A condition commonly diagnosed in children as well as adults that can cause problems in the person’s ability to focus and behavior.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of conditions that start showing in early childhood. Other names that have been used to describe them are Asperger disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and childhood disintegrative disorder.

Asperger syndrome refers to high-functioning individuals with ASD; these are people who have normal intellectual abilities and may excel in some area like arts, math, or science. People with Asperger syndrome may not have the communication challenges that other children with ASD have.

Just like adults, children and teens can also suffer from depression, and it is more common than many people think. Sometimes people show signs of depression that come and go during their childhood and teen years, and it can continue to worsen into their adult life. Depression is a complex condition that has many causes, and one of the main problems involves chemical changes in the brain.

Depression seems to be especially prevalent in adolescent girls but is common among all genders. The symptoms differ depending on many factors such as age, gender, and even culture. A child or teen who seems sad, irritable (“cranky”), starts having changes in their sleep, suddenly gains or loses weight, is unusually tired or lacks concentration in school, may be showing signs of pediatric depression.

Many concerned parents seek professional help when they notice their child is behaving strangely, and this is the right thing to do. Parents should never second-guess themselves when it comes to their child’s physical and mental health.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder is a relatively common condition that affects children of all ages and, while not new, it was recently just recognized as a separate diagnosis. This came to be because many children who suffer from DMDD were being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, and some cases were not being treated with the right medication.

Compared to others, children with DMDD are more prone to have depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders when they reach adulthood. Also, children with DMDD tend to have poorer overall physical health.

Early-onset psychosis is a group of conditions that include schizophrenia in children and teens. It is a severe condition that starts at or before 12 years of age and often persists into adulthood.  EOP is essentially the same condition as adult-onset psychosis or schizophrenia, but it is more severe.  Unfortunately, when psychotic symptoms develop in children, they are usually worse than when they start in older patients.

Although the symptoms are the same in childhood as in adults, it is harder to diagnose, because children with other conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD),  and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can have the same symptoms of EOP. Children who have psychotic symptoms should be evaluated by a psychiatrist specializing in the treatment of children and adolescents to first rule out conditions such as ASD, OCD, ADHD, substance abuse, etc.

As part of our daily lives, we have all experienced anxiety at some point due to certain objects or situations that cause us to feel temporarily worried, uneasy or nervous; but the condition known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is different. It is a condition caused by persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry that is not focused on anything specific.

The diagnosis that mental health professionals refer to as intellectual disability (ID) should not be confused with learning disability.  ID is not a disease nor a condition per se, rather it is the result of how a condition affects a child’s development. Children with ID show deficiencies in their development and the symptoms start showing when they are very young.  These children have significant cognitive or intellectual problems and may have difficulty with activities of daily life.

Unfortunately, most psychiatrists are not well trained in the precise diagnosis and management of ID, therefore, children who have ID must be treated by a mental health provider with the proper training and experience, such as a psychiatrist specializing in the care of children and adolescents.

Most children exhibit typical, age-dependent, compulsive behaviors, and these are completely normal and part of their development as they explore the world around them and get to become aware of themselves. It is typical for children aged 18 months to 2-3 years to show ritualistic behaviors that are not excessive nor disruptive. However, if a child has recurrent unwanted thoughts that cause them anxiety or repetitive actions that interfere with their daily life, they may be showing signs of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Symptoms of OCD must be differentiated from normal childhood ritualistic behavior, which a qualified mental health provider is trained to do.

Children and teens are often in situations that cause them to be very stressed, scared and/or even in danger; and these experiences can affect the way they think and feel. If a child or teen suffers from such symptoms for more than one month, it is possible that they may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  If left untreated, the symptoms of PTSD may get worse and cause depression, severe disability, or other problems.

Most of these children recover or “bounce back” quickly.  However, some children could have problems in the long run, especially in case of severely stressful events. The long-term problems that children and teens may experience from these traumatic events may prevent them from developing healthy relationships and can even interfere with the ability to do everyday things.