ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses of developmental, neurological, and social-emotional disorders that may lead to or accompany challenging behaviors, as well as the behavioral characteristics which present as challenging during early childhood. Neurodevelopment disorders manifest during early childhood and influence various areas of development such as cognition and learning, communication and social emotional development, adaptive and practical daily behaviors. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is manifested in three major developmental and functioning areas of social-emotional relational development, communication development and area of behavioral functioning. Behavior and impulse control disorders are related to situations in which a child loses emotional regulation and self-control to the extent that the behaviors violate the safety of others, such as through aggression, or violation of the rights of others. Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) typically is identified during the preschool years. People seldom think of young children as those who may deal with emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety.
