Assessment of children with pervasive developmental disorders.

TOPIC: Pervasive developmental disorders, a group of conditions marked by impaired social reciprocity, communication deficits, and restricted, repetitive behaviors.

PURPOSE: Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are in a unique position to assess these children, make appropriate diagnoses, and refer parents for further consultation and intervention.

SOURCES: 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.