Adult Consequences of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders are a miscellaneous group of mental conditions characterized by the impairment in one or more emotional, social, and cognitive skills at different stages of childhood or adolescence. Their early manifestation, together with the lack of immediate life-threatening consequences, is responsible for the delayed or absent achievement of developmental milestones, causing a marked impact on various areas of functioning, such as personal, social, academic, or occupational. Even though precociously recognized in many cases, the impairment may persist throughout the entire life span, with functional repercussions on adult life and an increased risk of co-occurring medical and psychiatric comorbidities. This chapter focuses on neurodevelopmental conditions, namely, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disabilities (ID), concentrating on the characteristic epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations in adults’ life.