Could Your Child Have an Executive Function Deficit?

The following information was shared on the ADDitude website regarding 

executive function disorder. 

Source: ADDitude Magazine: Executive Dysfunction, Explained! 

The seven executive functions (self-awareness, inhibition, non-verbal working memory, verbal working memory, emotional self-regulation, self-motivation, and planning and problem solving) develop consecutively over time. Self-awareness starts to develop around age 2; by age 30, planning and problem solving are fully developed in a neurotypical brain. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD), however, generally lag 30 to 40 percent behind their peers in developing one executive function, and then the next.

Executive Function Disorder is often difficult to ignore during the transitions to 6th or 9th grade, when school structure and schedules change dramatically, and academic expectations increase. Parents and teachers often don’t get why kids can’t work independently on an assignment, and assume they'll "pick up" the necessary skills. It's important to start helping kids with ADHD / EFD early, and acknowledge the problems those disorders cause so that kids don't feel stupid or lazy.

If your child has trouble getting started, can only remember two or three things at a time, struggles with problem solving, or feels overwhelmed at school, he or she might have an executive function deficit. Complete this test for a clearer picture.

This screening test is designed to determine whether your child shows symptoms similar to those of an executive function disorder. Only a trained healthcare professional can make a diagnosis through clinical evaluation. This screener is for personal use only.

Source: ADDitude  magazine

30 Great Accommodations for Children with ADHD

 

Webinar Wednesday: Apps, Extensions, and Tech Tools for ADHD Brains: A Learning Guide

In this hour-long-webinar-on-demand, learn the most popular and effective technology tools for students with ADHD, with Janet DeSenzo.

Students don’t learn material that fails to engage them. Kids, especially those with unreliable attention and focus, lose interest quickly if the curriculum feels inaccessible and intangible. Many schools today are responding by using technology tools and the Universal Design for Learning approach.

Here, learn about the most popular and effective technology tools for students with ADHD and learning disabilities. Geared for educators, parents, and clinical professionals, this webinar will explain how to maximize students’ learning through the use of apps and tools for Chromebooks, iPads, Windows, and Macs. Teachers will also pick up lesson plans and strategies for incorporating technology into their UDL classrooms, and learn why educators are shifting the focus from accommodating students with ADHD to creating a more accessible, engaging curriculum.

In this webinar, you will learn about:

• Great Chrome apps and extensions for helping differently wired students
• iPads apps designed to maximize your child’s learning, plus the many tools built into the iOS operating system
• Tools offered by Microsoft that can assist with organization and productivity
• How to set up a Universal Design for Learning classroom, and how it supports all types of learners

Play this free webinar and download the slide presentation of "Apps, Extensions, and Tech Tools for ADHD Brains: A Learning Guide," plus get more strategies from ADDitude via email.

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Janet DeSenzo has been working in the field of assistive technology for more than 15 years. She started working with college students at the university level, assisting students with disabilities as the coordinator of Disability Services at a state university in New Jersey. From there, she started her own educational consulting company, JanTech Educational Services, which she still owns and operates. Janet is currently an assistive technology specialist and technology integration specialist in the Vernon Township School District of NJ. There, she helps find technology solutions for students with special needs and assists teachers with integrating technology into their everyday lessons.