Executive Functions In The Disorganized Child

Not every disorganized child has ADHD. Children who are disorganized probably have some challenges with Executive Functions. These are housed in the frontal lobes of our brain and do not fully develop until we are in our early 20’s. The EF’s (as I like to call them) run the show when it comes to organization. They allow us to:

  1. Plan ahead
  2. Learn from our mistakes
  3. Follow through on task
  4. Execute a plan
  5. Understand the concept of time and time management
  6. Prioritize
  7. Transition from one task to another
  8. Self talk

So many parents will come into my office asking,’ Does my son have ADHD or is he just disorganized. Some of the ADHD symptoms may be present in a “disorganized child” but they are very mild and can be mediated with appropriate organizing strategies. When the child has difficulty implementing organizing strategies and presents with ADHD symptoms, a professional should be consulted to discuss the best treatment plan for the child.

3 thoughts on “Executive Functions In The Disorganized Child

  1. Thanks for the great post! My body is screaming for some stress reduction with just 3 weeks left of grad school… I shared this on Facebook in case my friends wanted to see.
    Thanks!

  2. Keep in mind that there are many options that can help your child with executive functioning issues. These include classroom accommodations , graphic organizers and apps and other kinds of assistive technology .

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