Childhood psychological development

Disorders of adult personality and behaviour (ICD 10 codes F60-F69), mental retardation (ICD 10 codes F70-F79), disorders of psychological development (ICD 10 codes F80-F89), behavioural and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence (ICD 10 codes F90-F98) and unspecified mental disorder (ICD 10 code F99) are all often non-specific and/or cannot be treated with conventional psychopharmacological medicaments. For example, disorders of sexual behaviour have been treated with hormone therapies or antagonists and hyperkinetic disorders and other disruptive behaviour disorders in children have been treated with stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin ). 

The examination of individual NP case studies by other investigators, as well as summary results of our pilot research, suggest at least two clinically distinct populations. One subsample of PCP abusers has a developmental history of prenatal and birth complications, e.g., prematurity, anoxia at birth, or low APGAR scores, and of early childhood factors, e.g., CHI with loss of consciousness, febrile illnesses with or without convulsions, or chronic ear infections. These histories contribute to developmental learning and performance disorders. In this group, LD causes academic failure and frustrations, which in turn contribute to the development of psychological and interpersonal problems. 

Zahn-Waxler, C. (1995). Introduction to special section Parental depression and distress Implications for development infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 31, 347—348. 

Sigmund Freud, an Austrian physician who began his career in the 1890s, focused on psychological disorders that he felt were caused by memory disturbances. Freud felt mental illness occurs when unpleasant childhood memories are repressed, or kept from consciousness. His highly influential theory of psychoanalysis is in fact based on the concept that memories can be repressed, and he developed psychoanalytic therapy to uncover those memories and cure the patient. 

Autism is characterized by impairments in socialization, communication, and the presence of stereotyped and repetitive behaviors with onset before 3 years of age (American Psychological Association, 1995). Asperger syndrome is characterized by preserved language in the presence of the other characteristics of autism (American Psychological Association, 1995). However, in patients who initially meet the criteria for autism, the symptoms may evolve such that they no longer meet all criteria for autism as they develop from childhood to adulthood (Seltzer et al., 2003). Therefore, the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often utilized to collectively describe both syndromes (Beversdorf et al., 1998). 

Sandra Shaheen, Neuromaturation in Behavior Development The Case of Childhood Lead Poisoning, Developmental Psychology 20 (1984) 542-550. 

Jacobson SW, Jacobson JL. 2000. Teratogenic insult and neurobehavioral function in infancy and childhood. In Nelson CA, ed. The Minnesota Symposia on Child Psychology. Vol 31 The Effects of Early Adversity on Neurobehavioral Development. Mahwah, NJ Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Pp. 61-112. 

Olweus, D. (1991). BuUy/victim problems among schoolchildren Basic facts and effects of a school-based intervention program. In The Development and Treatment of Childhood Aggression, edited by D. J. Pepler and K. H. Rubins, 11-48, Psychology Press, New York. 

Baghurst, P.A., Oldfield, R.A., Wigg, N.R., McMichael, A.]., Robertson, E.F. and Vimpani, G.V. (1985). Some characteristics and correlates of blood lead in early childhood preliminary results from the Port Pirie Study. Environ. Res., 38, 24-30 Bayley, N. (1969). Manual for the Bayley Scales of Inf ant Development. (New York Psychological Corporation)... 

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