title: Differentiating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
abstract: This study investigated early clinical differences between children with a diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Differential diagnoses between the two disorders is often difficult in infancy or early childhood. Twenty-seven children with PDD-NOS were matched with 27 children with ADHD as to IQ and chronological age. Their parents were retrospectively questioned on pre-, peri-, and postnatal complications and on atypical or delayed development of the children between 0 and 4 years of age. This exploratory study revealed almost no differences between both groups with respect to pregnancy or birth complications. The results suggest that differences between the two groups become more pronounced and specific with growing age. Consequently, this investigation offers sufficient guidelines for more specific research with larger samples.
authors.affiliation: University of Gent, Research Group Developmental Disorders, Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roeyers
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keymeulen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buysse
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000145:classification; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires