Let’s Talk Emotional Development in Kids With ADHD
Learning about emotions is one of the most important skills kids can learn.
Emotional development is the cornerstone of many things for kids. As kids are able to learn more about their own emotions, they’re better able to understand how they’re feeling and calm down after experiencing difficult emotions. It’s also important for kids to learn about emotions so they can identify emotions in friends and develop social skills.
Why should kids with ADHD learn to identify emotions?
Emotion regulation is a core executive functioning skill, which develop into their 20s. For kids with ADHD, it may take even longer for these skills to develop.
How do emotions develop throughout childhood?
0 - 12 months: Reliance on caregivers to interpret emotions
12 months - 2.5 years: Awareness of own emotional response
2-5 years: Increasing insight into others emotions
5-7 years: Self-conscious emotions, reliance on caregivers for coping skills
7-10 years: Awareness of multiple emotions for same experience, using subtle emotional expressions (e.g., smiling)
10-13 years: Greater accuracy in understanding control in stressful situations; ability to manage emotional expressions in more public situations
13+: Awareness of own emotional cycles to facilitate coping
Understanding the development of your child as they age will be important for knowing what to expect at different ages.
