New brain imaging research indicates ADHD kids’ brains can lag as much as 3 years in crucial areas that suppress inappropriate actions and thoughts, focus attention, remember things from moment to moment, and in areas where one works for rewards and controls movement. This research confirms the biological nature of ADHD and also helps explain why some kids seem to ‘outgrow’ it with time. However, one-half of these kids do not outgrow it and and require treatment into adulthood. While the disorder itself is neurological in nature psychologists like myself work extensively with these kids and their families because of the ‘psychological’ consequences of living with this condition over time. Delayed development in these crucial brain areas explains why I work diligently with ADHD kids to ramp up their social, emotional, and academic coping skills. These kids are trying to play ‘catch up’ with their same age, same grade peers. Many of these kids struggle with self-esteem and self-confidence along with anxiety and depression. While their peers and teachers are plugging along they are chronically frustrated trying to keep up academically, emotionally, behaviorally, and socially. It gives credibility to my suggestion to hold these kids back a grade when they are young so the gap can narrow while we work to accelerate development in these important areas.
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