Dilip R Patel1, Joav Merrick2,3,4. 1. Professor and Chairman, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, USA. 2. Director, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Professor of Pediatrics, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. 3. Professor of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA. 4. Professor of Public Health, Center for Healthy Development, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
During the developmental period from infancy through adolescence, neurodevelopment and behavior are intricately related. The terms neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders are used interchangeably to describe a group of disorders with certain basic characteristics that overlap between different disorders (1-5). Neurodevelopmental disorders (or disabilities) have their onset during the developmental period and persist over a person’s lifespan. Intellectual disabilities (also referred to as intellectual developmental disorder), various communication disorders affecting speech and language, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, developmental learning disorders, and motor disorders such as developmental coordination disorder and tic disorders are major neurodevelopmental disorders. Some experts use the term neurodevelopmental disabilities “to define chronic disorders that affect central nervous system function during the developmental period in the domains of motor skills, cognition, communication and/or behavior” (4).The World Health Organization criteria defines neurodevelopmental disorders as “behavioural and cognitive disorders that arise during the developmental period that involve significant difficulties in the acquisition and execution of specific intellectual, motor, or social functions” (6). According the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by “developmental deficits that produce impairments of personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. The range of developmental deficits varies from very specific limitations of learning or control of executive functions to global impairments of social skills or intelligence” (2).The etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders is multifactorial and complex and not clearly elucidated in a large percentage of cases (5,7). The prevalence, as a group, for these disorders range from 5% to 20% in general population (1-5,7). Because of a wide diversity of functional impact from these disorders at an individual level, the effective delivery of healthcare for persons affected by any of these disorders requires participation and coordination between professionals from different disciplines as well as both governmental and non-governmental community-based agencies (5,8). The medical practitioner in clinical practice setting plays a key role in medical evaluation and treatment of persons with neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, the medical practitioner plays a lead role in facilitating and coordinating the overall health care, working with different professionals and agencies. In this issue of Translational Pediatrics with a focus on neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders, our aim is to provide a review of selected disorders to highlight the range of characteristics of this group of disorders and provide practical information with direct application in one’s clinical practice.Dilip R. PatelJoav Merrick