Jeanette Bent
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — While most people have heard the term ‘neuro-divergence,’ many don’t really understand what it is.
Cleveland Clinic calls neuro-divergence a non-medical term used to describe people whose brains work a bit differently than someone with a neuro-typical brain.
While there are a handful of different types of neuro-divergence, one common syndrome known as ADHD, is often misunderstood or confused.
ADHD, according to a special edition of Very Well magazine, is broken down into three main types; predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and a combination of the two.
“The predominantly inattentive type are a lot of executive functioning kinds of concerns,” said Dr. Andrew Suth, Neuropsychologist with Ohana. “Executive functioning being basically how you get from A to B as you plan your way through a day.”
The hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD presents a bit differently than the inattentive type of ADHD, according to Dr. Suth.
“The hyperactive-impulsive type are more people who feel like they can’t sit still, that idea that you’re driven by a motor,” said Dr. Suth. “You feel like you’re always on the go and you’re kind of always being told to rev it down and you don’t feel that matches where your energy is.”
In addition to the different symptoms showing up in people experiencing inattentive versus hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, doctors say that gender may also play a role in what this condition might look like in a person.
“For a long time girls were not diagnosed with ADHD,” said Dr. Courtney Nixon, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist with Ohana. “A lot of girls present more inattentive and so they would be students not really causing a lot of trouble in class and kind of fly under the radar. Now, we’re recognizing a lot more of that ADHD inattentive type and seeing that more in girls.”
Dr. Nixon says that the prefrontal cortex in the brain is what determines the symptoms that a person with ADHD might experience.
The prefrontal cortex is defined as the part of the brain that is in charge of a person’s personality as well as how they process moment-to-moment stimulus, past experience comparisons as well as our reactions, according to the National Library of Medicine.
“What we believe is that there is a lack of a chemical called dopamine in that prefrontal cortex,” said Dr. Nixon. “For your kiddos with ADHD, they have even a little bit more of a challenge with that executive functioning task that we’re talking about, like organization.”
Both doctors agree that when properly cultivated, certain aspects of ADHD can serve as almost a superpower.
“Because that part of their brain is working so well, they pick up on detail, pick up on patterns that other people don’t,” said Dr. Suth. “It’s one of the reasons why kids with ADHD are so often creative adults.”
“It’s really a super power,” added Dr. Nixon. “A lot of athletes have ADHD, a lot of artists have ADHD because of that neurodiversity and their brain working differently.”
Many people are noticing a growing diagnosis with ADHD, and they’re not entirely wrong.
“We’re getting better at recognizing that instead of maybe labeling kids as ‘bad student’ or ‘this kid’s a troublemaker,’ we’re actually getting a lot better–in the education system, parents, doctors–at really identifying that this child has ADHD,” said Dr. Nixon.
As far as treatment goes, both doctors suggest using organizational tools like charts and planners, as well as keeping the mind and body active.
They also say that honing in on which symptoms a person is experiencing is crucial to ensure proper treatment.
Then, there’s always a plethora of medication on the market if a person chooses to go that route.
