In DSM-III, pervasive developmental disorder is divided into two major
categories: infantile autism and childhood onset pervasive developmental
disorder. The criteria differ, primarily, in the age of onset. The authors
studied 129 patients who had received diagnoses of pervasive developmental
disorder or a related disorder and found only five cases of apparent
childhood onset pervasive developmental disorder. These five patients were
behaviorally indistinguishable from those with other diagnoses.
Practically, age of onset may be more appropriately termed "age of
recognition," and its use as a major diagnostic criterion for such
disorders may not be justified.Abstract Teaser