Sarah, our part-time receptionist, enjoys access to lots of interesting resources and articles. She found this small publication very practical and has written this review. Sarah worked as a high-school teacher before becoming a mother of two boys. She hopes to complete her studies at SMBC this year and enjoys working in the clinic reception on Wednesdays.
Sarah, our part-time receptionist, enjoys access to lots of interesting resources and articles. She found this small publication very practical and has written this review. Sarah worked as a high-school teacher before becoming a mother of two boys. She hopes to complete her studies at SMBC this year and enjoys working in the clinic reception on Wednesdays.
“Hot Tips for Executive Function”
“Socks, Shoes, bags, let’s go” I repeat for what feels like the fiftieth time this morning. We have made it out the door in good time today and our uniforms are on and clean (thank goodness, because it’s school photo day for Mr 6), tummies are full, teeth brushed and we’re now safely buckled in the car. It’s a good day today, but not every day looks like this in our house. Sometimes we sleep in and can’t get moving, sometimes Mr 8 takes an eternity to eat breakfast. Sometimes we faff around half-naked looking for shoes, books, lego or the whatever (which is probably still in the car anyway), sometimes our emotions explode and we ride the wave until they resolve, even if it means we’re late for school, again. Sure, everyone has their off days, but the variability of my two scrumptious neuro-diverse boys is tough; some days we can, some days we can’t and that’s ok. Our morning and evening routines have been hard won. My husband and I have spent countless hours building, teaching, reinforcing these routines, not just so we can get out the door without driving each other crazy, but because our kids struggle with those hidden skills that have a massive impact on so many areas of life; their executive functioning skills.
Of course, we are not alone and the LDC (Learning Difficulties Coalition of NSW Inc.) has just released their Hot Tips for Parents and Professionals on executive functions, as part of their “Tool Kit Series”. Bringing together suggestions from professionals like Emily Bull, Sue Larkey and Amanda Hicks, the booklet helpfully explains the basics and challenges of executive function particularly in relation to ADHD and Autism. Their suggestions are practical and it makes a great resource for home and school (I’m already making plans to get them to our teachers ASAP!).
But if you haven’t got time to read it, I thought I’d help you out with-
4 key ways to support your child’s executive function skills at home:
Environment
There are plenty of things you cannot control in your child’s life but most parents and care-givers can make a big difference by paying attention to the child’s surroundings. If something is worth doing (like listening and following instructions or performing a task) support the child in making it happen and minimise the chance of failure. Have they got everything they need at the point of performance and can they see it clearly or will they wander off looking for something else they need and never return? Can they have two copies of textbooks or worksheets for school and home? If they need to organise their room, locker, or desk better, a photo of what these should like is a great idea! Schedules and expectations should be clear, consistent, and displayed visually, the aim is to avoid tiring the working memory so the child doesn’t feel overwhelmed and get stuck on unimportant things. Frequent sensory and movement breaks are also important to help the body and brain stay regulated: consider using a fidget or sitting on a gym ball to work. Short rest breaks can also help the brain to reset when fatigue sets in.
2. Health
It’s worth remembering the importance of good physical health and well-being for supporting behaviour, emotional regulation, learning and executive function. A good night’s sleep (with time to wind down before bed and get up slowly in the morning) is crucial. A healthy diet and exercise also play their parts, but muscle strength is something you may not have considered. How can they sit up at their desk, write, read, or run if the muscles they need are weak? A Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist or Optometrist may be helpful here. Mental and emotional health are also vitally important. People who struggle with executive function often forget the successes they’ve had in the past. Tell them specifically why YOU think they can do this task, remind them of how they have had successes in similar tasks or obstacles they’ve already overcome, and of all the people who love them no matter what. Positive self-belief is a wonderful motivator, but in the meantime pull out your pom-poms on their behalf.
3. Learning new things
I like to think of the neurodiverse brain as a theme park, but let’s imagine for a second, it’s a computer. As the person learns the documents are written and saved. As the information comes in and more documents are generated, we create folders to store similar documents together and so on. When you ask a computer to retrieve a document (let’s say it’s the one called “How to Brush My Teeth”) up comes the document, sitting in the folder containing all the required information and related content. The brain with executive dysfunction stores its documents all over the place, forgets to label them, makes three accidently but can’t work out which ones to delete- you get the idea. This means that both storage and retrieval of information is more challenging when the child is faced with a task, and very little is automatic. Repetition is key to learning new things and moving towards doing things with ease. Performing routines out loud; literally saying the steps, is often helpful. Using acronyms and checklists reduce the load on the working memory. Skills should be broken down and taught backwards from what the finished task looks like. Mini-deadlines that allow frequent success are helpful and new skills must be practised repeatedly in the same way.
Supporting your child with their homework will involve writing it in the same spot every time, keeping a daily schedule posted, supporting them in understanding what the finished result should look like, breaking the task into achievable steps and staying on track until it’s done. As the child improves, the parent can gradually withdraw their help. Celebrate effort not just achievement and remember that teachers and educational psychologists are specifically trained to help adults and kids in this area.
4. Communication
Executive Function skills impact the way children listen, understand, and respond to instructions (Why don’t you pause for a second and think about how many instructions there are in your kid’s day?) The best tip I can offer is to allow additional time for them to receive the information, process it correctly, and act on it. As parents, it is easy to shout five things in ten different directions and expect them all to be done yesterday, but this rarely results in anything but frustration and stress for everyone. Instead, try giving instructions as simply, directly, and sequentially as possible. For example, it’s much easier for your child to process “Please eat your dinner before you watch TV”, rather than “before you watch TV, you need to eat dinner, please”. This is why many people adopt the “First, then” approach. For example; “FIRST eat your dinner please, THEN watch TV”. When you need to repeat yourself, you can try reducing the instruction even further to “First dinner, then TV” or even “Dinner. TV.” In order to respond appropriately to an instruction, children need to hear and comprehend the meaning of the words in context, decipher the verbal and non-verbal cues that accompany the instructions and decide on an appropriate reaction. Sometimes this may take a fraction longer than we are used to, but your patience will most likely be rewarded when you choose to communicate in a way that is helpful for your child.
Of course, everyone learns better when verbal instructions are supported by visual aids, but this is especially helpful for supporting children with executive function. Routines, daily tasks, schedules, and checklists (as well as instructions, information, procedures, and expectations) can all be presented visually. This helps with comprehension and memory, and allows the person to feel a sense of control over their lives. Visual schedules can be made a thousand different ways but they can work wonders with providing consistency, predictability, and a sense of personal safety. Similarly, it can be hard for some people with executive function challenges to correctly perceive of time. Visual timers (time timers, sand timers, digital timer apps, stop watches, traffic light timers, bubble, or oil drip timers- you name it I’ve bought it!) can all be helpful in tracking time and using it more effectively. Hopefully the child will start to see what that amount of time “feels like” and can modify their actions to sit within a given time frame. Gentle warnings before a change of activity occurs can also help with what our family calls “reeling your tentacles back in” and being ready for the next thing.
So, there you have it. Just a few idea puddles for you to splash around in. Throw some mud and see what sticks. If you would like a copy of the “Executive Function Hot Tips for Parents and Professionals” compiled by the Learning Difficulties Coalition, please visit their website at www.ldc.org.au .