One of the most common difficulties we work with at LearningRx are very bright students – sometimes even diagnosed as gifted – who struggle academically. This can be very confusing and frustrating for parents because they see how smart their child is, yet they are not achieving their potential.
Lily’s Story
This was true of Lily. Lily was “diagnosed” as gifted, but struggling. The main issue for Lily was not the actual academics – she was an excellent reader and was strong at math – but her struggle was with executive function.
Lily and others like Lily who struggle with executive function have difficulties:
- Not completing or turning in work
- Being overwhelmed if there is too much on their plate or something is too hard
- Struggles to prioritize and plan
- Has poor attention and focus
What Drives Executive Function Difficulties?
These kids are also often very hard on themselves because they know they are smart but can’t seem to pull it together. They often quietly wonder, “what’s wrong with me?”.
It’s common to assume it is a motivation issue, but usually the root cause is a combination of weaker cognitive skills – especially processing speed and working memory. These weaknesses make it difficult to hold and organize thoughts. Slow processing speed can result in feelings of being overwhelmed, having difficulty getting started and attention issues.
Executive function is one of the main areas we help with at LearningRx Savage. If you or a loved one struggles with executive function, call us to learn more. We can help!
Results are from past clients. You or your loved ones may or may not achieve the same outcomes, but you can learn more about our research and results here.