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UNDERSTAND ADHD IN CHILDREN WITH THE HELP OF ASSESSMENTS IN CALGARY

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a specific developmental disorder seen in children. It includes deficits in behavioural inhibition, sustained attention and resistance to distraction, and regulating one’s activity level to the demands of a situation, including hyperactivity or restlessness. At Constellation Psychology, you can get your child assessed for ADHD in Calgary, Okotoks and the surrounding areas. Our highly experienced psychologist will help your child with improved well-being. An assessment by Sarra Wong will help your child turn his/her life in the right direction. Fill out our eform to book a consultation with our registered practitioner today.

TYPES OF ADHD

There are currently three subtypes of ADHD including:

Inattentive presentation
Hyperactive presentation
Combined presentation

According to R. Barkley, a leading researcher in the field of ADHD, the predominant features of this disorder include impaired response inhibition, impulse control, or the capacity to delay gratification.  


These difficulties are often noted in an individual’s inability to stop and think before acting, to wait for ones’ turn, to resist distractions while concentrating or working, and to work for more extensive, longer-term rewards rather than opting for smaller, more immediate ones.


It also involves poorly regulated activity to the demands of a situation. Young children may engage in excessive running, climbing, or other gross motor activity, and adolescents may be more restless than their peers. Individuals with ADHD are noted to be excessively fidgety, restless, and “on the go.” 


Poor sustained attention or persistence of effort to tasks often arises when the individual is required to complete boring, tedious, or repetitive tasks that lack interest to the person.


Problems with completing routine assignments without direct supervision and being unable to stay on task during independent work are noted.

SCHOOL-RELATED DIFFICULTIES

Children with ADHD often disrupt classroom activities and their classmates' learning. Impulsivity may include frequent calling out without permission, talking with peers at inappropriate times, and becoming angry when confronted with reprimands or frustrating tasks. 


Students with ADHD are at risk of significant difficulty, including academic underachievement, high rates of noncompliance and aggression, and disturbances in peer relationships.


School-related problems of children with ADHD may include:

Lack of attention to task instructions
Poor test performance
Deficient study skills
Disorganized notebooks
Desks and written reports
Lack of attention to teacher lessons
Problems sustaining attention to effortful tasks

THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS

A typical ADHD assessment takes approximately 10 hours to complete. The assessment helps obtain a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s functioning. It involves the administration of the following measures:

A measure of intelligence
WPPSI-IV (ages 2.5 to 7),
WISC-V (ages 6.5 to 17)
WAIS-IV (ages 18+)
A measure of achievement
WIAT-III (Wechsler Individual Achievement Test) that assesses reading, math, written language, and oral language abilities. This measure will assist in determining if the individual has any underlying learning difficulties typically associated with ADHD.
Common academic problems include poor reading comprehension, difficulty putting words to paper, and poor math calculation skills.
Behavioural checklists (BASC-3, Conners, CAARS)
Computerized measures (CPT, CATA, IVA-AE-2)
Measures of executive functioning (BRIEF2)
Measures of neuropsychological functioning (NEPSY)
Measures of adaptive functioning (ABAS-3)

UNDERSTAND YOUR CHILD

Our assessments can help you understand your child’s poor performance in school.

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