Anonymous wrote:My teen's executive function issues are definitely connected to anxiety. It's a terrible cycle. Because of EF challenges, she isn't sure how to start a project/assignment. Not knowing how to start increases her anxiety. Her anxiety then causes her to freeze, making it more difficult to figure out how to start. And around we go.

Getting anti anxiety meds was more helpful than ADHD meds (although she takes both).

This is my DD too, minus the ADHD meds. But super anxious and that lead to EF issues, which then exacerbated the anxiety… it’s a terrible cycle. She’s doing much better on an SSRI although we didn’t start that until after several years of just therapy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety definitely impacts executive functions. Anxious people have trouble accessing these skills. I'm curious how you're seeing these issues with a child so young. Also, a number of things can be harder to diagnose in a child that age. No adhd or autism at this age doesn't mean it can't be found later.

Often the anxiety is the first to show up and it can take time to tease out what is causing it.

By definition autism must be present in early childhood.

. "Present" doesn't mean "noticed and acknowledged".

They tested for ASD FFS

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Extensive family history of both ADHD and ASD. We were concerned about our five year old due to some behaviors we see so got a neuropsych eval on the recommendation of our ped. That found no ADHD or ASD but a language delay so we started speech therapy. The speech therapist is very well regarded and experienced and just told us she thinks this is actually just anxiety, causing both language issues and executive function challenges.

Has anyone experienced this with their kid? What helped? Thank you.

Adhd Dx won’t happen until the school chimes in not just home life

Asd Dx usually come later, after the adhd dx, once homework ramps up and rotating classes, tests, managing time demands.

This makes no sense. ASD is visible well before elementary school.
In fact, ASD is often well managed by the structure and routine of higher grades in school, and more obvious in the chaotic environments of early childhood.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety definitely impacts executive functions. Anxious people have trouble accessing these skills. I'm curious how you're seeing these issues with a child so young. Also, a number of things can be harder to diagnose in a child that age. No adhd or autism at this age doesn't mean it can't be found later.

Often the anxiety is the first to show up and it can take time to tease out what is causing it.

By definition autism must be present in early childhood.

. "Present" doesn't mean "noticed and acknowledged".

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety definitely impacts executive functions. Anxious people have trouble accessing these skills. I'm curious how you're seeing these issues with a child so young. Also, a number of things can be harder to diagnose in a child that age. No adhd or autism at this age doesn't mean it can't be found later.

Often the anxiety is the first to show up and it can take time to tease out what is causing it.

Look, I am anxious (GAD diagnosis and everything) and no, it does not constantly impact my executive function in all settings. If it is anxiety then I would expect that OP is seeing the issues in episodic ways - for example a child melting down at drop off, refusing to talk or interact at school but OK at home, etc. If OP is seeing symptoms that are present more uniformly in all settings, the idea that “it’s anxiety” doesn’t really make any sense to me. It seems like a language disorder, ADHD or autism are much more likely. Or conversely maybe the issues are much more mild and it is just episodes of anxiety and maybe mutism. OP would need to give more detail.

Anonymous wrote:I’d get a second opinion.

Me too. Anxiety so extreme that it was causing a 5 year old to appear to have “executive functioning” issues (presumably at home too?) would really require intensive therapy and meds. Maybe the SLP is trying to say it is selective mutism?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety definitely impacts executive functions. Anxious people have trouble accessing these skills. I'm curious how you're seeing these issues with a child so young. Also, a number of things can be harder to diagnose in a child that age. No adhd or autism at this age doesn't mean it can't be found later.

Often the anxiety is the first to show up and it can take time to tease out what is causing it.

By definition autism must be present in early childhood.

It can be present and people can delude themselves into thinking their child is quirky and to take a wait and see approach. This happens all the time. If there is an issue the impetus for a neuropsych is sometimes autistic burnout from masking that manifests in school refusal, big social struggles, or private school requesting a neuropsych due to a child’s classroom behavior (I assume that this happens in public school too?).

This is a 5 year old that was tested for ASD. It’s not just going to show up later.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety definitely impacts executive functions. Anxious people have trouble accessing these skills. I'm curious how you're seeing these issues with a child so young. Also, a number of things can be harder to diagnose in a child that age. No adhd or autism at this age doesn't mean it can't be found later.

Often the anxiety is the first to show up and it can take time to tease out what is causing it.

By definition autism must be present in early childhood.

It can be present and people can delude themselves into thinking their child is quirky and to take a wait and see approach. This happens all the time. If there is an issue the impetus for a neuropsych is sometimes autistic burnout from masking that manifests in school refusal, big social struggles, or private school requesting a neuropsych due to a child’s classroom behavior (I assume that this happens in public school too?).

Anonymous wrote:Anxiety definitely impacts executive functions. Anxious people have trouble accessing these skills. I'm curious how you're seeing these issues with a child so young. Also, a number of things can be harder to diagnose in a child that age. No adhd or autism at this age doesn't mean it can't be found later.

Often the anxiety is the first to show up and it can take time to tease out what is causing it.

By definition autism must be present in early childhood.

Anxiety definitely impacts executive functions. Anxious people have trouble accessing these skills. I'm curious how you're seeing these issues with a child so young. Also, a number of things can be harder to diagnose in a child that age. No adhd or autism at this age doesn't mean it can't be found later.

Often the anxiety is the first to show up and it can take time to tease out what is causing it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pathological Demand Avoidance is not a DSM diagnosis, but it does encompass a cluster of symptoms like you describe.

Huh?

Did your google break? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathological_demand_avoidance

PDA parent here. This is quite a leap. We don't yet have enough info from OP to jump to PDA. Also, why the tone? Most people don't know what PDA is. Surely you knew that.