Abstract
Neurodevelopmental conditions (NDC) are behavioural and cognitive conditions that arise during the developmental period. For children and young people, these conditions affect educational achievement, peer relationships, and mental health, often leading to reduced participation in school and community life. Without timely and equitable supports, the long-term costs — to individuals, whānau, and the wider economy — are magnified by school disengagement, mental health difficulties, unemployment, and increased involvement with social and justice systems.
This invited presentation at the NZ Paediatric Forum at Auckland Hospital, drew on linked administrative and health datasets from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) to paint a picture of NDC among children and young people in Aotearoa. NDC included Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, intellectual disability (ID), foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), communication or language disorders (CLD), specific learning disorders, and motor disorders. Included in the presentation was a review of the evidence for best practice to support children with these NDC.