Being a child is no easy task. In addition to the continual influx of learning, brain development, and social growth, children must hone executive functioning skills that are typically not explicitly taught to them: concentration, emotion regulation, planning, organizing, self-monitoring/awareness, and energy management. Not surprisingly, many kids experience difficulty with these higher order executive functioning skills. How do you know when your child may need further support in this area?
When your child is experiencing significant difficulty with executive functioning skills that impedes their ability to function well in multiple settings (e.g., school, home, extracurricular activities), it may be an indication of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a common, diverse, and complex condition that presents in a variety of ways for children and teens.
Some children and teens may display the three common symptoms of ADHD: inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. Some may only display one or two. Some symptoms your child or teen may be experiencing might be:
● Difficulty concentrating on tasks (e.g., schoolwork, homework, multi-step tasks)
● Forgetfulness (especially with less preferred activities, such as chores)
● Fidgeting
● Excessive talking and interrupting
● Active often and intensely (e.g., for younger children it may be climbing, jumping, running, for teens it may look like restlessness)
● Hard time with organization
● Social troubles (e.g., sharing, waiting for their turn)
You may notice that some of these symptoms are simply characteristics of being a developing child! However, it is important to recognize when these behaviors are becoming difficult to manage, are spreading to other areas of life, are impacting daily functioning, and/or are distinctly different than the behaviors of your child’s peers. If this is the case for your child, it is advisable to consider exploring a comprehensive ADHD evaluation for your child. Given that ADHD symptoms overlap greatly with other disorders (i.e. a child’s distractibility may be sign of anxiety rather than ADHD), please ensure that your evaluation is truly comprehensive. A questionnaire regrading ADHD symptoms is a good first step but will not differentiate between ADHD and other disorders’ symptoms that overlap with ADHD.
At the Center for CBT, we offer the most up-to-date, comprehensive evaluations available for ADHD. An ADHD evaluation for your child or teen at the Center of CBT may involve interviewing your child, family members, and other important informants such as school teachers and guidance counselors. We will spend ample time with your child to observe their behaviors and administer psychological and neuropsychological assessments to understand their cognitive functioning and neurological abilities. If you are concerned or curious about the difficulties your child is facing, please contact us to discuss if an ADHD evaluation may be right for you and your family.
One of the things that makes us unique is that all of our ADHD evaluation specialists are also ADHD treatment specialists, so their feedback will include detailed recommendations regarding how to help your child. Our goal at the Center of CBT is to go above and beyond making an accurate diagnosis to provide parents with a concrete path to follow to best help their child.
To learn more about ADHD Testing, please feel free to contact us for an initial 15-minute consultation at 267-551-1984.