Understanding Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

1. NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS CHAPTER 5

2. NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS • Conditions that begin in childhood • They have a major impact on social and cognitive functioning • Involving serious deficits in: • social interaction • communication skills • odd behavior, interests, and activities.

3. INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER • These are characterized by deficits in general mental abilities such as: • reasoning, • problem-solving, • judgment, • ability to learn from experience, and • learning in an academic context. • This diagnosis is used to characterize individuals who have intellectual and adaptive deficits that first became evident when they were children. • Significantly below average intellectual functioning, indicated by an IQ of 70 or below The term Mental Retardation is no longer used to classify people with intellectual disabilities.

4. GENETIC CAUSES • Down syndrome • Caused by abnormal chromosomal formation during conception. • Inherited an extra copy of chromosome 21 • Common cause of birth defects in humans, and almost always is associated with intellectual developmental disorder as well as a range of physical signs • ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES • Fetal alcohol syndrome • Rubella • Anoxia • Premature birth, and brain injury during delivery

5. TREATMENT OF INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS • Early Diagnosis • There is no cure for intellectual disabilities • Goal full inclusion in their communities • These services and may include: • Case management • Family support • Vocational programs • Day programs • Residential options • Early intervention • Special education • Transition services

6. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS • Formerly known as “Autism,” • Autism spectrum disorder: • A term currently used by many researchers and clinicians proposed in the DSM5 to replace the diagnosis of autistic disorder • Before age 3, individuals with autistic disorder show oddities in several spheres that other people easily detect. Signs to look for in children with autism include: • Lack of or delay in spoken language • Repetitive use of language (echolalia) and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects) • Little or no eye contact • Lack of interest in peer relationships • Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play • Persistent fixation on parts of objects

7. There is no medical test for diagnosing autism.  • A diagnosis is based on observed behavior and educational and psychological testing.  • As the symptoms of autism vary, so do the routes to obtaining a diagnosis.  • DSM 5 change: a single condition with differing levels of severity. • Autistic disorder • Asperger’s disorder • Typical to strong verbal language skills and intellectual ability distinguish Asperger syndrome from other forms of autism.

8. TREATMENT • Children do not "outgrow" autism • Early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes. • Primary treatments are educational • teaching those with autism ways to do things that may not come as easily for them) • compensatory (helping individuals use their strengths to make up for areas that are more difficult • behavioral (assisting individuals to minimize behaviors that interfere with daily living, such as tantrums or self-injury).  • Treatment involves the child's entire family and a team of professionals. • Some programs may take place in the child's home • Some programs are delivered in a specialized center, classroom or preschool. . • No single therapy works for every child.

9. RETT SYNDROME • Normal development occurs in a child early in life (up to age 4) and then neurological and cognitive impairments develop. • Deceleration of head growth and some of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. • The syndrome occurs almost exclusively in females and can be used as a specifier for Autism Spectrum Disorder. • Not used as a separate diagnosis in the DSM 5

10. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER Warning Signs • People with ADHD show an ongoing pattern of three different types of symptoms: • Difficulty paying attention (inattention) • Being overactive (hyperactivity) • Acting without thinking (impulsivity)

11. TREATMENT • Medication • Stimulants (e.g., Ritalin) • Many researchers think that stimulants are effective because the medication increases the brain chemical dopamine, which plays essential roles in thinking and attention. • Antidepressants • Psychosocial treatment • Psychoeducation • Individual therapy • Compensatory behavioral and self-management training

12. TIC DISORDERS • A tic is a rapid, recurring involuntary movement or vocalization. • Motor tics include eye blinking, facial twitches, and shoulder shrugging. • Vocal tics include coughing, grunting, snorting, coprolalia (the uttering of obscenities), and tongue clicking. • Tourette’s disorder is perhaps the most well-known of the tic disorders • People with this disorder experience a combination of chronic movement and vocal tics • Usually a lifelong condition • Onset usually in childhood or adolescence

13. SPECIFIC LEARNING DISORDER • Children who have a specific learning disorder experience a delay or deficit in their ability to acquire a basic academic skill. • Specific learning disorder with impairment in reading (commonly called dyslexia) • Specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics • Dyscalculia difficulty in learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, and learning math facts • Specific learning disorder with impairment in written express language

14. COMMUNICATION DISORDERS • Conditions involving impairment in language, speech, and communication. • Children with language disorder do not have the ability to express themselves in ways appropriate to their age and developmental level. • They use limited and faulty vocabulary and speak in short sentences with simplified grammatical structures, omitting critical words or phrases. • Children who experience Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder (Stuttering) are unable to produce fluent speech.