Definition:
Heller's syndrome or (childhood disintegrative disorder) is a condition in which young children develop normally until age 3 or 4, but then demonstrate a severe loss of social, communication and other skills.
Diagnosis:
A formal and comprehensive evaluation is performed by a team of doctors and health care specialists that often includes a child psychologist, a child psychiatrist, a doctor who specializes in conditions of the brain and nervous system (neurologist), a pediatrician specializing in behavioral and developmental problems, a hearing specialist (audiologist), a speech therapist, a physical therapist and an occupational therapist.
Treatment:
There is no cure for Heller's syndrome. Treatment for this disorder is basically the same as for autism, such as medications and behavior therapy.
Symptoms and Signs:
A child affected with childhood disintegrative disorder displays normal development, generally up to an age of 2 years, and he/she acquires "normal development of age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, motor, play and self-care skills" comparable to other children of the same age. However, from around the age of 2 through the age of 10, skills acquired are lost almost completely in at least two of the following six functional areas: language skills, receptive language skills, social and self-care skills, control over bowel and bladder, play skills, and motor skills.
Causes:
There's no known cause of Heller's syndrome. The disorder may occur suddenly over the course of days to weeks or gradually over an extended period of time.
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