This document provides an overview of common childhood mental disorders, including definitions, statistics, and symptoms. It discusses: I. Definitions of mental disorders in children and common disorders like ADHD, depression, anxiety, and autism spectrum disorder. II. Statistics from the CDC showing the most prevalent disorders are ADHD (6.8%), behavioral/conduct problems (3.5%), and anxiety (3.0%). III. Notable changes in the DSM-5, including combining autism subtypes and adding disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. It describes how these disorders can impact learning through absences, suspensions, medication adjustments, and issues with memory, motivation, and homework completion.

1. Common Childhood
Emotional and Behavioral
Disorders
By Christina Saad, Ed.S.
School Psychologist
Dry Creek Joint Unified School District
January 2014

2. I. Important definitions
II. New stats
III. DSM-5: Notable changes
IV. How mental (emotional and behavioral) disorders
effect learning
V. Quick and dirty short-term interventions
VI. Questions? Comments?
The purpose of this presentation:
I. To inform educators of dominant mental disorders among
children
II. To educate about the affects of mental disorders on
learning and education
Today’s Agenda

3. Common mental disorders
explained through Sesame
Street characters…

4. Definitions of childhood
mental disorders

5. What is a childhood mental disorder?
 The CDC defines it as “…..as serious changes in the ways children
typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions.”
 Symptoms of a mental disorder usually start in early childhood
 Some symptoms may start to develop in teenage years
 Diagnosis is made during school age years
 Suicide, which is the result of mental disorders and other factors,
was the second leading cause of death among children ages 12-17
years old in 2010.

6. Specific symptoms for common childhood mental
disorders
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder)
Trouble concentrating; difficulty sitting still, interrupting others during a conversation or acting impulsively without thinking things
through
Often accompanied with:
 Anxiety
 Learning disabilities
 Speech or hearing problems
 Obsessive-compulsive disorder
 Tics
 Behavioral problems such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD)
Conduct Disorder
 Aggression to people and animals
 Destruction of property
 Deceitfulness or theft
 Serious violations of rules
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
A pattern of negativistic, hostile, and defiant behavior lasting at least 6 months, during which four (or more) of the following are present:
 Often loses temper
 Often argues with adults
 Often actively defies or refuses to comply with adults’ requests or rules
 Often deliberately annoys people
 Often blames others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior
 Is often touchy or easily annoyed by others
 Is often angry and resentful
 Is often spiteful or vindictive

7. Specific symptoms of common childhood mental disorders
cont.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) experience constant, chronic, and unsubstantiated worry, often about health, family, money, or work. This
worrying goes on every day, possibly all day. It disrupts social activities and interferes with work, school, or family.
 Physical symptoms of GAD include the following:
 Muscle tension
 Fatigue
 Restlessness
 Difficulty sleeping
 Irritability
 Edginess
 Gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea
Depression
 Frequent sadness, tearfulness, and/or crying
 Hopelessness
 Decreased interest in activities or inability to enjoy previously favorite activities.
 Persistent boredom; low energy.
 Social isolation, poor communication.
 Low self-esteem and guilt.
 Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
 Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
 Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school.
 A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
 Thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behavior
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
 Deficits in functional verbal communication
 Deficits in social skills
 Repetitive or stereotypical behaviors
 Insistence on sameness
 Highly restricted or fixated interests
 Hypo/hyper-reactivity to environmental changes (sensory)

8. Statistics from the
Centers for Disease
Control (CDC)

9.  Most prevalent mental disorder among children ages 3-17 is
ADHD
 Data collected from a variety of data sources between the years
2005-2011 show children aged 3-17 years currently had:
◦ ADHD (6.8%)
◦ Behavioral or Conduct Problems (3.5%)
◦ Anxiety (3.0%)
◦ Depression (2.1%)
◦ Autism Spectrum Disorders (1.1%)
◦ Tourette’s Syndrome (0.2%) (among children aged 6–17 years)
 Is this surprising to anyone? Which ones did you not expect to
make the list?

10. DSM 5: Diagnostic
Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, 5th
Edition (2013)

11. DSM 5: Notable changes
 Autistic Spectrum Disorder (No longer Asperger’s, PDD-NOS,
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Retts Disorder)
◦ Thought to decrease dx by 10%
 ADHD (evidence prior to age 13 instead of age 7)
◦ Likely to increase prescriptions and dx among teens/adults
 Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
◦ Most controversial addition
◦ Severe, recurrent temper outbursts, verbal or behavioral that
are grossly out of proportion; temper outbursts inconsistent
with developmental level; present in at least 2/3 settings;
cannot coexist with ODD, Intermittent Explosive Disorder or
Bipolar disorder; Age of onset—before age 10 but cannot be
applied to children 6 and under.

12. What do mental disorders
look like in the classroom
setting?

13. Some things to keep in mind….
 IF a student is already diagnosed, the parent should have
already notified the school. That information should be in
the cum folder or health folder.
 IF a student is exhibiting symptoms in the classroom
enough to impede education, hold a meeting. These
things shouldn’t be discussed over the phone if you can
help it!
 We as school staff (even school psychologists) should
NEVER recommend medication– the district can be held
liable for paying for it! Instead, recommend a visit to the
doctor/physician
 UNLESS you feel comfortable discussing their child’s
emotional/behavioral issues, consult with school
psychologist before approaching parents

14.  ADHD: daydreaming, up out of seat
frequently, not paying attention, vocally
interrupting teacher/students, difficulty
remembering oral directions, fidgeting in
seat, trouble keeping friends (constant in-
fighting)
 Conduct/ODD: Fighting with peers,
bullying, physical aggression, damage to
desk or other students possessions,
frequent lying or deception, stealing toys
from other students, willful breaking of
rules

15.  Anxiety: School refusal, chewing
pencils/markers, stuttering, frequent
crying, refusal to talk in class or to
teacher, frequently sent to see school
nurse
 Depression: Laying head on desk,
frequent crying in class and during recess,
refusing to interact with peers, sensitivity
to criticism, lack of appetite at lunch, lack
of interests in fun activities, lack of
motivation to complete tasks, sleepiness

16.  Autism Spectrum Disorders: Fixation on
one task, repetitive vocalizations or
movements with fingers or hands (hand
flapping), difficulty making/keeping
friends, blank stares (flat affect), imitating
others, hyperlexia, graphic memory,
inability to follow oral directions,
seemingly off task or inattentive, acting
out if routine changes abruptly,
speech/language and articulation
difficulties.

17. How childhood mental
disorders effect learning

18.  Absences
 Suspensions due to behavior
 Medication adjustment
 Memory/retention; Comprehension (oral
directions, reading, etc.)
 Motivation (difficult to pinpoint)
 Family dynamic and homework completion
Any other ways these disorders can
potentially impede learning?

19. Quick and dirty
interventions for teachers
to use

20.  Communication with parents is
KEY
 Allow some time!
 Daily check-in’s
 Shorten assignments
 Nonverbal signal to get on task
 Behavior student contract
 Task completion student contract
 Teach mnemonic devices (e.g.
PEMDAS)
 Move assigned seat frequently
 Point out the positives—ignore
the negatives!
 Create situations where students
can make friends
 More concrete—less abstract
 Hold classroom meetings
 Consult with colleagues
(teachers, admin and psych)
Some ideas…
The not so quick and dirty….
•Home visits (if needed)
•SST meeting (if needed)
•504 Plan meeting (if needed)
Any other ideas?

21. Questions? Comments?
…Thanks!