Disorders in childhood and adolescence

Mental illness affects individuals of all ages. Disorders in childhood and adolescence refer to disorders that present symptoms at younger ages and are diagnosable in childhood and adolescents.

Mental Illness can have a serious impact on a child's overall health. Some disorders are more common than others in childhood and adolescence, and conditions range from mild to severe. Symptoms in children and adolescents often present differently than they do in adults. For example, children and adolescents may present as irritable and angry when depressed, as apposed to adults who may appear sad and down. Historically, behaviors of children and adolescents have been viewed as acts of defiance or simple childish reactions. Today our understanding of child and adolescent behaviors has grown greatly. Research continues to shed light on our understanding of mental illness in children and adolescents and the associated behaviors and debilitating affects.

Examples of disorders diagnosable in childhood and adolescnece* include:

Anxiety Disorders

Major Depression

Dysthymia

Bipolar Disorder

Attention-Deficity Hyperactivity Disorder

Eating Disorders

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The DSM-IV references "Disorders Ususally First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence." This section discusses disorders that present symptoms at a younger age.

Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence* include:

Mental Retardation

Characterized by significantly subaverage intellectual functioning (an IQ of 70 or below) with onset before age 18 and concurrent deficits or impairments in adaptive functioning. Includes mild, moderate, and severe mental retardation.

Learning Disorders

Characterized by academic functioning that is substantially below that expected given the person's chronological age, measured intelligence, and age-appropriate education. Includes Reading Disorder, Mathematics Disorder, and Disorder of Written Expression.

Motor Skills Disorder

Characterized by motor coordination that is substantially below that expected given the person's chronological age and measure intelligence. Includes Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Characterized by severe deficits and pervasive impairment in multiple areas of development. These include impairment in reciprocal social interaction, impairment in communication, and the presence of stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities. Includes Autisim, Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegration Disorder, and Asperger's Disorder.

Attention-Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders

Attention-Deficit Disorders are characterized by prominent symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. Includes Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Predominantly Inattentive Type, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type, and Combined Type.

Behavior Disorders are characterized by patterns of behavior that may violate the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules, and/or negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior. Includes Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Feeding and Eating Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood

Characterized by persistent disturbances in feeding and eating. Includes Pica Disorder and Rumination Disorder.

Tic Disorders

Characterized by vocal and/or motor tics. Includes Tourette's Disorder, Chronic Motor or Vocal Tic Disorder, and Transient Tic Disorder.

Elimination Disorders

Characterized by passing and voiding of feces and urine in inappropriate places. Includes Encopresis and Enuresis.

Other Disorders

Separation Anxiety - characterized by developmentally inappropriate and excessive anxiety concerning separation from home or from those to whom the child is attached.

Reactive Attachment Disorder in Infancy and Early Childhood - characterized by markedly disturbed and developmentally inappropriate social relatedness that occurs in most contexts and is associated with grossly pathogenic care.

Disorders in childhood and adolescence

Examples of disorders diagnosable in childhood and adolescnece* include:

Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence* include:

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