Validity of childhood disintegrative disorder apart from autistic disorder with speech loss.

In order to test clinical validity of DSM-IV childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), 10 CDD children (mean age = 8.2 years, SD = 3.8; 7 male and 3 female) and 30 age- and gender-matched children with DSM-IV autistic disorder (AD) with speech loss (SL) (ADSL) were compared on 24 variables not directly related to CDD criteria. Compared with the ADSL children, the CDD children showed fearfulness significantly more frequently during the period of SL; displayed epilepsy significantly more frequently and stereotypy significantly more prominently at first visit on average about 6 years after SL; and had significantly less uneven intellectual profile at first visit to support the validity of CDD to a certain extent. No significant difference in the retardation level at first visit between the two groups suggested no worse short-term outcome in CDD than ADSL, although a long-term prospective study to compare them from infancy is needed.