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Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASD and ADHD are neurodevelopmental disorders that can cause significant dysfunction in children.
The academic and socio-emotional spheres will be affected by the specific characteristics of these disorders, encouraging children to develop a low self-esteem during their development. They may have difficulties integrating with their peers and even experience rejection from adults, such as teachers, who before diagnosis often attribute their peculiarities to bad behavior or poor manners on the part of the child.
Children with autism may have intellectual disabilities, but they may also have high abilities, which gives us an idea of the clinical heterogeneity present in this diagnostic category. They exhibit cognitive rigidity/inflexibility (with frequent tantrums during their early years), deficiencies in what is known as “theory of mind,” and are emotionally vulnerable due to difficulties interpreting their own and others’ emotions. They often have particular interests, knowing absolutely EVERYTHING about the topics that interest them: for example, dinosaurs, bells, tie knots… But what is the theory of mind? This is defined as an inability to infer the thoughts and intentions of others in social contexts, resulting in a certain social awkwardness that can cause a lot of stress for the child.
Early diagnosis is vital in order to access specialized care, so that the specific difficulties of each patient can be addressed from an early age, thereby improving their ability to adapt and function later in life.
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
In the case of ADHD, it is most common for the school to raise the alarm.
They are impulsive children who have difficulty focusing on a task and whose impatience gets them into trouble more than once. They are often unable to wait their turn during games with their peers, or find it difficult to inhibit instinctive responses that arise in moments of frustration or anger, getting involved in fights or saying the first thing that comes to mind. Academic performance without treatment is often low due to attention deficits, not lower intelligence.
The hyperactive subtype also exhibits significant motor restlessness, which means they suffer more frequently from falls, fractures, and other minor accidents. There are treatments capable of generating radical improvement, as they enhance attention span and the ability to inhibit impulsive behavior. It is as if we were helping our children with that reflective part that they often lack before acting or speaking. Close coordination with the academic center is also recommended, allowing for curricular adaptations to facilitate academic performance.
