Executive functioning is a process of higher brain functioning that is involved in goal directed activities. It is the part of the brain that enables people to make decisions and direct attention to a range areas in order to be successful in in a more wholsitic goal. It is similar to an executive of a company who plans out how the resources of the company will be used, decides what the priorities are, decides what direction things will take in the long term and decides what to do when there is conflicting information. This is a process of understanding the concept that all actions cause a response or have a consequence. For most people executive functioning occurs without conscious thought and we improve as we mature. For some, however, they require explicit guiding to develop appropriate strategies to overcome their lack of innate functioning. Executive functioning deficits are not a diagnosis in themselves, but they make any other diagnosis that much more difficult to address.
The skills involved in executive functioning allow us do the following:
Executive functioning is in fact the underlying skill for many other areas of development and as such there are no other building blocks relevant. There are, however, important key concepts that help develop executive functioning skills that all parents and carers should be aware of.
If a child has executive functioning difficulties they might:
When a child has executive functioning difficulties, they might also have difficulties with:
Therapeutic intervention to help a child with executive functioning is important to:
When children have difficulties with executive functioning, they might also have difficulties with:
If your child has difficulties with executive functioning, it is recommended they consult an Occupational Therapist.
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