Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Why study neurodevelopmental disorders?
More than 300,000 children and youth in Ontario are living with autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders and conditions.
The symptoms of these conditions – social difficulties, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, compulsivity, impulsivity, and a host of other associated symptoms – often place emotional and other costs on children and their families, and more importantly make it harder for children and youth to live a good life the way they define it. The costs to society include lost productivity and potential, plus life-time bills to the medical system. There are few medications to treat these disorders, and those that exist are only partially effective.
Why study different neurodevelopmental disorders together?
Neurodevelopmental disorders are not clear-cut nor easy to segregate. There is often considerable variability in how these disorders are expressed and most of the time individuals have more than one condition.
POND Network: Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders Network
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The POND Network aims to understand the unique and common biology across neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, Tourette syndrome, and intellectual disability as well as a variety of genetic syndromes that affect development such as Rett syndrome, Down syndrome, and Fragile X syndrome. POND is leading international efforts that have fundamentally changed the approach to diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders and conditions. Their clinical trials network is a first in Canada and is speeding up the development of effective medications and psychosocial interventions for patients and families.
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