When formulating developmental diagnoses for pediatric patients, the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner may use which resource?

• A. DC: 0-3R
• B. ICD-10-CM
• C. ICSD-3
• D. NANDA International

Answer: (A)

Understanding diagnoses in very young children requires a framework built for infancy and early childhood. DC:0-3R is a diagnostic classification specifically designed for mental health and developmental disorders in 0-3-year-olds, providing criteria and categories that reflect how development shapes behavior, regulation, and interaction with others. It guides clinicians in assessing developmental concerns in the appropriate age range, supports differential diagnosis, and informs early intervention and family-focused planning.

ICD-10-CM is primarily a coding system used for labeling and billing once a diagnosis is established, not for guiding how to formulate developmental diagnoses. ICSD-3 covers sleep disorders, which is only one aspect of development and not a comprehensive framework for diagnosing developmental issues in young children. NANDA International offers nursing diagnoses, which are useful for nursing care planning but do not provide the developmental diagnostic framework needed for infancy and early childhood psychiatry and developmental psychology.