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Brief Report: Pervasive Developmental Disorder Can Evolve into ADHD: Case Illustrations

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Abstract

Despite prominent attentional symptoms in Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) the relationship between PDD and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has received little direct examination. In addition, outcome studies of children with PDD often focus on language, educational placement, or adaptive skills, but seldom on loss of the PDD diagnosis or change to another clinical syndrome. We present three cases in detail, and tabular data on eight more, that illustrate a clinical presentation in which prototypical cases of PDD evolve into clear-cut cases of ADHD from early to middle childhood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Rd., Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, USA

    Deborah Fein, Pamela Dixon & Jennifer Paul

  2. REACH Early Intervention Center, Amherst, USA

    Harriet Levin

Authors
  1. Deborah Fein
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  2. Pamela Dixon
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  3. Jennifer Paul
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  4. Harriet Levin
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Correspondence to Deborah Fein.

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Fein, D., Dixon, P., Paul, J. et al. Brief Report: Pervasive Developmental Disorder Can Evolve into ADHD: Case Illustrations. J Autism Dev Disord 35, 525–534 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-5066-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-5066-3

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