Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Executive Functions
Because you didn’t know what they were, or even that they existed, so how could you want to know about them?
I wish I had known
I have two degrees in the field of psychology and I graduated without knowing what executive functions are, or even that they exist. I didn’t learn about executive functions until my son was diagnosed with ADHD, a decade after I had completed my second degree.
Before my son was diagnosed, I had a picture in my head of what ADHD is, probably similar to the average person who doesn’t know a lot about it. I pictured a little kid (usually a white boy) who was fidgety, couldn’t sit still, and was very easily distracted.
I thought having ADHD meant you couldn’t focus for long periods of time and were hyperactive, and that was about it. This seems to be a fairly common belief amongst people (and even professionals) who don’t know much about ADHD beyond the surface — and really, beyond stereotypes.
Now that I do know…
Funny thing, ADHD is highly heritable, meaning it’s easily passed on through genetics. So if your child is diagnosed with ADHD and it feels like a surprise, well… you may want to look a…
