Understanding a Child's Problems is the First Step to Helping Them
Learn about different types of developmental disorders, behavioural
disorders and learning disorders and their impact on children and their
families. If you work with children in a caring capacity then this
course is a must to enhance your knowledge of childhood mental health.
Developmental disorders include pervasive developmental disorders such
as autism spectrum disorder (which now includes Asperger's syndrome) as
well as Rett's disorder and childhood disintegrative disorder. Each have
their own range of signs and symptoms, treatments and possible causes.
Behavioural disorders include different types of attention and
hyperactivity disorders along with conduct disorders like oppositional
defiant disorder. Learning disorders are specific developmental
disorders, such as reading disorder. There is some controversy over
their inclusion as mental health disorders since a child can have one
problem such as dyslexia yet be otherwise 'normal'.
The implications of a developmental disorder can be very significant in
later life; if undetected and not responded to. Often though; what might
potentially be a major problem in later life can be avoided through the
simple act of becoming aware and responding early in life.
This course includes definitions of the aforementioned groups of
disorder as well as motor and communication disorders. Take the course
to learn how to identify the signs, symptoms and treatments for these
different classes of childhood disorder.
The course is ideal for students of health sciences, psychology and
counselling and will add to the knowledge of professionals working in
related fields.
COURSE CONTENT
1. Developmental Disorders - Learning Disabilities
- How to classify Childhood Disorders.
- What are the causes of Developmental Disorders?
- Genetic, Physical and Environmental Causes.
- How to diagnose Developmental Disorders.
- How common Developmental Disorders are within the General Population.
- How Developmental Disorders Impact on Families and Children and Adolescents.
- Learning Disability.
- Levels of Severity.
2. Autism - Autistic Disorder signs, symptoms, treatment and support
- What is Autism?
- The Symptoms and Signs of Autism - Impaired Interactions and Social Development; Communication; Repetitive Behaviour.
- What are the causes of Autism?
- History of Autism.
- How common is Autism within the General Population.
- The differences in severity and challenges that are experienced by people with autism.
- Issues Children and Adolescents with Autism need to deal with.
- The challenges that a family with an Autistic child face.
- How to treat Children and Adolescents with Autism.
- How to support a child with Autism.
- Supportive Services available for children and adolescents with Autism.
3. Asperger's Disorder - signs, symptoms, treatment and support
- What is Asperger’s Disorder?
- The Signs and Symptoms of Asperger’s Disorder - Social Interactions; Repetitive Behaviour.
- What causes of Asperger’s Disorder?
- The history of Asperger’s Disorder.
- How common is Asperger’s Disorder within the General Population?
- Asperger’s Disorder and Autism – The Autism Spectrum.
- How does Asperger’s Disorder impact on the Child or Adolescent?
- How does having a child with Asperger’s Disorder impact on the Family?
- Some Treatments for Children and Adolescents with Asperger’s Disorder.
- How to Support Children with Asperger’s Disorder?
- Services Available for Children with Asperger’s Disorder.
4. Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders (Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Developmental Disorders NOS) signs, symptoms, treatment and support
- What are Pervasive Developmental Disorders?
- Rett’s Disorder.
- Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
- Other types of Developmental Disorders.
- What causes of Developmental Disorders?
- How Developmental Disorders are diagnosed?
- How Developmental Disorders impact on a Child or Adolescent.
- The issues that a Family of the Child or Adolescent with Developmental Disorders face.
5. Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders - ADHD & variants, signs, symptoms, treatment and support
-
What are the Signs & Symptoms of ADHD? - Features of Inattention; Features of Hyperactivity-Impulsivity; Settings.
- What are the causes of ADHD?
- The history of ADHD.
- How prevalent is ADHD?
- Treating ADHD.
- Support Available.
- Things that may aggravate ADD or ADHD Symptoms.
- How is a Child or Adolescent affected by ADD and ADHD.
- How having an ADD or ADHD child will impact on the family.
6. Conduct Disorders (Include oppositional defiant disorder) signs, symptoms, treatment and support
- What are Conduct Disorders?
- Some signs and Symptoms of Conduct Disorders.
- Genetic and Environmental risk factors that cause Conduct Disorders.
- How prevalent is Conduct Disorders within the General Population.
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
- Some signs and symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder.
- What causes of Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
- How prevalent is Oppositional Defiant Disorder in the General Population.
- Anti-Social Personality Disorder (APD).
- Treatments for Conduct Disorders.
- Support for Families and Children with Conduct Disorders.
- The Impact of Conduct Disorders on Children.
- The Impact on the Family of with a Child that has a Conduct Disorder.
- Supporting Children with Conduct Disorders.
7. Learning Disorders - focus on academia (Mathematics, Reading Disorder - Dyslexia, etc.) signs, symptoms, treatment and support
- Specific Developmental Disorders.
- Definition of Learning Disorders.
- Reading Disorder (Developmental Dyslexia).
- Disorder of Written Expression (Specific Spelling Disorder).
- Mathematics (Arithmetic) Disorder.
8. Communications Disorders & Motor Skills Disorder - focus on speech and language signs, symptoms, treatment and support
- Definition of Communication Disorders.
- Causes of Communication Disorders.
- Phonological Disorder.
- Expressive Language Disorder.
- Mixed Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder.
- Stuttering.
- Motor Skills Disorder.
- Impact on the Child and Family of Communication Disorders.
9. Special Project (choose something of interest to the student) signs, symptoms, treatment and support.
Course Duration - 100 hours
Developmental Disorders Come in All Shapes and Sizes
This course will develop your understanding and appreciation of what is possible; but it is important to recognise that this course is never going to be a substitute for a proper diagnosis and advice from a highly qualified specialist psychologist with many years of experience.
There are a number of specific developmental disorders that are often referred to as learning disability. Specific learning disorders usually involve developmental delays which are not a result of a lack of education or attributable to other mental health disorders.
There is some controversy associated with classifying these specific disorders as mental health disorders since there is often no other psychopathology associated with them. The individual may have a problem with a particular area, e.g. reading, but is otherwise normal. Often, individuals have more than one learning deficit but no other psychopathology.
Specific developmental disorders include the DSM categories of learning disorders, motor skills disorder, and communications disorders (the latter two will be covered in the next lesson). In the ICD these are called disorders of scholastic skills, motor function, and speech and language, respectively.
