Early detection of developmental disorders (part 1)

The expression development disorder is a wide concept that includes autism spectrum disorders. In this paper we will address the early detection of development disorders and in a second paper the autism spectrum disorders early detection. Development disorder is defined as any deviation in neurodevelopment below -1.5 standard deviations from the mean expected for the age. It is a limitation in the cognitive or adaptive functioning that starts in infancy and childhood and produces behavior disorders at home, school, or community. It can be also an intellectual handicap that can manifest as a language delay, or learning, reasoning or practical judgement disabilities, problem solution capacity impairment or abstract reasoning incapacity. In the last years, several expert groups have stressed the importance of the early detection of autism spectrum disorders and of all the development disorders in general. This recommendation in due to the relevance of the early start of therapies devoted to improving development disorders. In this paper and in the second one, that will be published in a next issue of this journal as the PrevInfad group collaboration, the author analyses the evidence and the group positions on the recommendations for the screening of development disorders and autism spectrum disorders.