Is it ADHD or a problem with Executive Functioning?

Our brain is like a corporation.

What is executive functioning? Maybe what comes to mind is a picture of an “executive” at the head of a corporation or a business.  In this case, you’re probably visualizing the person who decides about where the company is going, its goals, and what benchmarks are necessary for being successful.

One person may not do all the work but that person decides what is needed and who should carry out activities associated with the task.

Planning, organizing, and following through are not just business or corporate terms though, they are terms that apply to our everyday lives.

In effect, our brains are like corporations, and the prefrontal cortex (right in the front) is the “executive office suite” where decisions are made.

Some brains need more training.

We frequently see problems with executive functioning in people with ADHD and ADHD inattentive, ADD, or mixed ADHD hyperactive and inattentive disorders.

Your child may have great attention, be able to focus for hours on things that have an obvious structure, but have difficulty organizing himself or prioritizing for herself what’s important to do next.

They may get lost in the maze of options that life presents and may make choices that don’t lead to productive results.

In such cases, the executive at the front desk may not be mature or practiced at his job.

Testing identifies areas in need of strengthening.

Is the problem more with executive function and attention, or are both areas of weakness?

Appropriate testing helps identify what areas need strengthening.

Executive functioning, focus, and attention are learned skills.

These skills develop over time – over decades.

However, we can help your child “strengthen his cognitive muscles” to help prepare him for the decisions and choices of daily life right now.

Some strategies highlight how to identify and make choices.

There are non-invasive tools that help increase blood flow to the front of the head – directly affecting the prefrontal cortex and assisting the brain by speeding up decision making and the acquisition of new learning.

Testing helps to identify the most effective tools.

Let’s work together to identify skills that need strengthening in your child.

With practice and application of the right methods, your junior executive will become more efficient at the front desk.

Contact me today: 703-303-0751.