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Child development can be branched off into many differing and varying departments. There is no single classification of child development because there are so many things to consider when thinking about the mental, emotional and physical development of the child. Ironically enough, while those are the big three when it comes to child development, they cannot exist without the other. They are intertwined and related, when one falters, the other two will be effected.
Child development in the end of the day is holistic, using micro approaches to identify and spot potential problems early so that intervention can be executed and the child can grow up and function as a normal adult. This article will discuss some of the common developmental disorders in children, and how they can affect them not only in the early years, but also when they develop into adults. One of the most common ailments of brain disorders that can affect a child’s development is autism. Autism affects the social development, the communication skills and the expressive abilities of a child that can affect him or her till the adult years if not taken care of properly. It is classed under the nuerodevelopmental disorders and occurs in the brain.
Besides that, there is also autism spectrum disorder, which is a higher form of autism, and sometimes can include other social abnormalities, restricted interests, highly repetitive behaviour that come from Asperger syndrome of PDD-NOS. It can also include Rett syndrome or even childhood disintegrative disorder. All these disorders all are closely linked to autism and enhances the symptoms of core autistic behaviour. Then you have cerebral palsy, other forms of traumatic brain injury that can arise from an accident or substance abuse. You also have communication, speech and language disorders, which are separate from autism and only affect the speech centres of the brain. Other rarer ones are fragile – X syndrome and Down syndrome, which are much more serious and can adversely affect children physically as well as mentally.
The causes of these developmental disorders are varied and can come from many sources. It could be caused by deprivation, genetic disorders, immune dysfunction, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, problems with their nutrition, trauma or bad experiences bombarding them since early childhood and even environmental factors like toxic conditions or even exposure to highly radio active wastes. As a parent or someone thinking of conceiving, it is important to know what are the causes of the more common ones and what you can do to avoid them from happening to your child. Check your family history if there is any case of developmental disorders and have blood work done. In this case having more knowledge can help you avoid even a modicum of developmental problems in your child. Ask doctors and child psychologists for assistance if you do happen to notice some alarming symptoms in your child and remember, early intervention is the best ‘cure’ for these problematic conditions.
MindMatters Psychology Practice provides child development support services for children and young adults. They also provide an Autism Test [http://www.mmpp.com.sg/giftedness-testing.html] for children.
