Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

Children with this disorder lose all their skills after the age of 2. Some kids even lose them at 10. However, from around the age of 2 through the age of 10, skills acquired are lost almost completely in at least two of the following six functional areas:


 * Language skills:
 * Receptive language skills:
 * Social skills & self-care skills:
 * Control over bowel and bladder:
 * Play skills:
 * Motor skills: fine motor/gross motor
 * learning disability
 * sensory integration disorder = child cannot feel anything sensory room should be provided at school and home

Lack of normal function or impairment also occurs in at least two out of the three of the following areas:


 * Social interaction:
 * Communication:
 * Repetitive behavior & interest patterns:

Causes
Exact causes Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) are still unknown and further researches, investigation and studies are required to understand the exact causes which results into CDD. Sometimes CDD surfaces abruptly within days and weeks while sometimes it develops over a longer period of time. A Mayo Clinic report indicates: "Comprehensive medical and neurological examinations in children diagnosed with childhood disintegrative disorder seldom uncover an underlying medical or neurological cause. Although the occurrence of epilepsy is higher in children with childhood disintegrative disorder, experts don't know whether epilepsy plays a role in causing the disorder." CDD has also been associated with certain other conditions, particularly the following:


 * Lipid storage diseases: In this condition, a toxic buildup of excess fats (lipids) takes place in the brain and nervous system.
 * Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: Chronic infection of the brain by a form of the measles virus causes Subacute sclerosing panencephalitisis. This condition leads to brain inflammation and the death of nerve cells.
 * Tuberous sclerosis (TSC): TSC is a genetic disorder. In this disorder, tumors may grow in brains and other vital organs like kidneys, heart, eyes, lungs, and skin.. In this condition, noncancerous (benign) tumors grow in the brain.

Treatment
There is no permanent cure for childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) - loss of language and skills related to social interaction and self-care are rather serious. The affected children face permanent disabilities in certain areas and require long term care facility. Treatment of CDD involves both behavior therapy and medications. There's no cure for childhood disintegrative disorder.


 * Behavior therapy: Its aim is to teach the child to relearn language, self-care and social skills. The programs designed in this respect "use a system of rewards to reinforce desirable behaviors and discourage problem behavior." The behavior therapy is used by a number of health care personnel from different fields like psychologists, speech therapists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. At the same time, parents, teachers and caregivers also use the behavior therapy. A consistent approach by all concerned result into a better treatment.


 * Medications: There is no medications available to treat directly the childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD). Antipsychotic medications are used to treat severe behavior problems like aggressive stance and repetitive behavior patterns. Anticonvulsant medications are used to control seizures.