Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), any of a group of conditions characterized by early-childhood onset and by varying degrees of impairment of language ...PervasivedevelopmentaldisorderSectionsArticleIntroduction&QuickFactsMediaVideosAdditionalInfoContributorsArticleHistoryHomeHealth&MedicineConditions&DiseasesChildhoodDiseases&DisordersPervasivedevelopmentaldisorderPrintCiteverifiedCiteWhileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies.Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions.SelectCitationStyleMLAAPAChicagoManualofStyleCopyCitationShareShareSharetosocialmediaFacebookTwitterURLhttps://www.britannica.com/science/pervasive-developmental-disorderMoreGiveFeedbackExternalWebsitesFeedbackCorrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin).FeedbackTypeSelectatype(Required)FactualCorrectionSpelling/GrammarCorrectionLinkCorrectionAdditionalInformationOtherYourFeedbackSubmitFeedbackThankyouforyourfeedbackOureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle.JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork!ExternalWebsitesMedicineNet-PervasiveDevelopmentDisorderseMedicineHealth-PervasiveDevelopmentalDisorderWebMd-PervasiveDevelopmentDisordersAncientHistoryEncyclopedia-AmaterasuPrehistoric-Wildlife.com-ApatosaurusHealthCentral-PervasiveDevelopmentalDisorderWRITTENBYKaraRogersKaraRogersisthesenioreditorofbiomedicalsciencesatEncyclopædiaBritannica,wheresheoverseesarangeofcontentfrommedicineandgeneticstomicroorganisms.ShejoinedBritannicain2006and...SeeArticleHistoryAlternativeTitle:PDDPervasivedevelopmentaldisorder(PDD),anyofagroupofconditionscharacterizedbyearly-childhoodonsetandbyvaryingdegreesofimpairmentoflanguageacquisition,communication,socialbehaviour,andmotorfunction.BritannicaQuiz44QuestionsfromBritannica’sMostPopularHealthandMedicineQuizzesHowmuchdoyouknowabouthumananatomy?Howaboutmedicalco