top of page

What is a Neurodevelopmental Disorder?

Writer's picture: Kaylee James, PsyDKaylee James, PsyD

Updated: Jul 16, 2023

Lots of providers throw around the term "developmental disorders" or "neurodevelopmental disorders", but what does that REALLY mean? Well, at the root of the term, neurodevelopmental disorders are a cluster or group of disorders that occur during early development. In order words, the symptoms of these disorders are first able to be observed during childhood. The prefix "neuro" refers to the differences in brain functioning that is present in these disorders. These differences can be genetic, chemical, and/or structural. Due to this impact on the brain, neurodevelopmental disorders will often cooccur at a higher rate compared to the general population. Despite this impact on the brain, diagnosing a neurodevelopmental disorder is currently a clinical process. There is no medical test (blood test, genetic test, or magnetic scan) that can be done to determine the presence of a diagnosis. Instead, a variety of types of information from a variety of sources can be collected to make the best clinical judgment based on the results and evidence.

Some of the disorders that fall under this category according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) are as follows: Intellectual Developmental Disorder, Global Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Specific Learning Disorders, Communication Disorders, Motor Disorders, and Tic Disorders (APA, 2022). These disorders can impact one or multiple domains of functioning including motor, social, communication, and academic areas (Reiss, 2009) Naturally, these disorders pique the interest and specialization from a variety of disciplines. Clinical psychology, neurology, pediatrics, psychiatry, occupational therapy, genetics, and speech-language pathology are common professions that provide services to individuals diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder.


At this point you may be thinking "Cool, but what does that mean for me?" and that is a great question. If you are a parent, you may consider thinking about your child's development. Were developmental milestones met on time? How did or do they interact with other children? Are they struggling academically? Can they communicate their needs? There are an endless number of questions that pertain to the core domain areas of motor, social, communication, and academic functioning. If you are an adult, you may ask yourself these same questions about your history. If you are concerned, it may be time to talk to your primary care physician about what you have noticed. From there, they may refer you to a psychologist, psychiatrist, developmental pediatrician, or another developmental specialist. You may also be able to contact a specialist directly to obtain services.


Thanks for reading!

- Kaylee James, PsyD


Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog and website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this on the website is intended to be a substitute for professional, psychological, psychiatric, or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Please note that no doctor-patient, supervisory, or consultative relationship is formed. If you need the qualified advice, supervision, or consultation of any mental health practitioner or medical provider, please seek one in your area.


References:


American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Neurodevelopmental disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).


Reiss A. L. (2009). Childhood developmental disorders: an academic and clinical convergence point for psychiatry, neurology, psychology and pediatrics. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 50(1-2), 87–98. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.02046.x

39 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Get in Touch!
 

Crayons Psychology Services, PLLC

1645 Parkhill Drive, Suite 1

Billings, MT 59102

  • Amazon
  • LinkedIn

Thanks for submitting!

© 2023 by Crayons Psychology Services, PLLC. Powered and secured by Wix

bottom of page