People with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) are affected by abnormal brain function, which causes cognitive, emotional, and social challenges. Typically, NDs emerge during a person’s early development years, specifically between toddlerhood and adolescence. However, symptoms can persist even into adulthood as some people may not be diagnosed until later years or are misdiagnosed altogether. More than that, NDs can impact people differently as each person can exhibit numerous symptoms that vary in severity.
Types and Symptoms
The various types of NDs include autism, ADHD, various learning disorders, and even cerebral palsy. Interestingly, the neurodiversity doesn’t view conditions like autism and ADHD as disorders but as naturally developed variations in one’s cognitive function. With this distinction, human’s diverse thought patterns and behavior remain the focus as it stresses how acceptance and accommodations are vital in supporting neurodivergent individuals.
Ultimately, NDs can have different symptoms affecting their behavior, speech, and memory. Other common symptoms of NDs are impairments in social and motor skills, emotional regulation, and learning disabilities. Each person may show different symptoms depending on the severity and type of ND. To get diagnosed, these mental challenges must affect how an individual functions.
When social skills are impacted, people may find it difficult to fully engage in conversation effectively. While speech and language delays may hinder one’s communication ability, complications in learning may disrupt academic performance. Likewise, someone with impaired motor skills may struggle with daily tasks and physical coordination. Issues with emotional regulations may give people with ND’s mood swings or terrible stress management.
Causes and Risk Factors
So what causes NDs to develop? As of now, its cause is still unclear, however, it’s believed that various factors play a significant role. Accordingly, both environmental and biological factors may influence NDs’ development. For example, hormones and genetics may trigger NDs to develop in a person. Additionally, external factors like trauma, stress, and illness may trigger them as well. Epigenetics is a scientific field that examines these behaviors and environmental factors that can alter a person’s gene function and DNA. This field of study may give researchers more understanding of what causes NDs to develop.
Exposure to neglect, toxic environments, and trauma in early childhood are believed to be risk factors in a person developing these disorders. Due to these experiences, they may undergo gene expression changes, increasing their chances of developing NDs. Similarly, prenatal events have also been linked to various medical conditions. Particularly, women on maternal diets while pregnant can influence their child’s health in the future. For example, a mother’s diet may increase the risk of their child developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes or obesity. Currently, scientists are exploring if these prenatal events can lead to someone developing NDs.
Statistics of NDs
In particular, men are more likely to be diagnosed with NDs than women. Moreover, research suggests biological, environmental, or genetic factors may explain why men are most affected. With that said, people with NDs have higher chances of comorbidity, meaning they are affected by more than one mental health condition or neurodevelopmental disorder.
One study consisting of children between the ages of 7 and 12 with mental health problems found that 55% had ND. Among 181 ADHD-affected children, nearly 26% struggled with an anxiety disorder, and around 40% didn’t have a comorbid condition at all. Of the 18 children with ASD, 44% struggled with a tic disorder, and 36% either had ADHD or an anxiety disorder. Yet, those remaining were either diagnosed with other health conditions or didn’t have any comorbidities.
Although the boys had more ND diagnoses, the girls who had NDs had a higher risk of developing comorbid disorders. Despite the study’s results, it did have two limitations that affected it. For instance, evaluations were made solely from parental interviews, and each family was given one interview only. Nonetheless, the study was still promising despite the limitations as it highlighted the complexities surrounding ND diagnoses, especially concerning gender differences and comorbidity.
Therapy and Treatment Methods
Like the symptoms, people may need different treatment options to combat their specific neurological condition tailored to their needs. Unfortunately, however, there isn’t a cure for NDs but various treatment methods may help a person cope and manage their symptoms. Those affected with these disorders may benefit from therapies like speech therapy, developmental therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). To be precise, CBT may help individuals recognize and change maladaptive thoughts and behaviors to manage certain symptoms of NDs.
Another common approach addressing the behaviors of NDs is known as applied behavioral analysis (ABA). Although some people have benefitted from ABA to address certain behaviors, those within the neurodiversity community have criticisms of it. Specifically, these individuals find ABA to be dehumanizing as it focuses too much on correcting one’s behavior rather than supporting their needs. Furthermore, this treatment approach must be tailored to each participant to ensure its methods are used respectfully.
Final Thoughts
For children, in particular, their parents may find it a tough adjustment to help their children following an ND diagnosis. Often, caring for ND children may change the family dynamics significantly, increasing stress among families adjusting to the new challenges. That’s why even parents or the child’s caretaker should be taken care of as they tend to have more on their shoulders. In fact, they tend to experience more stress than parents whose children aren’t affected by these conditions.
People with NDs will face various challenges in life including their relationships, social skills, and productivity. Despite these challenges, however, that doesn’t mean these individuals can’t have fulfilling lives – it’s the opposite. With accommodations and genuine support, they can function, and most of all, thrive in society. Not only that but developing effective coping skills and receiving proper treatment can even enhance their quality of life.
Disclaimer: This article is intended simply to provide information. It does not replace the medical advice of a physician or other medical professional. Please speak with your doctor or therapist if you have any questions or concerns.
