Hyperactive and disruptive behaviors in very young children: Diagnosis and intervention

Young children ages 18 months to 4 years commonly present to mental health clinics with hyperactive and disruptive behavior problems, including temper tantrums and aggression. This heterogeneous group of children have a variety of risk factors, including environmental, constitutional/maturational, and interactional concerns. General principles of intervention are described. In addition, three cases illustrate how Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC: 0-3) provides organizing principles helpful in furthering our understanding of and intervention with these young children and their caregivers.