This study reviews the disorder of written expression and dysgraphia by examining the defintion, diagnosis and management of the disorder.
Findings
Though common in children, dysgraphia and disorders of written expression are often overlooked by the school and family as a character flaw rather than a genuine disorder.
Research is needed in the field to clarify the definition and etiology of the disorder.
regardless of the presenting symptoms, early intervention has been linked to improved results.
Because of the typical delay in the diagnosis of dysgraphia, the primary care provider can play an important role in recognizing the condition and initiating the proper work-up and intervention.
Screening for co-morbid medical, neurodevelopmental. psychiatric and learning disorders is also important function of the provider.
Reference
Chung, P.J.; Patel, D.R.; Nizami, I. Disorder of Written Expression and Dysgraphia: Definition, Diagnosis, and Management. Translational Pediatrics. 2020 9(Suppl 1): S46-S54.doi: 10.21037/tp2019.11.01
Published by: Psych Central
Written by: Gia Miller
They have some shared symptoms, but dyslexia and ADHD are separate conditions. Here’s how to to tell them apart and tips for managing these conditions.
Dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two neurological conditions that can make learning more difficult.
The former affects 11%, and the latter affects between 5 to 20%, but it’s difficult to estimate precisely.
Sometimes, the symptoms of ADHD and dyslexia can be hard to tell apart — as both can cause trouble with reading and writing. But even though the symptoms can appear similar, the underlying reasons for the symptoms are very different.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a condition that impacts your ability to use language. You may have trouble matching letters to sounds or recognizing the sounds in words. This can make it hard to read and understand what you’re reading.
Dyslexia can also make spelling, writing, or math more difficult. Click here to read the story
Published by: Health.com
Written by: Mikhal Weiner
For me, the worst part of ADHD isn’t being fidgety or hyper-focused; it’s under-discussed symptoms such as time blindness and impulsive spending—which have made my finances a constant struggle.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is often associated solely with the obvious symptoms—such as fidgeting, cutting up in class, and general disorganization. While this is an accurate description of certain aspects of ADHD, there are far more (often overlooked) symptoms of this disorder—that wildly affect the lives of those, like me, with ADHD.
For me, those underreported symptoms include time blindness as well as impulsive spending—symptoms that have made managing my finances a constant struggle. Even though I usually manage to keep away from overspending, I can only achieve this by keeping myself on a very short (at times, painful) leash. Click here to read the rest of the story.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you’re not alone.
When many people hear the term “ADHD,” they often think of how it presents in children. They may not even know that ADHD also impacts adults.
In fact, the misconception that it doesn’t affect adults is part of the reason why ADHD is not effectively diagnosed after childhood. People with ADHD might not realize that the symptoms can be present into adulthood.
In fact, studies have shown that 50% to 80% of children with ADHD carry it on to adolescence, and another 35% to 65% then carry it into adulthood.
It was a common belief that ADHD disappeared in adulthood, and this was probably because ADHD looks different in adults than it does in children, and its symptoms were overlooked. The truth is, researchers believe that at least 75% of adults who have ADHD don’t even know that they have it.
So, what does it look like? Here are some of the subtle signs you may have ADHD.
1. Having an altered sense of time
One of the hallmarks of ADHD is “living in the now.” People with ADHD find it hard to keep track of time. They’re often late for appointments, can’t accurately estimate how long it will take for them to complete a task, and leave complicated tasks until the last minute. This is referred to as “time blindness.”
The reason this happens, according to researchers, is that the brain’s prefrontal cortex — which is responsible for executive functioning — doesn’t work as well at managing focus and behavior in adults with ADHD.
This is also the part of the brain that helps you plan for the future. It’s what allows you to prepare yourself for what’s coming next and plan how much time you have to realistically complete tasks.
If that part of the brain isn’t functioning properly, then you’re unable to accurately look into your future.
As a comparison, think of people who are nearsighted: They can only read things that are near to their face. Similarly, people with ADHD sometimes have difficulty anticipating and preparing for future events. The farther away an event is, the harder it is to deal with it.
2. Lack of executive functioning skills
For people with ADHD, time management isn’t the only difficulty. Other executive functioning skills can be challenging too, making it hard to manage the details of your life.
A person with ADHD will find it difficult to organize their thoughts and manage their schedule. You’ll likely also struggle with planning and prioritizing the order of tasks that you’re supposed to do, which can make it hard to meet deadlines.
While the level of executive functioning will vary from person to person, all folks with ADHD will find some challenges in each of the following categories when it comes to doing tasks or assignments:
organizing, prioritizing, and getting started
concentrating and staying focused, as well as shifting your attention to a new task
staying alert, maintaining the same level of effort, and understanding what you’re doing
managing your frustration and emotions
holding and using multiple pieces of information at once, and remembering things you’ve read or learned
Published by: Psych Central
Written by: Morgan Mandriota
Many people enjoy cuddling up on the couch with a book as a way to wind down. But people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially children, might find reading much more frustrating than relaxing.
This is because those with ADHD tend to experience reading problems.
ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts children and adults differently, but many people report reading difficulties with ADHD.
So how does ADHD affect reading comprehension? It can be challenging for many reasons, including difficulty with:
managing distractions (e.g., distracting thoughts or stimuli in the environment)
“Given difficulties with sustained attention, reading can be particularly difficult as kids often report rereading passages over and over again given lack of focus and being easily distracted,” says Angelique Snyder, Psy.D., a pediatric psychologist at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio.
“Their inability to focus and concentrate may make it harder for them to visually track information and retain what they just read, so both their reading speed and comprehension can suffer,” adds Dr. Judy Ho, board certified clinical neuropsychologist and a psychology professor at Pepperdine University.
A 2019 study suggests that reading disabilities and ADHD typically co-occur. Snyder notes that kids with ADHD also tend to have comorbid learning disorders, which can affect reading. Click here for the rest of the story.
