Aim of the study: The analysis of the types of developmental disorders in early childhood. Material and methods: Seventy-one children at the age from 7 days to 3 years who came to The Early Intervention Centre for Handicapped Children “Give the Chance” at University Children’s Clinical Hospital in Bialystok in 2010 were examined. There were 46 (65%) boys and 25 (35%) girls in that group. The most common reason for coming to the Centre was the psychomotor retardation – 38 (54%) subjects. In the Centre the diagnosis included: developmental interview, psychological, pedagogical and speech-therapy research. The evaluation of the psychomotor development in the psychological investigation was made using the Brunet-Lézine Scale of Psychomotor Development. The opinion on the symptoms of pervasive developmental disorder was based on diagnostic criteria contained in ICD-10. Results: The delayed development of the active speech was diagnosed in 71 (100%) subjects. Forty-one (58%) patients had psychomotor retardation without the features of the pervasive developmental disorder. Pervasive developmental disorder was diagnosed in 19 (27%) subjects. The quotient of the psychomotor development was 77. Therapeutic influences included: psychoeducation – 65 (92%) subjects, pedagogical therapy and speech-therapy – 13 (18%) subjects, emotional support – 65 (92%) subjects, systematic group classes for parents – 10 (14%) subjects. Conclusions: 1) The developmental disorder was diagnosed in the majority of the examined children – 41 (58%) subjects. 2) Pervasive developmental disorder was diagnosed in 19 (27%) subjects, which is in accordance with the worldwide tendency for the growth of the number of diagnosis connected with this disorder (“autism epidemics”).

early intervention, psychomotor developmental disorder, delayed development of the active speech, pervasive developmental disorder, the Brunet-Lézine Scale of Psychomotor Development