• Parenting can be difficult when there is a concern about a health, developmental, or socioemotional issue with a child.
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD) diagnoses have increased over the past several decades.
• It is unclear why the increase has occurred, but it could be due to changes in diagnosis, environmental factors, or heritability.
• Erin O’Connor, a developmental psychologist, weighs in on the topic of ADHD/ADD diagnosis and treatment.
• Questions for the child’s teacher and physician should focus on the observed behavior in both home and school settings, as well as other potential sources for the behavior.
• Diagnosis requires a history of behaviors over time, and parents should compile a list of behaviors that concern them.
• Medication has been proven safe and effective in the treatment of ADD/ADHD symptoms, but there can be side effects.
• It is unclear if ADD/ADHD is overdiagnosed or underdiagnosed, but it may be underdiagnosed among girls and children of color.
• For pre-K children, it can be hard to decipher between developing executive functioning skills and other factors (like learning differences).
• Parents can support executive function skills at home by using timers, breaking up multi-step directions, and establishing routines.
• How parents respond to their child’s challenges is related to their own temperament.
Published February 9, 2023
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