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Few problems are more distressing for parents than a child
with a possible developmental or psychological disorder. Caring for
a child who displays significant behavioural or emotional
symptoms puts families under extreme pressure and makes
parenting considerably difficult. When unnoticed, children
with significant emotional, cognitive or behavioural
difficulties can also experience added stress from others (e.g.,
bullying) and their
condition can deteriorate. Because childhood
disorders vary considerably, accurate diagnostic assessment is
the first step towards developing a treatment plan
and implementing suitable strategies.
On the following
pages we collected a wealth of information that may be
useful for parents with children experiencing behavioural
or psychological problems. For information about intellectual
and educational assessment, please follow the link here .
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ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY
DISORDER (ADHD)
Children with ADHD show developmentally inappropriate
inattention, impulsivity and overactivity. These
behaviours are not situationally bound and occur in
different contexts, such as home, playgrounds, school and
public places. Symptoms usually present from an early age,
before 7 years. |
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AUTISM
SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD)
Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD) are pervasive developmental
disorders, including Autistic Disorder,
Asperger's Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). These conditions are
associated with gross impairment in social functioning,
language and communication development, restricted, repetitive
or stereotyped interests and activities and stereotyped body
movements. |
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BEHAVIOURAL DISORDERS
Behavioural or externalising
disorders include Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct
Disorder. Generally behavioural disorders are characterised by
hostile and negativistic behaviour, anger, rule breaking,
deceit and lack of respect for the right of
others. |
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DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY
Developmental delay refers to a child's
functioning that is below the age appropriate level in one
or more psychologically important domains. These domains
are fine motor skills, gross motor skills, self-help
skills, social-emotional skills, receptive language skills
and expressive language
skills. |
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DYSLEXIA
Dyslexia is an often
life long condition, associated with difficulty reading
and decoding words and word
meanings.
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EMOTIONAL DISORDERS AND TRAUMA
Children with emotional
disorders can appear chronically fatigued, unhappy,
frightened, worried or agitated. Most often emotional
disorders go unnoticed by parents or teachers and
children can be also reluctant or unable to talk
about difficult
emotions. |
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INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
Intellectual disability
refers to a condition associated with a number of cognitive
and behavioural symptoms. These symptoms include significantly
subaverage general intellectual functioning, notable deficit
in adaptive functioning and early onset during the
developmental years.
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LEARNING DISABILITIES
Learning disability
refers to disturbance to the learning process
and poor academic performance that
is not influenced by cognitive ability,
physical disability, emotional difficulties, severe
socioeconomic disadvantage or other relevant
factors.
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