Other related syndromes/disorders

Ever since autism was first recognized, its continuity with schizophrenia has been a matter ofdebate. In fact, until the late 1970s, children with autism were often labeled as having “childhoodschizophrenia.” In the last thirty years, however, the term “childhood schizophrenia” has beendisplaced. Diagnostic criteria for autism have been established that rely solely on social,communicative and sensorimotor symptoms, without reference to the thought disorders typicalof schizophrenia.

In a critical article, made in the DSM-III, about the choices concerning autism and autism relateddisorders (written by employees of Yale Child Study Center in 1986), Cohen asked for attention toa proposal that got no hearing. It was about a group of children who were regularly seen in clinicalpractice, but in literature named very differently so far, namely:
•atypical development
•symbiotic psychosis
•borderline disorders in childhood
•schizoid personality disorders in childhood
•schizotypical disorders

After investigating the literature, they came up with the idea that all those children matched thecriteria summarized in three main categories:
1.disorders in sensitivity for social signals and in the development of reciprocal socialrelations.
2.disorders in the regulation of affects.
3.disorders in thinking.

At first this concept got the name Multiplex Developmental Disorder, but in 1993, the name waschanged to Multiple-complex Developmental Disorder, because the initial abbreviation MDDcaused too much confusion with the more naturalized abbreviation for ‘Major DepressiveDisorder.’ The new abbreviation matches no predecessor.

Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD) is now a proposed developmental disorder (orsyndrome) designed to encompass preschool and early school-aged children who have consistentand enduring deficits in affect regulation, relatedness, and thought. Such children are thought torepresent another variant in the spectrum of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs).

Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD) represents a distinct group within the autisticspectrum based on symptomatology. Unlike autistic children, some MCDD children developschizophrenia in adult life. Despite the differences, patients of both disorders are mainlycharacterized by abnormal reactions to their social environment.

Ever since autism was first recognized, its continuity with schizophrenia has been a matter of debate. In fact, until the late 1970s, children with autism were often labeled as having “childhood schizophrenia.” In the last thirty years, however, the term “childhood schizophrenia” has been displaced. Diagnostic criteria for autism have been established that rely solely on social, communicative and sensorimotor symptoms, without reference to the thought disorders typical of schizophrenia.

In a critical article, made in the DSM-III, about the choices concerning autism and autism related disorders (written by employees of Yale Child Study Center in 1986), Cohen asked for attention to a proposal that got no hearing. It was about a group of children who were regularly seen in clinical practice, but in literature named very differently so far, namely:
•atypical development
•symbiotic psychosis
•borderline disorders in childhood
•schizoid personality disorders in childhood
•schizotypical disorders

After investigating the literature, they came up with the idea that all those children matched the criteria summarized in three main categories:

1.disorders in sensitivity for social signals and in the development of reciprocal social relations.
2.disorders in the regulation of affects.
3.disorders in thinking.

At first this concept got the name Multiplex Developmental Disorder, but in 1993, the name was changed to Multiple-complex Developmental Disorder, because the initial abbreviation MDDcaused too much confusion with the more naturalized abbreviation for ‘Major Depressive Disorder.’ The new abbreviation matches no predecessor.

Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD) is now a proposed developmental disorder (or syndrome) designed to encompass preschool and early school-aged children who have consistent and enduring deficits in affect regulation, relatedness, and thought. Such children are thought to represent another variant in the spectrum of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs).

Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD) represents a distinct group within the autistic spectrum based on symptomatology. Unlike autistic children, some MCDD children develop schizophrenia in adult life. Despite the differences, patients of both disorders are mainly characterized by abnormal reactions to their social environment.

Multiple Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD)

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