Resources

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is characterized by ongoing issues with focus and self-control. People with ADHD experience different types of symptoms, including:

• Inattention: Individuals with ADHD may have trouble staying focused, being organized, and staying on task. These problems are not because of defiance or lack of understanding.
• Hyperactivity: People with ADHD may constantly move around, even when it’s not appropriate. They might fidget, tap, or talk excessively. In adults, hyperactivity might show as restlessness or talking a lot.
• Impulsivity: This means acting without thinking or struggling with self-control. Impulsive individuals might seek immediate rewards and have trouble waiting. They could interrupt others or make important decisions without considering the future results.

At MindWise Psychological Services, our licensed clinical psychologists have years of experience and expertise in assessing for and diagnosing ADHD.

Below are some links to trusted resources that provide more information about ADHD.

• Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Treatment of ADHD (National Institute of Mental Health Guide)
• What is ADHD? (CDC Guide)
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)

Intellectual Developmental Disorder (Intellectual Disability)

Intellectual Developmental Disorder (IDD) involves difficulty learning and functioning in everyday life as expected. This can vary among children. Children with Intellectual Disability might struggle to communicate their needs, take care of themselves, and learn at a slower pace than other kids their age. They might need more time to learn basic skills like speaking, walking, dressing, and eating on their own. Learning at school could also be challenging for them.

IDD is a “developmental disorder” because it begins before a child turns 18, and it can even be present before birth. It is caused by factors like injury, disease, or an issue in the brain. Some common known causes can even happen before birth, like Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and other genetic conditions. Others occur during birth or shortly after, while a few causes might appear when the child is older, such as stroke, head injury or certain infections.

Signs that indicate Intellectual Disability in children may include:

• Delay in sitting up, crawling, or walking
• Late or challenging speech development
• Trouble remembering things
• Difficulty grasping social norms
• Not understanding the outcomes of their actions
• Struggling to solve problems

At MindWise Psychological Services, our licensed clinical psychologists have received specialized training in the administration of standardized and objective cognitive and intelligence tests. These tests allow us to evaluate general cognitive and intellectual skills, including problem-solving, reasoning, working memory, and verbal and visual intelligence.

Below are some links to trusted resources that provide more information about Intellectual Disability.

• Facts about Intellectual Disability (CDC Guide)
• What is Intellectual Disability? (American Psychiatric Association Guide)
• American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Speech and Language Delay

A communication disorder is when someone has trouble understanding, expressing, processing, or grasping concepts through words, signs or symbols. This can affect hearing, language and speaking. Communication disorders can be mild or severe, and they can start from a young age or happen later. People might have one type of communication disorder or a combination of them, and it might be the main disability or caused by other problems.

A speech disorder is when someone has problems with how they say words, their flow of speech, or their voice. A language disorder means having trouble understanding the meaning of or using spoken or written words or other symbols. This can affect the structure of language (like grammar), the meaning of words, or how language is used to communicate with others.

In simple terms, a communication disorder makes it hard to understand and express thoughts, and it can involve problems with speaking, understanding or using language.

At MindWise Psychological Services, our licensed clinical psychologists have years of experience working with children with speech and language delay. Importantly, we have specialized skills in deciphering when speech or language delay is the primary concern or if it is due to a secondary condition such as autism.

Below are some links to trusted resources that provide more information about speech and language disorders.

• Developmental Language Disorder (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Guide)
• Definitions of Communication Disorders and Variations (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Guide)
• What is a Communication Disorder? (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital)
• Social Communication Disorder: Information & Treatments (Autism Speaks)