Definition
Stereotypies
Etymology: Gk, stereos + typos mark
Stereotypies are repetitive, persistent, non-goal, and apparently purposeless motor actions and speech patterns which are carried out in a rhythmic and uniform way that serves no obvious adaptive functioning and are not explained by other movement disorders or paroxysmal event.
It is necessary to distinguish from stereotypic behavior that is a behavior that looks unusual, strange or inappropriate, a voluntary act that occurs repeatedly in the same way and it is characteristic for that person but does not cause physical damage, therefore includes not only stereotypies but other repetitive behavior or sensory action leading to overestimated frequency compared with stereotypies.
In DSM-5, stereotypic movement disorder (SMD) is included in the neurodevelopmental section, with onset in...
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References and Reading
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Hervas, A. (2021). Stereotypic Behavior. In: Volkmar, F.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91280-6_416
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91280-6_416
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