Children's disintegrative disorder or heller syndrome

He Children's disintegrative disorder (TDI), also known as heller syndrome or disintegrative autism, It is a developmental disorder that is characterized by a significant loss of social, communicative and behavior skills after having had an apparently normal development during the first years of life.

Content

• Heller Syndrome Causes
• Main symptoms of heller syndrome
• Disintegrative disorder course
  • Differential diagnosis
• Children's disintegrative disorder treatment
  • Pharmacotherapy
  • Behavioral therapy
  • Bibliographic references

Heller Syndrome Causes

TDI is considered a rare and serious disorder, and It is generally diagnosed in children between 2 and 10 years of age. Although the exact cause of the TDI is not yet known, it is believed that it can be related to a dysfunction in the brain or the immune system. Unlike autism, which is characterized by difficulties in social and communicative development from the beginning, TDI is presented after a normal development period.

It is frequent in these cases that a deep regression or a complete loss of language occurs, a regression in recreational activities, social capacity and adaptive behavior. There is also a loss of sphincter control and sometimes a bad control of movements. It is typical that these traits are accompanied by a loss of interest in the environment, by repetitive and stereotyped motor mannerisms and a deterioration of social communication and interaction.

Main symptoms of heller syndrome

TDI symptoms can be variable and may appear suddenly or gradually, but they are usually more serious and have a later start than in autism. Next, some of the most common symptoms of the TDI are described:

• Loss of verbal and nonverbal skills: Children who suffer from TDI can lose verbal and nonverbal skills, such as speech, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to understand language and nonverbal communication, such as visual contact and gestures.
• Loss of social and behavioral skills: Children with TDI can lose social and behavioral skills, such as the ability to relate to others, interest in participating in social games and activities, the ability to imitate, the ability to follow simple instructions, the ability to learn new skills and the ability to adapt to new environments or situations.
• Repetitive and unusual behaviors: Children with TDI can develop repetitive and unusual behaviors, such as the repetition of body movements, obsession with certain objects, fixing in certain patterns, stiffness in thinking and change resistance.
• Loss of bladder control and intestines: Children with TDI can lose control of bladder and intestines, which can lead to enuresis (urinary incontinence) and findis (fecal incontinence).

It is important to keep in mind that the symptoms of the TDI vary in each child and can affect each individual differently. In addition, these symptoms may appear suddenly or gradually, which makes it difficult to diagnose. If you suspect that your child may be suffering from TDI, it is important to find the opinion of a mental health professional for adequate evaluation and early treatment.

It usually occurs with severe cognitive deficit. It is also associated with an increase in alterations in E.AND.G. and compulsive disorders.

There are very few data. It is much less frequent than autistic disorder. It occurs more frequently in men.

Disintegrative disorder course

The clinical course of child disintegrative disorder (TDI), also known as heller syndrome or disintegrative autism, is usually very variable depending on each individual case, but is characterized by a significant regression in social, communicative and behavioral skills after having had a seemingly normal development during the first years of life.

Some of the phases of the TDI clinical course are described below:

1. Initial phase: During the first years of life, the child apparently develops in a normal way, acquiring social, communicative and behavioral skills appropriate for his age.
2. Record phase: From 2 or 3 years of age, the child begins to show a significant regression in his social, communicative and behavioral skills, losing previously acquired skills. These symptoms may appear suddenly or gradually and are usually more serious than in autism.
3. Stable phase: Once the regression has occurred, the symptoms of the TDI are stabilized and remain relatively constant for a period of time. During this phase, the child can show difficulties in communication, social interaction and behavior.
4. Progressive phase: In some cases, the TDI can continue to get worse over time, which leads to a continuous deterioration in the child's social, communicative and behavioral skills.

It is important to keep in mind that not all children with TDI experience all phases of the clinical course, and that the course can vary depending on each individual case. In addition, the severity of symptoms and prognosis can also vary considerably. In general, it is considered that the prognosis of the TDI is discouraging, since many affected children do not completely recover their lost skills.

Differential diagnosis

Differentiation with autistic disorder is based on the beginning. Rett disorder is distinguished by the characteristic sexual proportion of it, by the beginning and by the deficits pattern. In Asperger's disorder there is no delay in language development or loss of evolutionary skills. In the initial dementia in childhood, disorder surveys due to physiological effects of medical diseases.

Children's disintegrative disorder treatment

TDI treatment focuses on improving social, communicative and behavioral skills through occupational therapy, speech therapy and behavioral therapy. Medications can also be useful for controlling specific symptoms, such as aggressiveness or hyperactivity. However, often the prognosis of the TDI is discouraging, since many affected children do not completely recover their lost skills.

Pharmacotherapy

There is currently no specific drug for this disorder. The problem is that the child can develop associated disorders such as violent behaviors, serious anxiety or depression, so medication can be administered to alleviate these symptoms.

Some psychiatrists recommend antidepressants and antipsychotics. All this in personalized doses and according to the different symptomatology of each child.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy is the most applied in these disorders, as it has proven to be the most effective. Unfortunately, this disease is chronic and in most cases the person who suffers it becomes completely dependent.

Thanks to behavioral therapy, therapists work in the inhibition of unwanted behaviors. In addition, the child is stimulated so that it can recover even partially, some of the lost functions.

It is very advisable that both the family and the educational environment participate in the therapy to obtain the best possible results. Although lost functions are not recovering, we work on maintaining a certain level of autonomy and activity.

The autistic disorder, what is and how it manifests

Bibliographic references

• Races, v. (2015). Autistic spectrum disorders and child disintegrative disorder. Neurology Magazine, 60 (Suppl. 1), S29-S36.
• Fombonne, e. (2004). Generalized development disorders and child disintegrative disorder. Neurology Magazine, 38 (Suppl. 1), S99-S104.
• Gómez, r. (2010). Children's disintegrative disorder. Chilean Pediatrics Magazine, 81 (5), 463-471.
• Herrera, p. (2009). Children's disintegrative disorder. Advances in Latin American Clinical Psychology, 27 (1), 37-56.
• Sánchez-Bahíllo, a., & Garcia-Primo, P. (2007). Children's disintegrative disorder. FMC-continued medical formation in primary care, 14 (5), 317-320.