Posts by The New Focus Team
Treatment for Teens With ADHD: Getting Help For Your Child
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. While it is common for teenagers to be distracted, teens struggling with ADHD do not grow out of this behavior, and symptoms can grow in severity over time. Treatment for teens…
Read MoreSocial Pragmatic Communication Disorder vs Autism Spectrum Disorder
Many people assume that teens with limited social skills may fall somewhere along the autism spectrum; however, there is a wide range of explanations for difficulties with social communication. The newest version of the DSM includes a description for Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder, which captures some of the social skill issues associated with Autism Spectrum…
Read MoreOverdominant Verbal Abilities in Teens with Learning Disorders
We often discuss Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) when we find a student that has really strong language abilities and weakness in other areas. If teens with learning disorders have verbal abilities that are overdominating other abilities that aren’t used as often or as skillfully, it creates an imbalance in the strategies teens use to communicate…
Read MoreSleep Problems May Predict Autism Diagnosis
As many as 80% of children with autism spectrum disorder have sleep problems, often from an early age. As parents and professionals seeking accurate diagnoses are encouraged to look to signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in early childhood, researchers at the University of Washington have started to research the effect of sleep patterns on brain…
Read MorePrevalence of Nonverbal Learning Disorder is Underestimated in Teens
According to a recent study led by Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) may be one of the most common learning disorders among children in the United States. Despite the prevalence among teens, Nonverbal Learning Disorder is often misunderstood, as there is some overlap between more common neurodevelopmental disorders, like Autism Spectrum…
Read MoreExecutive Functioning Issues in Teens with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
While there has been a significant body of research investigating the physical effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, there has been less focus on the neurological impact of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, including executive functioning issues and learning differences. Instead, children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder,…
Read MoreSlow Processing Speed in Teens with ADHD
Everyone’s brain processes information at a different rate. There are a variety of factors that may contribute to why some teens take longer to understand concepts and complete tasks. This doesn’t mean that they are not capable of grasping this information, but rather they may process it at their own pace. Slow processing speed can…
Read MoreHelping Students on the Spectrum Deal with Uncertainty Anxiety
There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. While circumstances of global uncertainty are often rare, there are powerful types of forces that can happen in a person’s life that feel out of their control. On our latest podcast of Neurodiversity University, our founder, Dr. Brandon Park discusses ways to help neurodiverse students…
Read MoreCan My Teen with Autism Spectrum Disorder Also Be Diagnosed with ADHD?
About 30% of teens on the autism spectrum have symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but until recently, diagnostic guidelines suggested that they could only be diagnosed with one or the other. Since the introduction of the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) into the DSM that allows for variability in symptomology, psychologists are beginning to…
Read MoreRecognizing Bullying in Autistic Teens with Social Struggles
It can be hard to recognize if your autistic teen is being bullied at school if you expect them to report social struggles. Autistic teens with social struggles may also be less likely to understand that they are being targeted and may believe they’ve chosen to withdraw. As they may have a hard time understanding…
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