Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis and CDD
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association coined the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In doing so, it created one big umbrella under which multiple neurodevelopmental disorders are now housed.
This was done because the disorders were previously treated separately, even though they all had very similar signs, symptoms and approaches to treatment.
Two of the most well-known disorders under the ASD umbrella are Asperger’s syndrome and autism. Another is known as childhood disintegrative disorder.
Known more commonly as CDD, this disorder used to be considered a pervasive developmental disorder. The change in categorization in 2013, though, clumped it together with these other disorders.
CDD is associated with children developing normally to a certain point and then losing some of the skills that they had previously acquired. Like other forms of ASD, there’s no single cause of CDD, though it’s believed that there is a link between children having subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and developing CDD.
Below, we’ll discuss the two disorders in more depth and examine the link between the two.
Read more: Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
Table Of Contents
What is CDD?
CDD is also referred to as Heller’s syndrome. It’s a rare disorder, affecting only about one to two out of 100,000 children.
It’s characterized by children developing on a typical path until they are about two years old. This includes in the major areas of developmental milestones, including social relationships, adaptive behaviors, play, and verbal and nonverbal communication.
Then, the child will start to lose the ability to perform some of the skills that they have already acquired. Most of the time, this will start around 3 and 4 years old, though it can progress rapidly or gradually.
To be defined as CDD, a child must lose skills in this way in at least two of the following areas: play, adaptive behavior, expressive or receptive language, bladder or bowel control, motor skills and social skills.
Children who have CDD face a lot of the same struggles that children on the autism spectrum do, including challenges with repetitive behaviors, social interactions and communication.
What is Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis?
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE, is a brain disorder that can be deadly and/or disabling. It’s progressive in nature and is related to an infection of measles, though the disease typically doesn’t develop until many years after someone is infected by measles.
Measles don’t typically cause damage to the brain. In some cases, though, an abnormal response by the immune system to measles can occur. It’s also possible that a mutant form of measles could cause a severe illness and even death.
If this happens, the brain can become inflamed, with irritation and swelling, that could last for many years.
The symptoms that come from SSPE worsen over time, in four distinct stages.
At first, the person might experience mood swings, personality changes and depression. This can last for as much as six months.
Next, they might have troubles with uncontrolled movements, including muscle spasms and jerking. The individual might also experience seizures, dementia and loss of vision.
Stage 3 is defined by the jerking movements being replaced by rigidity and twisting movements. Some individuals may succumb to their symptoms.
In Stage 4, the parts of the brain that are responsible for controlling blood pressure, heart rate and breathing can get damaged, which can lead to a coma and then death.
What is the Link Between Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis and CDD?
There’s no single cause of CDD that has been identified yet, just like other forms of ASD. At the same time, some links have been found between CDD and other diseases, especially if the symptoms of CDD start later in childhood.
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is one of the identified causes. When the brain sustains damage from SSPE, it can result in the loss of abilities that children had once acquired, which is a hallmark of CDD.
How SSPE affects a child can vary significantly, with some afflicted individuals dying from it.
Since SSPE comes from a measles infection, there is medical testing that can diagnose it, including EEGs, MRIs and spinal taps.
How Are They Treated?
There isn’t a cure for either SSPE or CDD. Since the disease and disorder themselves aren’t treated, what is treated is the symptoms that are present.
Applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy, has long been considered the gold standard for treating ASD. The science- and evidence-based approaching to learning and behavior has been widely accepted as a leading treatment for all forms of CDD, including CDD that’s caused by SSPE.
ABA therapists will work hand-in-hand with all patients to build a personalized treatment plan that helps them build the communication, social and daily life skills with which they struggle. Using positive reinforcement and repetition, this treatment plan helps them modify behaviors over time.
Trust Blue Gems ABA with Your Child’s Treatment
A direct link between CDD and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis has been drawn, though not every child who has CDD will have SSPE, and vice versa. Still, ABA therapy is considered the best treatment plan for both.
At Blue Gems ABA, our team of experienced BCBAs are dedicated to administering this best-in-class treatment so children on the autism spectrum can live happy and fulfilling lives.
To learn more, please contact us today.
617-297-7998
617-340-3371
info@bluegemsaba.com
English 
Spanish