If someone offered you a cure or a way to manage a disorder, which would you choose? I think it goes without saying that we would all go for the cure without a second thought. For illnesses like a cold or strep throat, absolutely go for the cure. But if you are the parent of a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, take caution with any claim that your child can be cured. Here’s why:
Neurodevelopmental disorders is the umbrella name for various developmental disorders, the most common of which include: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disabilities as well as all motor and communication disorders.
Once you receive a diagnosis for your child it can be overwhelming and it may be tempting to look for the first cure you can possibly come up with. But unfortunately there are no ‘cures’ for neurodevelopemental disorders. In a culture where we are accustomed to instant gratification and immediate solutions, this can be difficult to accept and process. Don’t feel too overwhelmed and hopeless by this news. There are tools and resources that can help you manage neurodevelopment disorders that are very effective.
Early diagnosis and therapy can help make these disorders less overwhelming and burdensome in you and your child’s life. The goal is to essentially find ways for your child to work around the developmental deficit or perhaps change the environment to help prevent the deficit from causing an impact in daily life.
Often people claim that they ‘grew out of’ an ADHD diagnosis or any other neurodevelopment disorder. Don’t be confused, these individuals also did not find a ‘cure’ to their disorder. They perhaps had a very mild case of their diagnosis and were able to find and develop tools and ways to cope with their diagnosis. Sometimes these are through intentional therapy sessions or perhaps they just learned how to adapt as a child. They may not have even noticed the changes they were making to adapt, and then over the course of time, their disorder seemed to be magically gone.
Studies have also shown that there is a link between early detection and treatment to better outcomes in children with neurodevelopment disorders. This can mean more time to teach skills that will help a child reach their full potential. Early intervention can relate to guidance about how to provide a better learning environment, structure and behavioural modifications.
The goal of this blog post isn’t to discourage anyone who has been diagnosed with or has a loved one diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, but to provide guidance around a difficult topic. Setting goals that are unattainable can add additional stress to you or your child. Gaining more wisdom about what neurodevelopment disorders are how they are treated will only aid in the management. Look for trained professionals and specialists to walk you through how to manage the disorder. If you would like to book in a time to speak to a psychologist contact us on (02) 6262 6157 or book an appointment online.
Related reading:
Can a Psychologist “Fix” Your Child?
Diagnosed: Benefits of Receiving a DSM-5 Diagnosis
How do I know if my child has learning difficulties?