Behavioral Concerns
Attention and Concentration | Social Interaction | Conduct | Eating Disorders | Cognitive Disorders
Attention and Concentration
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity) makes school learning and behavior very difficult. A formal diagnosis needs to be made by a trained and licensed professional.
Attention Disorders are oftentimes misdiagnosed. There are many other causes for the behaviors that are sometimes too quickly associated with ADD or ADHD. Only a complete evaluation, including history and cognitive testing, can determine the diagnosis.
Some symptoms include: difficulty with listening, paying attention, following directions, finishing a project or task, and trouble shifting the focus of attention from one task to another.
Visit the Mental Health Association or Chadd at www.chadd.org/ for more information.
Socialization refers to the ability to get along with others. It includes being respectful, accepting differences in people, and managing anger, disappointment or grief appropriately.
Certain learning disabilities predispose children to have difficulties with socialization skills. Fitting in, making and keeping friends is a vital part of personal happiness.
Problems with conduct usually involve making poor choices in behavior. Oftentimes, we cannot control what happens to us, but we can control our response to what happens. For example, we cannot control that kids pick on kids, that others are rude to us, or that sometimes life is unfair. We can learn how to control how we react, though.
Oppositional conduct refers to being defiant, unwilling to follow simple rules of acceptable behavior both at home and in public.
Learning ways to improve our conduct helps make us more successful in life.
Eating disorders involve severe disturbances in eating behavior. There are several different types, but a common thread among them is the misperception of the body shape and weight. For example, an intense fear of becoming fat, even when at normal or underweight conditions. Personalized, well-directed cognitive-behavioral therapy can normalize this joyful activity.
Visit Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Association for more information.
Difficulties with learning and memory are included within the various types of thinking or cognitive concerns. Trouble remembering how to do a task, despite repeated practice? Difficulty memorizing school facts (times tables, spelling) despite rehearsal? Trouble getting the concept or organizational plan of how to proceed?
Once we help you to identify your cognitive strengths, we can show you how to use those strengths to improve learning.
