Increased frequency and service delivery for children with pervasive developmental disorders

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Investigating the rising incidence of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD).
• Understanding the impact of increased awareness and diagnostic precision on PDD cases.
• Examining the role of child mental health services in managing PDD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors contributing to the increase in PDD cases over a decade at a community mental health center.
• To assess whether the rise in PDD cases has led to changes in service delivery.
• To investigate child-related, family-related, and service-related factors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 48 children (aged 2-6 years) diagnosed with PDD, divided into two intake groups over ten years.
• Data collection included prenatal, perinatal, medical, developmental, family, and hereditary factors from patient files.
• Service delivery data encompassed professionals involved, diagnostic sessions, referrals, symptoms, functioning, cognition, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• The number of PDD cases doubled over the ten-year study period.
• No significant differences were found in conception, perinatal, developmental, or medical histories between the groups.
• A trend towards increased non-medical referrals was observed, while service delivery remained undifferentiated.

Conclusions:

• No specific etiological factors were identified to explain the increase in PDD cases.
• The rise in non-medical referrals suggests increased public awareness of PDD.
• Despite increased patient load, service provision remained stable, adhering to a multidisciplinary model tailored to individual needs.