ADD / ADHD
Do you have to ask your child several times to complete a task (e.g., go shower)? Does your child get distracted walking from the kitchen to their bedroom and forget what they’re supposed to be doing? Does your child have a hard time regulating their emotions? Are you constantly looking for lunchboxes, water bottles, or sweatshirts that your child has left somewhere (again…)? Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood behavioral health concerns and can make daily life challenging. Characteristics of ADHD typicallymust appear across multiple settings (e.g., school, home, extracurricular activities) and can impact family relationships (e.g., relationships between parent-child, parent-parent, siblings), peer relationships, and academic performance.
There are 3 subtypes of ADHD:
1) predominantly inattentive type
2) predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type
3) combined type (when a child presents with both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity)
Although ADHD looks different person to person, some behaviors that are common in children with ADHD include:
Needing frequent reminders or redirection to complete simple tasks
Getting distracted easily
Making “careless” mistakes
Disproportionate emotional meltdowns when told to turn off electronic devices (e.g., iPhone, tablet, video games)
Constant movement and/or frequent fidgeting while trying to remain seated
Frequently losing, misplacing, or forgetting items
Acting without thinking through consequences (even when they have been told multiple times)
Difficulty completing for non-preferred or challenging activities
Hyperfocus on preferred activities (may struggle to focus on a school assignment but has no difficulty playing Minecraft for hours)
Difficulty completing homework and school work independently
Forgetting to turn in assignments, even when they are completed
Talking excessively or loudly or making a lot of noise
Highly emotional / big emotional outbursts
Research has demonstrated that the best treatment for ADHD in young children is a combination of behavioral parent training (BPT; sometimes referred to as parent management training) and medication. At The Center for Pediatric Psychology, we also collaborate closely with medical providers and schools on medication management and appropriate academic accommodations to ensure your child has the support they need to be successful.
Get Started with an ADHD Specialist in Lehigh Valley
We offer ADHD help for children in Allentown, Bethlehem, and the greater Philadelphia area.