd situations, including even drinking milk. The opiods have the effect of blocking or diminishing information reaching the brain, such as when a self injuring person repeatedly slams their head into a wall. The intended effect of Naltrexone is that the person with autism will no longer react as if in a drug induced haze and be able to feel what is happening. This drug is very promising for people with low functioning autism or those who self injure.

Currently there are no treatments and only a few drugs available to help people with autism which results in desperate loving caregivers looking for any possible way to help their children but who do not necessarily understand the possible effects of what they are doing. New drugs designed specifically to help people with autism may prevent unnecessary deaths of children from "treatments" like chelation therapy and other untested "cures".