Psychological Development
and Behaviour

Many children and adults have autistic features. Although the diagnosis of ASD is not always made in the children, their behavior, fears and sensitivity to stimuli do indicate this. Many parents therefore use educational methods made for people with autism (offering safety, structure, etc.).

For more information about ASD please visit autismspeaks.org

In case of ADHD, children have difficulty concentrating and sometimes show hyperactive and impulsive behavior. For these children, sitting still in class or performing tasks independently is extremely difficult as these children are easily distracted. Children who do not show any hyperactive behavior but do suffer from poor concentration and learning difficulties, might suffer from ADD. If there is both ADHD and DCD, there is a great need for one on one attention in the form of therapy or support in the classroom.

For more information about ADHD please visit psychiatry.org

DCD stands for Developmental Coordination Disorder. This is a developmental disorder in the coordination and planning of movements. This can relate to fine and gross motor skills. DCD regularly occurs in people with Chung-Jansen syndrome, where learning to write is the biggest stumbling block.
Children suffering from DCD find it difficult to perform tasks that are normal for that age (milestones). Examples are drawing shapes, writing, dressing, or eating with a knife and fork. They often move rigidly and have difficulty finding balance. Children are sometimes called clumsy.
Usually, children do learn the skills but at a much slower pace than other children and more practice is needed. Adults can also suffer from clumsiness in their movements, which can cause problems with learning certain skills (such as learning to drive a car).

For more information about DCD please visit understood.org

Anxiety disorders are common in children and adults. This can be a feature of ASD, but can also stand alone. Especially in childhood, when a distinction between fiction and reality is still difficult to make, many children suffer from fear for a variety of things. Children may then wake up upset at night and not fall asleep properly. For example, they can imagine things that are in their bedroom or they can have a fear of the dark.

A large number of children show oppositional, defiant, and / or (verbally) aggressive behavior. This can be related to ASD but may also stand alone as part of ODD. Children can get angry easily and have mood swings. They have difficulty regulating their emotions, which means that tantrums easily occur and can last for a long time. For parents and siblings it can be difficult to deal with this behavior and problems can arise in families. It can also lead to problematic behavior in other environments, such as school.

For more information about ODD please visit childmind.org

Sensory processing can be differently in individuals with the syndrome. Some do not respond appropriately to the stimuli that come in through their senses. This is also called Sensory Integration Disorder or Sensory Modulation Disorder. This is often associated with ASD and / or ADHD. In many cases, patients experience hypersensitivity to sounds and busy environments. As a result, headphones or earplugs are often used.

For more information about Sensory Integration Disorder please visit childmind.org