System of Early Comprehensive Assistance to Children From Risk Groups for Mental Disorders in Russia

The increase in the number of children with mental disabilities in recent years warrants search for new opportunities to improve the effectiveness of care, starting from an early age (EA). Aim. The purpose of this paper was to provide methodological justification and systematization of modern directions of early care (EC) for children belonging to the risk group (RG) for the development of mental disorders. Methods. The methodological basis of the work was a comprehensive analysis of the Orders of the Ministry of health of the Russian Federation in recent years on the organization of psycho-neurological care for children, modern medical and social approaches and recommendations for psychological and pedagogical support when working with families raising children with mental disabilities and specialists of preschool institutions. Results. The main approaches to creating a unified EC system in Russia are presented. The most popular destinations of the effectiveness of integrated EC to children with mental disorders are analyzed with interdisciplinary approaches of mental ecology: preparation of recommendations on optimization and improving the efficiency of the medico-psychological-pedagogical aid to EA children; systematization of the main symptoms and syndromes characteristic for EA children and particularly important for pediatricians and pediatric neurologists; search for differential diagnostic criteria; development and evaluation of the effectiveness of available screening and instrumental methods for diagnosing abnormalities in EA children; introduction of methodological approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders; evaluation of the effectiveness of the EC system based on determining the quality of life of the family; training of specialists in providing EC to children with mental disabilities with justification of the main its directions with active interdepartmental interaction. Conclusions. At present, there are no unified approaches, norms and standards for organizing EC and coordinating the activities of organizations in different regions. The necessity of creating a system of EC providing to children with disabilities, including EA children from RG for mental disorders is justified. A search for ways to diagnose developmental disorders and provide EC is proposed, taking into account the assessment of factors and resources of children's mental health within the framework of interdisciplinary approaches to mental ecology

Autism · Child and adolescent psychiatry · Christian ministry · Mental health · Psychiatry · Autism Spectrum Disorder Research · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Psychology · Psychology of Development and Education