DC: 0–5™

This chapter introduces the newly revised DC 0–5™: Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC 0–5™). This tool is structured in a multiaxial format reflecting: the child’s symptoms clustered into clinical disorder categories (Axis I), the caregiving environment (Axis II), the child’s physical health (Axis III), environmental psychosocial stressors (Axis IV), and the child’s developmental strengths and weaknesses (Axis V). In this chapter, Keren shows how the use of this multiaxial formulation can be especially helpful in complex cases when physical and emotional aspects of the infant’s development are at significant risk. A vignette from Tortora’s private practice illustrates the clinical use of the DC 0–5™. Tortora’s vignettes of this case throughout this chapter also show the need for the therapist to help the parents make the link between their past traumatic experiences and the child’s current behaviors. Though parents may make the link between the child’s behaviors and past experience, they more often than not do not dare discuss it with the child. The final vignette in this chapter exemplifies how Tortora uses dance/movement therapy to help the child process her previous medical experiences verbally and nonverbally.