Management of Behavior in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Course Description
Pediatric Neurologists now care for more children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental
disabilities as the prevalence increases worldwide. The neurobehavioral care of these children is especially challenging. This Meet the Experts session will address some of the common behavioral management issues through case-based presentations of children with neurodevelopmental disorders including Autism, Tuberous Sclerosis, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and other intellectual disabilities and Phelan McDermid Syndrome. The Experts will discuss management of problems such as irritability, behavior issues in a child with epilepsy, Attention and executive function challenges and sleep.

Learning Objectives

1. Treat four common behavior challenges in children with NDD’s including irritability, anxiety, attention and sleep.
2. Understand some of the behavior challenges in children with autism, tuberous sclerosis complex, fetal alcohol syndrome, and Phelan McDermid Syndrome, their shared characteristics across disorders but also unique challenges.

Impact Statements

1. Identifying behaviors in minimally verbal children and NDD.
2. Treatment of behaviors in children with NDD.

Organizer:
Ann M. Neumeyer, MD;
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Moderator:
Sarah Spence, MD PhD; Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Case 1: Behavior Changes and Anxiety in a Child with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
Shafali Spurling Jeste, MD; UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA

Case 2: Behavior Changes and Irritability in a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Evdokia Anagnostou, MD; University of Toronto, Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Case 3: Identifying and Treating Executive Function and Inattention in a Child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Kirsten A. Donald MD, PhD; University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Case 4: Behavior Changes and Sleep in a Child with Phelan McDermid Syndrome
Ann M. Neumeyer, MD