Course Notes: Meds and Management

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

This is a good time to reiterate that our Course Notes series is just that. Occupational therapists need to take a certain number of continuing ed classes each year. These classes are geared toward therapists, counselors, practitioners, etc. But from these classes, there is a ton of really great information that I think can be helpful for parents as well. I am in no way diagnosing, prescribing or treating a specific person. Now that that is covered, let’s get to ADHD, Part 3.

ADHD affects how information is taken in and processed due to its alterations in brain structure, neural connectivity, and neurotransmitter levels. These changes impair the executive functions, resulting in difficulties with attention, recall, and self-control. While there is no “cure”, it is considered one of the most treatable conditions out there. So, what are the most effective management treatments out there for child ADHD these days?

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Course Notes: The ADHD Brain

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

ADHD is a neurobiological developmental disorder that impedes one’s executive functions, but what causes it? ADHD has long been a subject of intense scientific scrutiny, from its origins to whether it’s even a real thing (it is, btw). However, with an explosion of research on the topic in the last 20 years thanks to the completion of the human genome project in 2003, we’re getting closer to solving to the riddle of what triggers the disorder that affects millions of children (and adults) worldwide.

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Course Notes: ADHD

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

This year, I started the process of becoming an ADHD certified rehabilitation services provider (ADHD-RSP). That means a bunch of certification courses on the disorder, the latest research, meds, and management. Let me just say that the lecture content has been quite eye-opening. ADHD is way more complex than I previously thought and it’s generally misunderstood, even with the decades of research and the ever-growing amount of information available these days. So for the next two weeks, I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned and hope that it will shed some light on what ADHD is, how it affects our kids, and effective ways to address it. Today, we’re breaking down the disorder; from its name, misconceptions, and how it’s diagnosed.

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Two-Week Check-In (Patti’s Version)

| Patti Webb

Back-to-School came after a whirlwind three weeks for us. We had the tail end of summer camps, hosted family, a birthday party, quick trip to Grandma’s, and then came right back for Open House.

In between the extra planning for fall sports, we did the school supply shopping on the down low as well as the Costco run, the consignment sale, the haircut appointments, etc. It’s a To-Do List person’s dream.

Throughout the summer, my kids tag-teamed feeling anxious about first grade; whether it was about their own readiness or missing their teachers from last year. They’d go through spurts of “needing” to practice their reading or doing their workbooks. Thus started the cycle of reassurance: You aren’t expected to know everything immediately. Your teachers would not have placed you in first grade if they didn’t think you were ready. If you think you need help, just ask.

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Two-Week Check-In (Mary’s Version)

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

It’s been two weeks since my son officially became a second grader and so far, things are off to a good start.  Thank goodness.

Last year was a bit of a mess. The first two months of his first-grade year were tumultuous, with frequent reprimands and constant negative feedback from the teacher. He started to loathe going to school, feeling like he was a bad kid and couldn’t do anything right. And then she abruptly quit, leaving his class to have a substitute teacher for the next three months. Turns out there were more kids in the same boat. Fortunately, the school was able to find an amazing educator who brought back his love of learning and school in the second half of the academic year.

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