Mental disorders in children and adolescents

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS

(e.g.: delay in the development of expressive language – the child does not speak at the age of 2, although he understands most commands; stuttering)

MENTAL RETARDATION

(delay in psychomotor development, by age stages )

LEARNING DISORDERS

(dyscalculia = specific learning disorder of mathematical calculations, dyslexia = specific learning disorder of reading, dysgraphia = specific learning disorder of writing)

 AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

(absent/intermittent eye contact, does not respond by turning their head when called, although they can hear, shows delay in language development – either does not speak, or has a certain pronunciation peculiarity, or shows echolalia (repeats what they heard, but without meaning and with the same intonation), has difficulties in socializing with children, shows particular stereotyped interests for certain games, objects, colors, etc.; shows motor stereotypes – waves his hands when he is happy, walks on tiptoes, spins in circles, etc. )

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERKINETIC DISORDER or ADHD

(includes 3 categories of symptoms: hyperactivity, impulsivity and attention deficit, classified into 2 groups: inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. There are several forms of ADHD: the combined type, the type with the predominance of inattention and the type with the predominance of hyperactivity-impulsivity)

EATING and ELIMINATION DISORDERS (anorexia, bulimia)

(enuresis = involuntary urination, absence of sphincter control in children with a mental age of more than 5 years, encopresis = involuntary elimination of feces with soiling of underwear, in children with a mental age of more than 4 years)

TICS

(repetitive, involuntary or partially voluntarily controlled motor and/or vocal manifestations, accentuated by fatigue and psycho-emotional factors)

OPPOSITIONAL DISORDER

(the “stubborn” child, who does not obey the rules and is aggressive) and BEHAVIOR (the child who steals, leaves home without asking permission before 13, more than once, is aggressive with others, lies)

MOOD DISORDERS

(depression – state of unmotivated or insufficiently motivated sadness that persists for at least 2 weeks or irritability. Lack of desire to play or previously enjoyable activities, weight loss or weight gain. Decreased or increased appetite, fatigue, sleep disorders, difficulties concentration or memory problems Thoughts of uselessness, suicidal ideation or suicide attempts Manic episode – euphoric mood persisting for more than a week Fatigue, running out of ideas, difficulty concentrating, inability to complete started activities Excessive spending , sleep and appetite disorders.

Anxiety = generalized fear without a specific object, permanent worries, accompanied by mental tension. Inability to relax, difficulty concentrating, insomnia; separation anxiety, social anxiety

SPECIFIC PHOBIAS

(irrational fear of various situations or objects; for example: school phobia, phobia of animals, phobia of the dark, etc.)

PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

(thought disorders – incoherence, ideas that do not correspond to reality – for example, stalking, poisoning; visual, auditory hallucinations, “staring”, as if watching something or talking to someone, although alone, bizarre, altered behavior from the usual behavior of the child or adolescent; very early-onset schizophrenia before the age of 13 and early-onset schizophrenia before the age of 18 are described)

DRUG CONSUMPTION

(can manifest by: psychomotor agitation, excessive spending, even stealing to obtain money to procure the drug, altered behavior, enlarged or reduced pupils, eye congestion, lacrimation, tremors, chills, etc.)