Continuing the section of the DSM for neurocognitive disorders often diagnosed in childhood, a couple short paragraphs this entry:
Within the chapter titled Neurodevelopmental Disorders, the next two diagnoses are shorter than most and take up where Intellectual Disability / Intellectual Development Disorder leaves off. Again, the differential diagnoses include major and mild neurocognitive disorders, autism spectrum disorder, or a specific learning disorder.
Global Developmental Delay
Global Developmental Delay (Code: 315.8; ICD F88), on page 41 of the DSM 5, is a diagnosis “reserved for individuals under the age of 5 years” who are unable to undergo clinical testing, yet fail to meet particular benchmarks in intellectual functioning (DSM p 23, Desk Ref). An assessment will need to be completed in the future to better ensure proper treatment supports for the child specifically and possibly the family more generally.
Unspecified Intellectual Disability
An “Unspecified Intellectual Disability (Intellectual Developmental Disorder)” (Code: 319; ICD F79) is the category “reserved for individuals over the age of 5 years” in situations when the severity of the disability make assessment difficult or impossible. This may include particular behaviors, impairments (blindness or prelingual deafness), locomotor disability, or other co-occurring disorder (p. 23 / 41).
Next time, we’ll spend time with communication disorders within this same chapter, which focus on issues – or “deficits” – related to language, speech, and communication (p. 41).
