The interdisciplinary council on developmental and learning disorders diagnostic manual for infants and young children - an overview.

OBJECTIVE To describe the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders Diagnostic Manual for Infants and Young Children (ICDL-DMIC) created by representatives of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders. METHOD A description of the rationale of the different sections of the ICDL-DMIC dealing with infants and young children, focusing on a classification system which integrates all components of development and functioning which have been traditionally addressed by different disciplines. RESULTS A description of an in-depth approach to mental health diagnosis for infants and young children that goes beyond simply a description of symptoms and captures the qualities of the individual. CONCLUSION The ICDL-DMIC presents an innovative approach to the assessment and diagnosis of infants and young children and their families, featuring a multi-dimensional classification system which uniquely considers the emerging functional emotional developmental capacities of the infant and young child and the developmental pathway to symptom patterns.