Abstract
Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) including autism and profound deafness are both particularly difficult to diagnose in infancy and early childhood. Communication in PDD children is so strikingly impaired that it may resemble communication in deaf children, but the specific intervention methods are different. Our objective is to determine the characteristics in cases of comorbid profound deafness and PDD. We conducted a retrospective review of five children with comorbid bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and PDD. An early intervention group (n=3) was found in a newborn hearing screening program, and a late intervention group (n=2) was identified by language development delay. PDD was recognized in children of both groups by analysis of behavior profiles in a group setting. They had the same inappropriate interpersonal communication characteristics. The late intervention group tended to be less likely to respond to speech and to acquire language. These overlap cases need early intervention based on their characteristics.
