Children, Youth and Adolescence
The Children, Youth, and Adolescence topic covers issues usually found during infancy, youth and adolescence. These include: general subject coverage such as special concerns with adolescence, attention deficit and disruptive behavior disorders, such as disruptive disorder of juveniles, autism and childhood schizophrenia, and developmental disabilities such as mental retardation. Examples include hyperactivity or impulse control, child abuse and neglect, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder.
General
The general topic involves a range of topics, including those listed below.
Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity, or Impulse Control Disorders
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is characterized by prominent symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity (4th ed., text rev.; DSM–IV–TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000: 40). Impulse Control Disorder is characterized by the failure to resist an impulse, drive, or temptation to perform an act that is harmful to the person or to others (4th ed., text rev.; DSM–IV–TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000: 663).
Autism, Childhood Schizophrenia
The essential features of Autistic Disorder are the presence of markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests. Manifestations of the disorder vary greatly depending on the development level and chronological age of the individual. Autistic Disorder is sometimes referred to as early infantile autism, childhood autism, or Kanner's autism (4th ed., text rev.; DSM–IV–TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000: 70).
Developmental Disabilities: such as Mental Retardation
Mental Retardation is a disorder that is characterized by significantly sub average intellectual functioning (an IQ of approximately 70 or below) with onset before age 18 years and concurrent deficits or impairments on adaptive functioning (4th ed., text rev.; DSM–IV–TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000: 39).