58DSM-5Guidebook Other Specified Neurodevelopmental Disorder315.8(F88) This category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of a neuro- developmental disorder that cause impairment in social, occupational, or other impor- tant areas of functioning predominate but do not meet the full criteria for any of the disorders in the neurodevelopmental disorders diagnostic class. The other specified neurodevelopmental disorder category is used in situations in which the clinician chooses to communicate the specific reason that the presentation does not meet the criteria for any specific neurodevelopmental disorder. This is done by recording “other specified neurodevelopmental disorder” followed by the specific reason (e.g., “neuro- developmental disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure”). An example of a presentation that can be specified using the “other specified” desig- nation is the following: Neurodevelopmental disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure: Neurodevelopmental disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure is char- acterized by a range of developmental disabilities following exposure to alcohol in utero. Unspecified Neurodevelopmental Disorder315.9(F89) This category applies to presentations in which symptoms characteristic of a neuro- developmental disorder that cause impairment in social, occupational, or other impor- tant areas of functioning predominate but do not meet the full criteria for any of the disorders in the neurodevelopmental disorders diagnostic class. The unspecified neu- rodevelopmental disorder category is used in situations in which the clinician chooses notto specify the reason that the criteria are not met for a specific neurodevelopmental disorder, and includes presentations in which there is insufficient information to make a more specific diagnosis (e.g., in emergency room settings). KEY POINTS •The chapter on neurodevelopmental disorders is a reformulation of the DSM-IV chapter “Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence.” •Mental retardation has been renamedintellectual disability (intellectual devel- opmental disorder).Severity is determined on the basis of adaptive functioning rather than an IQ score, though diagnostic criteria emphasize the need to as- sess cognitive capacity. •The communication disorders are newly named and include language disorder (which combines expressive and mixed receptive-expressive language disorders), speech sound disorder (previously phonological disorder), and childhood-onset
