Homework: Neurodevelopmental Disorders
I can't believe I am sitting here talking to this lady. Mom thinks I am nuts just because I will not do what she asks. She doesn't care about me. She only cares about my little brother and that man that keeps coming around. I don't care about her. That is why I throw things and won't do what she asks. I don't care about anyone. Those kids at school who used to be my friends don't know anything. I am so much smarter than they are. -Jacob, age 11
There are many mental disorders that occur early in the life course. The DSM-5 describes neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability and delay, autism spectrum disorder, language and speech disorders, ADHD and specific learning disorder (e.g., dyslexia, difficulty mastering mathematical reasoning). Diagnosis of these various conditions can rarely be made in a single office visit and often requires a comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders, including the child, his or her parents, teachers, other significant figures in the child's life, and medical and mental health professionals, such as psychologists who can conduct comprehensive neuropsychological testing.
The PMHNP must coordinate and integrate several sources of information to arrive at an accurate diagnosis of these disorders. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to developing an effective treatment plan, which will have the potential to minimize the impact of these disorders on the child's developmental trajectory. When one considers appropriate diagnosis from this perspective, the importance of diagnostic accuracy becomes quite apparent.
You begin exploring disorders that occur early in the life course and use this knowledge to create a study guide for a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Learning Objectives
1) Analyze signs and symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders
2) Analyze the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders
3) Analyze diagnosis and treatment methods for neurodevelopmental disorders
4) Summarize legal, ethical, and patient education factors related to neurodevelopmental disorders
Task: Study Guide Forum
Abnormal brain development or damage at an early age can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. Within this group of disorders, some are resolvable with appropriate and timely interventions, either pharmacological or nonpharmacological, while other disorders are chronic and need to be managed throughout the lifespan.
For this Homework, you will develop a study guide for an assigned disorder and share it with your colleagues. In sum, these study guides will be a powerful tool in preparing for your certification exam.
To Prepare
1) Your Instructor will assign you to a specific neurodevelopmental disorder from the DSM-5.
2) Research your assigned disorder using the Walden Library. Then, develop an organizational scheme for the important information about the disorder.
Task
Create a study guide for your assigned disorder. Your study guide should be in the form of an outline with references, and you should incorporate visual elements such as concept maps, charts, diagrams, images, color coding, mnemonics, and/or flashcards.
Areas of importance you should address, but are not limited to, are:
1) Signs and symptoms according to the DSM-5
2) Differential diagnoses
3) Incidence
4) Development and course
5) Prognosis
6) Considerations related to culture, gender, age
7) Pharmacological treatments, including any side effects
8) Nonpharmacological treatments
9) Diagnostics and labs
10) Comorbidities
11) Legal and ethical considerations
12) Pertinent patient education considerations
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
(1) The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
(2) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
(3) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
Reference
1) Hilt, R. J., & Nussbaum, A. M. (2016). DSM-5 pocket guide for child and adolescent mental health. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
a) Chapter 12, "Developmental Milestones"
2) Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter's child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Wiley Blackwell.
a) Chapter 51, "Autism Spectrum Disorder"
b) Chapter 55, "ADHD and Hyperkinetic Disorder"
3) Utah State University. (n.d.). Creating study guides.
4) Walden University. (2020). Success strategies: Self-paced interactive tutorials.
5) Zakhari, R. (2020). The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification review manual. Springer.
a) Chapter 13, "Child/Adolescent Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
6) Dillon, K. (2019, March 23). DSM-5 neurodevelopmental disorders. [YouTube Video].
7) The National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2013, February 20). What is ADHD? [YouTube Video].
8) Osmosis. (2017, October 17). Autism - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology [YouTube Video].