Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

child psychologist calgary

Children and teens who contend with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) evidence significant challenge with regulating their attention, resisting competing distractions, persisting on increasingly challenging tasks, and inhibiting impulsive behaviors.

Relative to same-aged peers, it is much more difficult to delay instant gratification. Consequently, ADHD can present as interfering with academic achievement and social/emotional development. Furthermore, ADHD symptomology amplify parenting challenges and put a strain on the parent-child relationship.  

  • ADHD is a neurobiological disorder with genetic-hereditary basis. There are three different ways ADHD presents itself: i) Predominantly Inattentive Presentation, ii) Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive Presentation, and iii) Combined Presentation.

    Treatment for ADHD surrounds understanding the neurological implications of the disorder and includes accommodations and personal/parental strategies to bring out the best in a child depending on their presentation and symptoms. We teach children and parents how to promote listening skills, how to cater to the neurology of ADHD by breaking tasks and activities into smaller more manageable chunks, and how to foster more effective follow-through on non-preferred tasks.