How Does ADHD Impact My Son's Ability to Learn?
An attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is a psychological condition that often affects children. However, it can persist into adolescence and adulthood. Despite not being a learning disability, the state can make your son experience learning difficulties. For example, it is hard for your son to focus on what his tutor is saying when he can hardly sit and read a book. Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center can help your teen overcome their condition. To learn more about the
ADHD treatment program, contact our team at
662.373.2828 today.
A Learning Disability
Many Americans under 18 years manifest symptoms of a learning disability. It refers to a group of psychological conditions that negatively impact an individual's ability to understand or use written and spoken language, execute mathematical tasks, and pay attention. The brains of children with learning disorders are wired differently from their peers, affecting how they receive information. Some of the most common learning disability conditions include:- Dyslexia, characterized by difficulties in writing
- Dyscalculia, whereby a child cannot solve mathematical tasks
- Visual processing disorder
- Dyspraxia, which impairs motor skills
- Dysphasia, characterized by problems in language
- Dysgraphia, which damages the ability to write coherently
How ADHD Can Impact Learning
Learning involves utilizing the brain's executive functions, such as focus, attention, and memory. The mental disorder has a direct impact on the brain's executive functions. The effects of ADHD and learning on your teenage son can cause problems with concentration, communication, and memory, depending on the type of condition. Often, it is not easy to establish the signs of the disorder in your son until he starts experiencing mounting academic pressure, making it difficult for him to cope. Inattentiveness in class is among the earliest red flags of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Children experiencing the condition have issues carrying out tasks demanding concentration, so they often look for ways to avoid studying. The hyperactive and impulsive nature of children experiencing the disorder makes them easily irritable and aggressive. Besides, they exhibit impatient, risky, and defiant behaviors, causing their peers to avoid them. Such children live in isolation and detached from the rest of their classmates, making their school life difficult. The disorder causes comprehension and reasoning problems. If your son has ADHD, he will display difficulties in reading, writing, verbal expression of emotions, and organizing possessions. Intermittent inattention also causes cognitive impairment.Overlapping Conditions
Several studies exploring ADHD and education reveal that millions of teens in the US who have learning disorders also grapple with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Such children display learning activities problems, including reading, linguistics, writing, and mathematical abilities. However, writing is the most prominent problem that the children show. There are also attention issues in children with only learning disabilities without ADHD. Conversely, researchers have observed learning problems in children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder without a learning disability diagnosis. In most cases, the two conditions' behavioral issues overlap in children, concluding that they are interrelated.Intervention Strategies
Several therapeutic strategies are available to help children manage their ADHD conditions, hence improving concentration in class and social life. For a holistic approach that facilitates overall mental wellness, therapists recommend a combination of several programs, such as:- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Family recovery support program
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Adventure therapy
- Fly fishing therapy