Posted: August 30th, 2022

Neuropsychological Disorders in Children

Neuropsychological Disorders in Children
Neuropsychological disorders commonly referred to as Neurologic disorders is an umbrella medical term that is used to refer to any condition caused by a dysfunction in the brain, the nervous system, or muscle cells resulting in physical and psychological symptoms. These disorders vary from headaches, migraines, movement disorders, autism, and epilepsy.
Causes of Neurologic Disorders
Many neurologic disorders in children are congenital, meaning that the condition developed in the womb before birth. However, some of these disorders can be acquired after birth, while others are considered idiopathic because the underlying cause is unknown.
• Genetic Disorders: Some neurologic disorders are genetically transferred by parents to children through their genes. Others can be a result of gene mutation, which can occur at any stage during fetal development affecting the brain and the nervous systems.
• Neurotoxins: These are harmful substances such as alcohol and lead that may damage and affect the development of the brain in a fetus. These toxins can be passed from mother to child through the placenta resulting in intellectual and behavioral abnormalities in a newborn.
• Hypoxia: This occurs during pregnancy when the fetus is deprived enough oxygen supply resulting in brain damage. It may also occur due to complications during childbirth.
• Postnatal Infections: These are infections to the brain that occur after a child is born. The most common infections include encephalitis and meningitis. Such infections result in symptoms such a memory loss and other behavioral problems.
• Injury: Traumatic injuries to the brain before or after birth can also result in neurologic disorder. Symptoms may vary depending on the damage and the affected part of the brain or the nervous system.
Symptoms
Symptoms of neurological disorders in children will vary depending on the condition and the part of the brain or nervous system impacted. The symptoms can be physical, psychological, or both. Typical symptoms range from problems with concentration and learning as with ADHD, memory loss, irritability and sadness, problems with mood, abnormal movements, feeding problems, changes in the size of the head as with hydrocephalus.
Most of these symptoms can be detected in the early stages of child growth, and others are diagnosed at birth. However, some conditions such as autism are only diagnosed later because the symptoms only appear when a child misses major milestones such as crawling, talking or walking.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Treatment involves medications and psychiatric therapy. With a variety of neurologic disorders, symptoms may overlap, stressing the importance of detailed assessment for a correct diagnosis. If you observe any abnormal behavior, ensure you take your child for a neurological evaluation. Early diagnosis allows for timely treatment and prevents the conditions from worsening.

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