title: Assessment of children with pervasive developmental disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pervasive developmental disorders, a group of conditions marked by impaired social reciprocity, communication deficits, and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are in a unique position to assess these children, make appropriate diagnoses, and refer parents for further consultation and intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Current literature, formal training on diagnostic instruments, and clinical experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders requires knowledge of normal growth and development and other childhood psychiatric disorders. The role of the APN includes counseling parents regarding their child's legal right to intervention and guiding parents to make empirically based choices for intervention.
authors.affiliation: Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. kathy.koenig@yale.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scahill
mesh_terms: D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D012017:Referral and Consultation