ABSTRACT
The term neurodevelopmental disorder describes specific conditions that are caused by problems in the growth or development of the brain. They tend to have their origin very early in a child’s life, and by their nature usually have an enduring quality. Comorbid behavioural or developmental disorders are common in children with autism spectrum disorders. These can take the form of the intellectual delays, behaviours such as aggression, sleep disruption and sensory difficulties. The other major feature of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) behaviour is impulsiveness. To act without thinking often prompts the children to indulge in risky or even dangerous activities, and parents often say that they ‘have no fear’. Severe deprivation can prompt ADHD symptoms, with the child’s difficult behaviour eliciting more harsh and unsupportive parenting, which can prompt the emergence of coercive cycles of management within the family.
