Inattention and hyperactivity problems:
ADHD is one of the most common disorders of childhood, but it can also affect adults. It can have an impact on emotions, behaviors, and the ability to concentrate, finish tasks and learning new things. Not all children that have trouble sustaining attention or show hyperactive or impulsive behaviors have an ADHD diagnosis. This is when clinical assessments play an important role in helping children and their caregivers and adults get a clearer picture on the kind of help they may benefit from.
Autism Spectrum disorders (ASD):
ASD is a range of conditions that affect the development of children. Children with ASD often struggle with communication and other social skills. Autism is a lifelong disorder; however, children may develop skills as they mature, especially when the disorder is detected early on.
Challenging behavior that children may display could be due to difficulties in expressing themselves, communicating effectively, regulating their emotions or as a result of exposure to traumatic experiences or as a presentation of another underlying problem such as anxiety or depression. Examples of such behavior include -but are not limited to- verbal or physical aggression, temper tantrums, school refusal, stubbornness, sibling rivalry, lying, stealing, running away from school, etc.
Learning difficulties/challenges:
Learning difficulties include challenges with writing, reading, and performing calculations. For children who need adjustments made to their school programs, our team can work with the school to ensure that appropriate accommodations and support are put into place.
Social and communication difficulties:
Although friendship is an important aspect in children’s lives, there are many issues that could be of concern regarding this. Some of these are being bullied, difficulties in making and maintaining friendships with peers, problems with social communication and conversational skills, anxiety around social situations, etc.
It is part of normal development that children can experience certain fears or anxieties while growing up. Fear is an emotion that can help children be cautious and usually they can cope with it on their own or with gentle support from their caregivers. However, if fears are extreme or keep a child from enjoying or going about their life routine, it might be a sign of an anxiety disorder. This could manifest as your child becoming very upset or having tantrums that are not age appropriate, school refusal, not wanting to sleep alone or experiencing certain physical symptoms (in the absence of a clear medical disorder) such as stomachaches, headaches, feeling breathless or having a racing heartbeat.
Sadness, just like fear, is a normal emotion as a reaction to unfortunate events. And just because a child seems sad does not necessarily mean that he/she has a significant depression. An alarming sign for possible depression is when this sadness becomes persistent or interferes with normal social activities, interests, schoolwork, or family life. The problem gets more significant in teenagers, due to peer pressure, academic expectations, and changing bodies and roles. Adolescent’s depression is common and is not a mere weakness or something that can be overcome with willpower. If left untreated, it can have serious consequences and would greatly impair the teenager’s quality of life.