Psychiatric disorders in people with developmental disability: overview

General practitioners have an important role in assessment, referral and management of people with developmental disability who have or are suspected to have a psychiatric disorder.

Principles of assessment (see here) and management (see here) of people with developmental disability should be considered in conjunction with advice specific to each psychiatric disorder; see:

• Anxiety and associated disorders
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Psychoses including schizophrenia
• Catatonia.

For a behavioural emergency, see Acute behavioural disturbance.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is discussed in the Psychotropic guidelines.