ADHD & Executive Function

ADHD is one of the most common childhood conditions and yet each child’s particular set of strengths and needs are unique!

Children with ADHD usually have trouble staying focused, sitting still, or controlling impulses but the underlying reasons may be quite different. A child with ADHD may be gifted (twice exceptional) or may also have a co-occurring learning disability. Another may have significant working memory or auditory processing difficulties while another has a really slow processing speed. Many autistic kids also have ADHD, which can impact them in unique ways.

Some individuals with ADHD may have strong basic academic skills but poor academic fluency skills. Some may have strengths in nonverbal areas while struggling in language-based areas. Most individuals with ADHD struggle with executive function skills but with varying functional impact across the range of skills. There are so many different possibilities!

Understanding how a diagnosis impacts your child or family member is the key to designing an effective intervention plan. We take a more comprehensive approach, as not all individuals with ADHD have the same challenges or strengths.

We have knowledge about unique presentations in ADHD including hyperactive-impulsive subtypes or sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) or cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) profile types.

There are many reasons that a child may have difficulty regulating their attention. Besides ADHD, they may have a learning difference, such as dyslexia, or they might be feeling really anxious or sad. This is why we provide a comprehensive evaluation. The assessments we use will be tailored to you or your individual child, based on your current concerns, to really understand your child’s struggles and how to help them.

• CHADD’s National Resource Center on ADHD

• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ADHD Resource Page

• National Attention Deficit Disorders Association

• ADDitude Magazine