Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a disorder of executive dysfunction which impacts one’s ability to pay attention and may lead to hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors.
When we think of televised stereotypes of ADHD, we see a child bouncing off the walls and having difficulty concentrating on their schoolwork. These are definitely two hallmark features of the disorder, but ADHD impacts every part of a child’s life.
What is executive functioning?
Those with ADHD often have difficulty inhibiting (or slowing down) their movements, speech, thoughts, and emotional reactions. They also struggle with working memory, planning, problem solving, and emotional regulation.
Russell Barkley, who dedicated his life to researching and treating those with ADHD, conceptualized executive functioning as a difference in inhibition and megacognition. INSERT LINK HERE
Why should my child be diagnosed with ADHD?
Providing supports to a child with ADHD is similar to providing glasses to a child with poor vision. Without the glasses, a child may not learn to read properly. Later, the child will believe they aren’t a very good reader and may decide they simply aren’t “smart enough.” Given the glasses they should have, the child can reach their potential.
Children with ADHD can develop strategies when they are given appropriate supports. By the time they reach adulthood, they will learn independence in these challenging tasks (i.e. from getting through their morning routine to academics) and also learn how to advocate for any extra help they may still need.
What are the effects of untreated ADHD?
When ADHD is not diagnosed or treated, then children often receive a lot of negative attention from adults and peers. Due to their emotion dysregulation, difficulty focusing on social cues, and in-your-face behaviors, children with ADHD sometimes have difficulty making and keeping friends. Without behavioral strategies in the classroom, negative feedback from a teacher can lead to poor motivation. Parents of children with ADHD often seek treatment because they feel exhausted and the techniques they utilize with their other children simply aren’t working. Finally, there are long term effects of untreated ADHD, including increased health risks due to impulsivity, poor self esteem, and mood disorders later in life.
The good news is that the combination of validating your child’s experiences and providing behavioral supports can lead to a healthy outcome.
My pediatrician already diagnosed my child with ADHD. How is a psychological assessment going to help my child?
We know that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder often have difficulty with attention, but finding out which types of attention are impaired can make a significant impact on the efficacy of interventions. There are several types of attention, such as selective attention (the ability to focus in on one thing), sustained attention (the ability to pay attention to something for an extended period of time), divided attention (being able to focus on two or more things at once) or alternating attention (the ability to switch between two different tasks). If a child has poor sustained attention, but good divided and alternating attention tasks, then then they might do well with fidgets, study music or an electronic reminder to stay on task. In contrast, a child who has good sustained attention, but poor divided attention should utilize ear plugs and a quiet testing environment. Knowing these types of specifics make our recommendations more efficacious and help reduce the stress that comes from faulty accommodations.
How do I get started?
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