[Psychiatric disorders after early brain damage in children and adolescents - four case reports]

Neuropsychological assessment is an important diagnostic tool that can provide additional information for diagnosing mental disorders during childhood and adolescence. While in the past, the challenge of a neuropsychological assessment was to detect whether or not the child had suffered brain damage, this aim changed with the development of better, non-invasive brain-imaging techniques. On the basis of four single cases it is demonstrated that brain damage causes not only direct, but also indirect deficits. In particular, the indirect consequences of early brain lesions, such as behavioral disorders and persistent neuropsychological deficits, are very often reasons to seek clinical treatment. The characteristics of children and adolescents with organic mental disorders with regard to diagnosis and intervention will be exemplified and discussed within the following four case studies.