What are Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs)?

(as described by the National Center for Biotechnological Institute)

NDDs are multifaceted conditions characterized by impairments in cognition, communication, behavior and/or motor skills resulting from abnormal brain development. Intellectual disability, communication disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia fall under the umbrella of NDD.

Further Clarification

(as described by Southern New Hampshire University - Shapiro Library)

NDDs are some of the most complex forms of neurodiversity in children. This phenomenon originates from disabilities and abnormalities directly related to the body's nervous system and brain. Given the symptoms associated with NDDs, there are subsequent behavioral and intellectual specific problems that commonly arise. The long debated psychological theory of nature vs nurture provides a perfect explanation for how these two individual concepts work as one cohesive unit throughout the development of any child. More specifically, this theory is essential when investigating the roots of various neurodevelopmental disorders in children as well.

Common Types of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Symptoms

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)

(as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Those with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active. It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. However, those with ADHD do not just grow out of these behaviors. The symptoms continue, can be severe, and can cause difficulty at school, at home, or with friends.

There are three different ways ADHD presents itself, depending on which types of symptoms are strongest in the individual:

• Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.

• Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: The person fidgets and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.

• Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present in the person.

Because symptoms can change over time, the presentation may change over time as well.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

(as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

ASD is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known. Scientists believe there are multiple causes of ASD that act together to change the most common ways people develop. We still have much to learn about these causes and how they impact people with ASD.

People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other people. The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. For example, some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be nonverbal. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to no support.

ASD begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time. Some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life. In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. Some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.

As children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job. They may come to the attention of healthcare providers because they also have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which occur more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.

Learning Disorders

(as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Many children may struggle in school with some topics or skills from time to time. When children try hard and still struggle with a specific set of skills over time, it could be a sign of a learning disorder. Having a learning disorder means that a child has difficulty in one or more areas of learning, even when overall intelligence or motivation is not affected.

Some of the symptoms of learning disorders are

• Difficulty telling right from left

• Reversing letters, words, or numbers, after first or second grade

• Difficulties recognizing patterns or sorting items by size or shape

• Difficulty understanding and following instructions or staying organized

• Difficulty remembering what was just said or what was just read

• Lacking coordination when moving around

• Difficulty doing tasks with the hands, like writing, cutting, or drawing

• Difficulty understanding the concept of time

Examples of learning disorders include

• Dyslexia – difficulty with reading

• Dyscalculia – difficulty with math

• Dysgraphia – difficulty with writing

Children with learning disorders may feel frustrated that they cannot master a subject despite trying hard, and may act out, act helpless, or withdraw. Learning disorders can also be present with emotional or behavioral disorders, such as ADHD or Anxiety. The combination of problems can make it particularly hard for a child to succeed in school. Properly diagnosing each disorder is crucial, so that the child can get the right kind of help for each.

Communication Disorders

(as described by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)

Communication Disorders. An impairment in the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal and graphic symbol systems. A communication disorder may be evident in the processes of hearing, language, and/or speech. A communication disorder may range in severity from mild to profound. It may be developmental or acquired. Individuals may demonstrate one or any combination of communication disorders. A communication disorder may result in a primary disability or it may be secondary to other disabilities.

1. A speech disorder is an impairment of the articulation of speech sounds, fluency and/or voice.

1. An articulation disorder is the atypical production of speech sounds characterized by substitutions, omissions, additions or distortions that may interfere with intelligibility.

2. A fluency disorder is an interruption in the flow of speaking characterized by atypical rate, rhythm, and repetitions in sounds, syllables, words, and phrases. This may be accompanied by excessive tension, struggle behavior, and secondary mannerisms.

3. A voice disorder is characterized by the abnormal production and/or absences of vocal quality, pitch, loudness, resonance, and/or duration, which is inappropriate for an individual's age and/or sex.

2. A language disorder is impaired comprehension and/or use of spoken, written and/or other symbol systems. The disorder may involve (1) the form of language (phonology, morphology, syntax), (2) the content of language (semantics), and/or (3) the function of language in communication (pragmatics) in any combination.

1. Form of Language

1. Phonology is the sound system of a language and the rules that govern the sound combinations.

2. Morphology is the system that governs the structure of words and the construction of word forms.

3. Syntax is the system governing the order and combination of words to form sentences, and the relationships among the elements within a sentence.

2. Content of Language

1. Semantics is the system that governs the meanings of words and sentences.

3. Function of Language

1. Pragmatics is the system that combines the above language components in functional and socially appropriate communication.

Motor and Tic Disorders

(as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Tics are repetitive, sharp, rapid, non-rhythmic movements or utterances that are the result of sudden, abrupt and involuntary muscular contractions. Stereotypies are repetitive, apparently impulsive, rhythmic, purposeless movements that follow an individual repertoire that is specific to each individual and that occur under a variable time pattern, which may be either transient or persistent. Both are included in the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), among the neurodevelopmental disorders, and together with coordination development disorder go to make up the group of motor disorders.

For tics, the categories of 'Tourette's disorder', 'chronic motor or vocal tic disorder' and 'unspecified tic disorder' have been maintained, whereas the category 'transient tics' has disappeared and 'provisional tic disorder' and 'other specified tic disorders' have been incorporated.