CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE DISORDERS

-

DISORDERS OF CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE
Externalizing Disorders
·         Attention Deficit /Hyperactivity Disorder
o   Behavioral inhibition – difficulty inhibiting responses and interrupting ongoing activities
o   Working memory – difficulty holding events in mind, anticipating problems and imitating complex behavior sequences
o   Self regulation – difficulty controlling feelings and impulses and looking at situations with some perspective of their antecedents and consequences.
o   Goal direction – difficulty formulating goals and keeping them in mind.
o   Response to feedback – difficulty in attending to feedback from the environment and in using that feedback to plan the future.
·         Oppositional defiant disorder
o   A pattern that includes negativistic, defiant and hostile behavior that lasts at least 6 months and includes the frequent the frequent occurrence of at least four of the following behaviors during that period; loses temper, argues with adults, actively defies or refuses to comply with adults rules or requests, deliberately annoys others, blames others for own mistakes or misbehaviors’, is easily annoyed by others, touchy, is angry and resentful, is spiteful and or vindictive.
o   This behaviours cause clinically significant impairment in social academic or work related functioning
o   The behaviours do not occur exclusively as part of a psychotic disorder or mood disorder.
·         Conduct disorder
o   Aggression toward people including bullying, intimidating use of weapons, physical cruelty, forced sexual activity, mugging, purse –snatching and aggression towards animals.
o   Destruction of property including fire setting and other deliberate property destruction.
o   Deceitfulness or theft including breaking into a building or car, conning others to obtain goods, stealing items of value
o   Serious rule violation including staying out at night without parents’ permission before age 13, running away from home and school truancy before age 13.

Internalizing Disorders
·         Separation anxiety disorder
Excessive anxiety concerning separation from home or from individuals the child is attached to that is developmentally inappropriate. At least three of the following criteria must be met and they must be excessive and persistent or recurrent.
o   Distress when separation occurs or is anticipated
o   Worry about harm coming to attachment figures or about losing them
o   Worry about some event such as getting lost or being kidnapped that will result in such a separation
o   Reluctance or refusal to go to school or other places because of separation.
In addition the disturbance must extend over at least 4 weeks, must begin before the age of 18 and must result in clinically significant distress or impairment.
o   Fear or reluctance about being alone or without major attachment figures at home or elsewhere.
o   Reluctance or refusal to go to sleep without an attachment figure near or to sleep away from home.
o   Complains about physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches when separation from these attachment figures is anticipated.
Other anxiety disorders
o   Social phobia
o   Generalized anxiety disorder
o   Post traumatic stress disorder
o   Obsessive compulsive disorder

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MY THYROID STORY

-
My Story It all started in the year 2013 with fatigue, irritability, lack of motivation, brain fog, panic attacks, and anxiety among other symptoms. I visited several hospitals where I was subjected to many tests and the common question was if I was going through a strain in my relationships. In all occasions of the hospital visits I ended up with pain killers and sleeping pills. At one point I was convinced I had a heart problem because of the palpitations hence consulting a cardiologist, who from the symptoms refuted it could be the case, but did an ECG test for my sake. As a psychological counselor it is mandatory as part of the progress to have at least ten sessions of counseling. During the sessions I shared my experience and the counselor suggested I see a psychotherapist. I did one session with the psychotherapist and I was prescribed for antidepressants that didn't agree well with me. I ate like an ogre; I guess that is the only progress that I made as far as the m
Read more

TYPES OF NEUROTIC AND PSYCHOTIC BEHAVIOUR

-
 1.  Anxiety Neurosis An individual suffering from anxiety neurosis has exaggerated uncontrollable anxiety and apprehension. Anxiety disorders are fairly common in our society. Roughly two to four percent of the population has been diagnosed, at one time or another, as having some type of anxiety disorder.  Signs and symptoms of anxiety neurosis include: ·          A rather constant state of tension, ·          Worry ·          General uneasiness. Such individuals are often oversensitive in people-to- people relationships and frequently have feelings of inadequacy and depression.  ·          Emotional tension frequently leads to physical tensions which cause neck and upper shoulder muscular pain and sleep disturbances of insomnia and nightmares.  ·          Decision making is difficult, and after the decision is made, the individual may worry excessively over possible disasters that may occur.  2.  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder An Obsessive-Compulsive person feels he
Read more

WHAT CAUSES MENTAL DISORDERS

-
Image
What causes mental disorders? There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as ·          Genes and family history ·          Life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially if they happen in childhood ·          Biological factors such as chemical imbalances in the brain ·          A traumatic brain injury ·          A mother's exposure to  viruses  or toxic chemicals while pregnant ·          Use of alcohol or recreational drugs ·          Having a serious medical condition like cancer ·          Having few friends, and feeling lonely or isolated Mental disorders are not caused by character flaws. They have nothing to do with being lazy or weak. Who is at risk for mental disorders? Mental disorders are common and every other individual is likely to experience mental strains. In Kenya very many cases go undetected for many suffer unawares. How are mental disord
Read more