ADHD Counseling in Lexington, Richmond & Frankfort KY

Help for ADHD

An estimated 15 million individuals in America have ADHD. Without identification and proper treatment, ADHD may have serious consequences, including school failure, family stress and disruption, problems with relationships, delinquency, injuries and job failure. Untreated ADHD can also lead to other mental health problems: Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Anxiety and Depression.

ADHD is a common mental health disorder that, according to the CDC, affects approximately 11% of school aged children in the United States, the diagnosis is more prevalent in boys than girls. In most cases symptoms continue into adulthood, although with appropriate treatment in childhood kids can learn many adaptive behaviors or ways to assist themselves with the symptoms of ADHD. ADHD can be explained as an executive functioning problem. Executive Function (EF) refers to brain functions that activate, organize, integrate and manage other functions. It enables individuals to account for short and long term consequences of their actions and to plan for those results. It also allows individuals to make real time evaluations of their actions, and make necessary adjustments if those actions are not achieving the desired result. When there is a problem with EF there are problems with behavior.

Diagnosis of ADHD

There are three types of ADHD. The predominately Inattentive Type, which presents in a person who, according to the DSM 5 (the diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental health disorders):

• Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes
• Has a difficulty time sustaining attention
• Does not appear to listen
• Struggles to follow through with instructions
• Has difficulty with organization
• Avoids or dislikes tasks required sustained mental effort
• Loses things
• Is easily distracted
• Is forgetful in daily activities

Predominately hyperactive-impulsive presentation:

• Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair
• Has a difficult time remaining seated
• Runs about or climbs excessively in children; extreme restlessness in adults
• Difficulty engaging in activities quietly
• Acts or feels as if driven by a motor
  
• Talks excessively
  
• Blurts out answers before question have been completed
• Difficulty waiting or taking turns; interrupts or intrudes upon others
  

And lastly, the third presentation is Combined type ADHD. These individuals meet the criteria for both inattention and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms.

The severity of symptoms can range. Many kids do not fit the “stereotypical” symptoms of ADHD, and children with the inattentive type are often overlooked. Symptoms can change with time. Symptoms can continue into adulthood but often time’s symptoms will lessen with age. ADHD persists from childhood into adolescence in 50-80 percent of cases.

Diagnosis is made by a mental health professional or a child’s pediatrician will make a diagnosis or refer families to a mental health professional who specializes in children’s issues. A therapist or counselor is often a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Psychologist, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPCC). Counselors/therapists can make the diagnosis without any specialized testing. Diagnosis is based on symptoms across environments. It is very important that data is collected from parents and school or other things the child is involved in. The Vanderbilt Questionnaire is often used as a simple data collection tool that gives providers a lot of information on base line and ongoing symptoms. Symptoms have to persist in at least two different places and most of the time diagnosis is made once a child starts school. In some rare situations younger children can be diagnosed.

It is important to work with a therapist who has training and experience in the area of children’s mental health and is addressing symptoms in therapy as well as making referrals for medication assessment, if that is needed. Medication can be instrumental in controlling symptoms so that skills can be learned in therapy.

Treatment for ADHD

Treatment often requires a range of focus. These could include:

• Parent training
• Medication
• Social skills training
• Educational supports
• Behavioral therapy

The recommended first-line treatment for kids 4-5 years old with ADHD is behavioral therapy. For all children and adolescents with ADHD the preferred treatment approach is both medication treatment and behavioral therapy.

Coaching for ADHD

Coaching and guiding can be a tremendous asset to parents and clients. Here is a great recommended resource in Central Kentucky. I trust Tyler and her team to help! -Paul Dalton

FOCUS FORWARD-ADHD COACHING AND LEARNING DIFFERENCE SUPPORT

Keys to Success

Learn all you can about ADHD and your child’s educational rights. The more knowledge you have about your child’s rights under the two education laws, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act  (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the better to maximize his or her success.  https://chadd.org/for-parents/educational-rights/ A child diagnosed with ADHD can qualify for a 504 plan  under the “other health impaired” section so that the child can receive accommodations in the class room. Accommodations can be seemingly small changes to their day that can make a big difference in the success of the child.

Resources

Brown, Thomas E. (2005). Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults (pp 20–58). New Haven, CT, Yale University Press Health and Wellness. - See more at: 

Barkley, Russell A., Murphy, Kevin R., Fischer, Mariellen (2008). ADHD in Adults: What the Science Says (pp 171–175). New York, Guilford Press. 

www.cdc.gov

http://www.chadd.org/

http://www.socialthinking.com/

Peg Dawson, EdD, and Richard Guare, PhD. Smart but Scattered . Guilford Press 2009

Martin L Kutscher and Marcella Moran. Organizing the Disorganized Child. Simple Strategies to Succeed in School.  

Building the Brains “Air Traffic Control” System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of  Executive Function. http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resourcetag/executive-function/

Excellent video explaining Executive Functioning:

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIFG0oFWtzoAUEcsnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByZ2N0cmxpBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMg--?p=what+is+Executive+Functioning&vid=215fcb9da4a048021f85f745ffc56fe1&turl=http%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DWN.2Rjm0X4tLxtjwvZiwyQo9w%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D168%26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DefCq_vHUMqs&tit=InBrief%3A+Executive+Function%3A+Skills+for+Life+and+Learning&c=1&h=168&w=300&l=336&sigr=11b0p1g0p&sigt=11put3uhm&sigi=12lfcednn&age=1340047358&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av&fr=yhs-mozilla-003&hsimp=yhs-003&hspart=mozilla&tt=b