Trustworthy Tip of the Week

 Question:

My son gets decent grades in school, but it takes him forever to get his work done. He is not a behavior problem, but is beginning to feel dumb. Our doctor has told us he doesn't have ADHD?                 

                         What can we do? 

Answer: 

A good place to start is to take a deeper look at the underlying skills needed to accomplish grade level work. Does he possess adequate attention and executive function skills required for the level of output required?  Strong, consistent output, especially at higher grades, requires more than intelligence and academic skills.

ADHD is a real diagnosis based on having a number if behavior patterns that have been present throughout childhood.  There are many children, and adults, however that have weak attention systems that do not meet the criteria for an AD(H)D diagnosis.  Attention skills are not something you either have or don't have.  It is not like the measles, or strep throat.  Attention skills exist on a continuum.  Dysfunction in this area may not be severe and prominent enough to warrant a formal diagnosis, but may, nonetheless, impede success in the classroom.

Attention issues don't primarily show up as a "deficit" of attention.  Rather they show up as an inability to regulate attention effectively.  Once you start looking at how well attention is regulated you will be able to spot if it is problematic.  For instance, is your child just as likely to over focus when interested, as he is to under focus when bored?  Does he take a long time getting started?  Does he give up easily when distracted or stalled by a problem? Does he spend way too much time on a minor task and end up with way too little time on a bigger task? Can he break a task down into smaller parts, or determine which tasks or more important than other tasks, and allocate his time appropriately?

Once underlying skills are evaluated you can find specific programs that will address his weaknesses and enable him regain his confidence in himself as a student.

Email your questions to Cindy@lehmanlearning.com. OR Just submit them below in a comment.

Cindy Lehman, M.Ed. is the director of Lehman Learning Solutions and routinely consults with parents and teachers on a variety of issues related to learning, behavior and school success.  She has been working with children and teens with learning and behavior challenges for 35 years, both as a special education teacher in the public schools, as well as a private practice educational therapist.