ADHD Executive Functions Series: Monitoring, Observation, Self-Regulation – & Internalizing Language

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I have taken a bit of a break in my BLOG to enjoy camping and time with my family! I hope you’re able to do that as well. And this summer weather has been glorious!

I’m continuing my Executive Function series with the next two EF’s – Monitoring and Self-Regulation and Internalizing Language!

Monitoring, observation and self-regulation is all about “reading the room”. This Executive Function is the brain function that assists a person in observing what’s happening around them, observing their environment, the interactions between themselves and that environment and then modifying their behavior accordingly.

The classic example of this is when two children are wrestling and one of the children starts to reach their limit. The one with impaired monitoring and self-regulation continues to wrestle not reading the clues of their wrestling opponent. This person is becoming increasingly frustrated with their inability to stop! Often the child that has ADHD can’t read the cues from their wrestling partner that they are reaching their limit, or they reached their limit a long time ago! So, they continue to wrestle and push forward until someone gets hurt or the person makes it clear in some way that they are done!

The struggle with this executive function impacts individuals with ADHD in many ways and can affect their performance in every area of their lives. This is the executive function that impairs a child’s ability to read facial cues and emotions, understand that they just got the “mom look” and need to “straighten up” or read the disappointment or frustration in their partner or friend’s expression or behavior. They may not read cues in professional meetings or in serious circumstances and may blurt out inappropriately or respond inaccurately or at the wrong time. This impacts their effectiveness at work, at home and in relationships.

Internalizing language is another executive function that becomes more visible after 1st or 2nd grade. Before age 6 or 7, kids are “stream of consciousness talkers”. Whatever pops into their heads, comes out of their mouths! This is one of the reasons I love little kids. They’re so fun to be around because they haven’t learned to hide their thought processes or quirkiness – it’s hanging out all over the place and they’re interesting uninhibited littles beings!

In early elementary school, kids will internalize all of this stream of consciousness dialogue. We are all talking to ourselves all the time – this is necessary and helpful to process the information and the “goings on” around us, to problem solve, review potential outcomes of decisions, hindsight, forethought, etc. And some of it is not helpful such as negative or overly critical self-talk.

Many people that have ADHD continue to talk out loud well into adulthood. Many express that it helps them problem solve, process information, or just “to think” when they talk it through out loud. Some of it is unconscious babbling, singing, humming or other noises and they’re not aware of it. Some of this is blurting and interrupting in conversations with others, in class or in meetings. All of it is common when dealing with a deficit or struggle with this executive function.

I recently was working with a client whose child was just diagnosed with ADHD and we were reviewing these Executive Functions that are impacted by ADHD. She and her husband were sitting with me talking through the information. Her husband had also been recently diagnosed and as is often the case, he was strongly identifying with what I was saying. I often hear – “have you been living in our house?” He expressed his relief that this was “normal” for the ADHD brain and that there was an explanation for the struggles he had had his whole life.

His wife was flabbergasted that this isn’t standard information that is given to all who have been diagnosed with ADHD. When you get any other diagnosis, they give you information on what the diagnosis is, what treatment options you have and what will help or hurt the situation. I strongly agree with her and that is part of my mission and passion. I think it’s important for people who struggle with ADHD and the people who live with them, work with them, love them to get the word out and get the real information into the hands of everyone who needs it. Including therapists, teachers, social workers, parents, caregivers, etc. Everyone who interacts with someone who has ADHD. Which is basically everyone!

ADHD is treatable if you understand how the ADHD brain works! To that end, I’m working on several education projects to be released this Fall! Stay tuned for more information and spread the word!

One sneak peek! Coming this Fall – October 26th, A full-day education class for helping professionals including therapists, teachers, social workers, etc. on ADHD – what it is, what it isn’t and what do we do about it!

Judy Richardson-Mahre, MA, ADHD-CCSP
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
ADHD Expert & Coach
Parent Coach
Educator
612.930.3903