Long-term follow-up of children with psychiatric disorders.

General psychiatrists' interest in childhood has been stimulated by the genetic aspect of dynamic psychiatry. The prospective developmental approach of child psychiatrists has been molded by developmental psychological theory, epidemiological approaches, and clinical experience with children who exhibit symptoms of psychopathology. The authors review follow-up data on children diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, autism, and conduct disorders. They also discuss the results of studies of subjects who, as children, were diagnosed as being hyperactive or neurotic, or who experienced language delay.