The 7 types of neurodevelopmental disorders (symptoms and causes)

These mental disorders can be very harmful to the well-being of children if left untreated.

When we think of mental disorders or problems, it is easy for problems such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or phobias to come to mind. adhd or autism. We will now review what are the types of neurodevelopmental disorders, the category to which they belong.and the category to which they belong.

Neurodevelopmental disorders

The neurodevelopmental disorders or neurodevelopmental disorders are the set of disorders and mental difficulties that have their origin in development of the brain or in the presence of alterations or lesions in its maturation. in its maturation.

They originate in early childhood or during the developmental process, and the first symptoms can usually be detected early.

The alterations caused by these disorders generate difficulties of varying intensity in the process of adaptation and social participation and/or in the performance of basic activities for survival. The subject's activity is limited or altered with respect to what would be with respect to what would be usual in other subjects with the same age and conditions.

Types of neurodevelopmental disorders in DSM-5

The label of neurodevelopmental disorders encompasses a large number of disorders that share the aforementioned characteristics, although there are notable differences between them depending on the aspects that are affected.

The following are the main groups of neurodevelopmental disorders the main groups of neurodevelopmental disorders covered by the latest version of one of the most important reference manuals, the DSM-5. For ease of understanding, disorders caused by substance use or medical illness are not included.

Intellectual disabilities

Intellectual disability is considered one of the neurodevelopmental disorders, due to the appearance of deficits or difficulties in intellectual functions and in the adaptive behavior in its conceptual, practical or social aspects, which result in a possible limitation of the intellectual functions.These disorders result in a possible limitation of the subject's functioning in one or more vital areas unless specific support is provided.

Also included in this group is global developmental delay, which is diagnosed when it is not possible to assess the severity of the disorder in children under five years of age, even though it is observed that they do not meet the expected developmental milestones. This diagnosis is provisional.

Communication disorders

Communication disorders are those neurodevelopmental disorders in which the subject is unable to communicate adequately. is not capable of.communicating adequately or learn to do so in spite of possessing sufficient mental capacities to do so.

Within this group of disorders we find language disorder (former TEL), phonological disorder, pragmatic communication disorder or stuttering or speech fluency disorder of childhood onset.

3. Autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by the presence of difficulties in communication and interpersonal interaction, repetitive and restrictive patterns of behavior and interests. Sufferers have difficulty understanding the rules governing social interactions and in grasping and expressing feelings, often have a literal spoken language and find it difficult to pick up subtleties and figurative and find it difficult to grasp subtleties and figurative uses of language, have a preference and need for routine and monotony, and have a poor acceptance of change.

Although in the past different disorders were distinguished within this spectrum, such as Kanner-type autism and Asperger's, currently it is considered a single disorder that encompasses them all (albeit with specifiers). (albeit with specifiers).

4. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Another of the best known neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD is a disorder characterized by the presence of typical symptoms of intention (such as difficulty in maintaining attention, committing errors due to lack of attention, etc.), high distractibility, non-completion of tasks, loss and forgetfulness of objects and activities, mental absent-mindedness...mental absence...) and/or hyperactivity (excessive talking, motor restlessness, difficulty sitting still or waiting for turns, interrupting other people's activities...).

Intentional symptoms may predominate, hyperactivity symptoms may predominate or there may be a mixed presentation.

It is also possible to find cases in which there are no cases of hyperactivity but only of intention, which is called attention deficit disorder or ADD.

5. Specific learning disorder

A specific learning disorder is one in which the subject manifests difficulties in the acquisition and use of academic skills, such as reading, writing and mathematics.

The individual has difficulties in reading, interpreting and using language (e.g., problems with grammar and spelling) and/or mathematical concepts. These difficulties are above what is to be expected for someone of the subjects' age and intellectual capacity, interfering with his or her academic activity.interfering with their academic activity.

6. Motor disorders

Another of the large groups of neurodevelopmental disorders are motor disorders, in which there are difficulties in aspects related to movement such as coordination or involuntary movements.

Within these disorders we find the developmental coordination disorder, the one of stereotyped movements and the disorders by tics.. In this last group we find the disorder of the Tourette, next to the one of persistent motor or vocal tics and the one of transient tics.

7. Others

This label is used for those disorders linked to neurodevelopmental alterations that affect the subject in one or more vital areas, but do not meet the diagnostic criteria of any of the previous groups of disorders.

For example, those disorders linked to substance use by the mother during pregnancy, or in those cases in which the subject is not affected by substance use during pregnancy.For example, those disorders linked to substance use by the mother during pregnancy, or in cases where there is insufficient information available to classify the disorder in question.