Children with Neuropsychological Disorders
Summary of Topic
Children with neurological disorders always have dysfunction in their critical part of their brain that results in developmental challenges. Neurological disorders in children are caused by factors such as neurotoxins, Hypoxia, postnatal infections and injury on the brain. Mellilo (2015), notes that common disorders affecting children are Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hypersensitivity Disorder (ADHD), Epilepsy and Cerebral Palsy. Rare diseases include; Schindler disease, Syringomyelia, carnosinemia, Meige’s syndrome, and Kluver-Bucy Syndrome. Children with neuropsychological disorders usually have high Blood Lead Level (BLL). The study by Parhoudeh, Inaloo, Zahmatkeshan, Seratishirazi & Haghbin, 2018) shows that children with a BLL of 10-24.9 mcg/dl registered reduced mental development rate compared to those whose level was at 0-9.99 mcg/l. the consensus is that various levels of BLLs significantly contributes to cognitive and development challenges. Young children are vulnerable to lead toxicity due to the daily process of hand to mouth. Children are in the high prevalence of absorbing lead that adults from the gastrointestinal mucosa. Lead is associated with a variety of biomedical impacts though the most lethal are those that relate to nervous system function, erythropoiesis, and heme-biosynthesis. It interferes with kids cognitive abilities and behaviour such as high BLLs level registered in kids with ADHD.
In recent times focus has been on the differential diagnosis of children neurophysiologic disorders. It is constructed around clinical and neurological perspectives with significant breakthroughs in evaluating processes that are affected in different categories of children with cognitive disorders. For instance, in the developmental deficits of language and learning, they have been categorized as separate clinical syndromes. Research by (Sakamoto, Moriuchi, Matsuzaki, Motoyama & Moriuchi, 2015), there is a link between these syndromes and developmental learning disabilities. Children that possess language challenges are highly vulnerable to reading disabilities. Most of the neuropsychological disorders record concentrating on the phonological difficulties resemble the ones facing kids with learning problems. It is recommended for continuous performance assessment in the diagnosis of the neurological disorders in children in using CPT children with neurological disorders registers significantly low outcome (Berger, Slobodin & Cassuto, 2017). Based on analysis by receiver operating feature, shows that CPT provides the practical diagnostic ability in terms of attention, impulsivity, timing and hyperactivity. Studies reveal that assessments used currently are driven towards evaluating emotional constructs instead of particular function behaviour (Egeland, Lovstad, Norup, Nybo, Persson, Rovera & Arango, 2017). For virtual reality, it can establish a real environment that meets neurological assessment.
Future Research
In the last three-decade, the global interdisciplinary research has succeeded in establishing the link between learning, cognitive abilities and close comorbidities to determine the best interventions. Also, in the study of the brain and its structure, research on these genetics have perfectly utilized the advantage of emerging technologies. However, a gap exists to verify the relationship between the academic abilities and the central defining characteristics of the learning disabilities. The permanent link between the cognitive and learning ability should be the basis of future research to establish whether neurobiological factors such as neural and genetic correlates with contextual factors. In developing the fact, it would create a platform in which interventions on neurological disorders could be approached. Implications associated with existing research emphasize on the need to change the neuropsychological assessment from the systematic, comprehensive evaluation of the cognitive abilities to more oriented performance organization. Also, it should be based on the comorbid situations and interventions reaction that results in evidence-based treatment.
Views on the Topic
In terms of cognitive development disorders in children, it is hard to comprehend a mature brain compared to a young one. In children that their minds have been identified with development challenges, it has always been looked as additional proof of further cognitive modularity. The existing evidence shows that in children brains, there are additional types of brain plasticity. It implies that neurophysiology development offers critical benefits by linking it with other crucial aspects in neurosciences. Most of the studies focus on cognitive neurophysiology on kids with selective symptoms such that it neglects a vital element. It excludes critical areas such as the deficits acquired from adults to cause diffuse cognitive disorders.
In the study of neuropsychology, the cognitive skill is fast adopting technology by introducing number processing termed as numerical cognition. With this form of technology, it has been possible to study the correlation of development impairment with neurobiological factors to adhere to yield new vital information. The technological aspect can be useful, especially in controlling the level of BLLs in children. In tender age, the infant is exposed to lead due to hand to mouth approach, thus contributing to Neuropsychological disorders. For instance, the ability to create a pool of diverse arrays of items might reveal substantial data. Early identification of information such amount of lead in the child body through the use of single numerical cognition can control the impact of neuropsychological disorders. Children that are found to have complications such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder usually indicates a high level of blood lead level. Therefore, with the adoption of technology, it would be easier to prevent some of these neuropsychological disorders. However, it should be integrated with adult brain studies since some conditions such as hyperactivity are hereditary.
Application to School Psychology
The topic is vital to use in school psychology through activities such as preventative mental health, behavioural therapy and also counselling. In terms of preventative mental health, it is possible to identify the signs of the disorders early and recommend suitable action. The schools can intervene with the best strategies to prevent the risks of complications. For instance, school psychologists can determine how environmental factors conspire with the genetic factors to cause neuropsychological disorders. Schools can enrol seminars to sensitize society on the best ways to avoid lead intake that could challenge cognitive abilities. Also, schools can understand the reasons for tested learning capabilities in some students and how they can significantly address those challenges. The consensus is there exists a strong relationship between cognitive and intellectual abilities. In possession of such knowledge, it is easier for the school to understand the challenges of the student to come with the best interventions. Also, with the experience, the students can participate in research by analyzing how early exposure makes a child vulnerable to neuropsychological disorders. It is crucial by preventing making wrong assumptions on the students’ situation by examining how other factors, such as genetic, might interfere with one behavioural outcome.
Berger, I., Slobodin, O., & Cassuto, H. (2017). Usefulness and validity of continuous performance tests in the diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder children. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 32(1), 81-93.
Egeland, J., Løvstad, M., Norup, A., Nybo, T., Persson, B. A., Rivera, D., … & Arango-Lasprilla, J. C. (2017). Questionnaire use among Nordic neuropsychologists: Shift from assessing personality to checking ecological validity of neuropsychological assessments?. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 48(4), 227.
Parhoudeh, M., Inaloo, S., Zahmatkeshan, M., Seratishirazi, ., & Haghbin, S. (2018). Blood Lead Level in Children with Neurological Disorders. Iranian journal of child neurology, 12(2), 66.
Melillo, R. (2015). Disconnected kids: The groundbreaking brain balance program for children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological disorders. Penguin.
Sakamoto, A., Moriuchi, H., Matsuzaki, J., Motoyama, K., & Moriuchi, M. (2015). Retrospective diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in children with autism spectrum disorder but no other major neurologic deficit. Brain and Development, 37(2), 200-205.