It's not uncommon for people to use the term “ADHD” to describe kids who are energetic or act out—but true Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a medical condition that goes beyond typical childhood behavior.

There’s often confusion about what ADHD really is, who it affects, and how it’s diagnosed and treated. ADHD can impact a child’s focus, self-control, and ability to manage emotions—affecting daily life at home, in school, and with peers.

A proper diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation by a licensed pediatrician, psychologist, or psychiatrist. There’s no single test for ADHD. Instead, professionals use interviews, behavior checklists, and parent and teacher input to understand the full picture.

To be diagnosed, a child’s symptoms must:

• Begin before age 12
• Be noticeably more severe than those of peers
• Persist for more than six months
• Negatively affect at least two areas of life (e.g., home, school, friendships)

The good news is that ADHD is manageable. Treatment often includes a combination of behavior therapy, educational support, and, in some cases, medication—tailored to meet the child’s unique needs.

If you’re concerned about your child’s attention, behavior, or emotional regulation, don’t wait. Talk to a professional—we’re here to help guide you through the process and find the right support for your child.

If your child has a delay in fine motor skills, occupational therapy (OT) can offer valuable support. Fine motor skills are needed for everyday activities such as holding a pencil or crayon, using scissors, buttoning clothes, tying shoes, eating, or picking up small objects.

OT helps by building hand and finger strength, improving hand-eye coordination, and teaching proper grip and control for writing and tool use. Therapists break down tasks into manageable steps, helping your child feel more confident and independent. Sessions are designed to be fun and play-based, keeping kids engaged while they learn important skills.

OTs also work closely with parents, sharing tips and activities to use at home. Early support from occupational therapy can make a big difference in helping your child succeed.

If your child has a delay in visual motor skills, they struggle to coordinate what they see with how they move their hands. Visual motor skills are important for tasks like handwriting, copying shapes or letters, catching a ball, cutting with scissors, and completing puzzles.

An occupational therapist works with your child to improve how their eyes and hands work together. They may use fun, play-based activities that develop tracking, coordination, and control. These activities help your child learn how to judge space, distance, and movement more accurately, which supports success in school, play, and self-care tasks.

Therapists also teach strategies that can be used at home and in the classroom to support continued progress. With the right support, children can strengthen their visual motor skills and gain more confidence in everyday tasks.

If your child is struggling in school with handwriting or keeping up academically, occupational therapy can help by addressing the underlying skills needed for success in the classroom. Difficulties with handwriting may be due to challenges with fine motor control, hand strength, posture, visual motor skills, or even attention and sensory processing.

An occupational therapist works with your child to improve these skills through targeted, hands-on activities that make learning easier. They help children develop better pencil grip, letter formation, spacing, and endurance for writing tasks. They also support organization, focus, and self-regulation, which are foundational principles in learning.

With the right support, OT can boost your child’s confidence, help them become more independent in the classroom, and make school a positive experience.

Autism is a developmental disorder that can affect how a child communicates, interacts socially, and responds to the world around them. It occurs in children of all backgrounds and is more common in boys—affecting them three to four times more often than girls. While the exact cause is unknown, autism often runs in families, suggesting a genetic link.

Signs of autism may appear before the age of three and can include limited or no eye contact, difficulty making friends or joining play, trouble taking turns or sharing, delayed or limited speech and language, repetitive body movements such as hand-flapping or spinning, and a strong interest in objects or parts of objects rather than people.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to talk to your child’s doctor. A child neurologist or psychologist can provide a diagnosis, and early intervention can make a significant difference.

A team approach—including a speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, and physical therapist—can help support your child’s development. Together with parents and caregivers, these professionals create personalized plans to improve communication, social skills, and behavior at home, school, and in the community.

If you suspect autism, trust your instincts, speak with professionals, keep notes of your observations, ask questions and seek clarity. It helps to start the evaluation process early.

Most importantly, remember to enjoy your child for who they are. Every child is unique and brings their own strengths and gifts. You're not alone—and we're here to support you every step of the way.

Executive functions are the skills that help with planning, organizing, managing time, and controlling impulses. These skills are essential for everyday tasks like completing homework, following instructions, and managing routines.

An occupational therapist works with your child to build strategies that improve focus, organization, and time management. They use practical tools like checklists, visual schedules, and step-by-step plans to help your child stay on track. OT also helps develop self-control and problem-solving skills, making it easier for your child to handle challenges and make good decisions.

By practicing these skills in fun and meaningful ways, OT can help your child become more independent, confident, and successful both at home and at school.

Eye contact is an important part of communication and social connection. For some children, making eye contact can be difficult.

If your child struggles to make eye contact or express their wants and needs, it may be a sign of a language delay, developmental difference, or autism.

If you have concerns, talk with your doctor or contact our office—we’re here to help.

As a parent, it can be heartbreaking to see your child have a hard time forming friendships. But difficulty making friends may be linked to underlying challenges.

Attention issues like ADHD, or learning differences such as executive functioning difficulties, nonverbal learning disorders, auditory processing challenges, or language impairments can all affect how a child connects with others.

Understanding the cause is the first step toward helping your child build the social skills and confidence they need to thrive.

Communication is key to learning, socializing, and expressing needs. If you're concerned about your child’s ability to speak, understand, or interact, it may be time to seek support.

Some signs to watch for include:

• Limited use of sounds or words
• Trouble understanding or following directions
• Difficulty playing with toys or interacting with peers in age-appropriate ways

If any of these sound familiar, talk to your doctor or contact our office. Early support can make a big difference.

You can support your child’s communication skills through simple, everyday moments. Spending quality time together, reading books, and engaging in play at their eye level can make a big difference.

Follow your child’s lead, talk about what interests them, and model clear, grammatically correct language. Ask open-ended questions and give them time to respond. Create opportunities where they need to ask, comment, or make choices to get what they want—this helps build real-world communication skills in a natural, low-pressure way.

Just like adults, children have their own food preferences—things like temperature, color, and texture all play a role in what they’re willing to eat. Some children may seem “picky,” preferring only certain foods while refusing many others.

But if picky eating is severe, causes choking or gagging, or affects your child’s growth and development, it may be more than just a phase. In some cases, feeding or sensory challenges may be the cause.

At Connections, we can help determine whether your child’s eating habits are typical or if they may benefit from therapy and support.

As children grow, they’re learning how to manage emotions, express themselves, and respond to new or stressful situations. Occasional outbursts, like talking back, acting out, or refusing directions, can be a normal part of development.

However, if these behaviors happen often and begin to disrupt home life, social interactions, or school, it may be more than just a phase. Your child could be struggling with a speech, language, or sensory delay.

An evaluation can help uncover what’s really going on—and early support can make a lasting difference. We’re here to help.

Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a condition present at birth where the band of tissue under the tongue (the lingual frenulum) is shorter, thicker, or tighter than usual. This can limit your child’s tongue movement, making it hard to lift the tongue, stick it out past the lower teeth, or move it side to side.

While some children with tongue-tie have no issues, others may struggle with feeding, swallowing, or speech development. Tongue-tie is more common in boys and may run in families.

If you’re concerned, we can help assess whether treatment is needed—such as a tongue release—and provide therapy to support your child’s feeding, speech, and swallowing skills if necessary.

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a customized plan designed to support students with disabilities in their learning journey. It outlines specific educational goals and the services needed to help your child succeed in school.

To qualify for an IEP, your child must receive a formal evaluation by the school’s special education team, have a diagnosed disability that negatively impacts their educational performance, require specially designed instruction to access the general education curriculum, and meet eligibility under one of the 13 disability categories defined by federal law.

These 13 categories include autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment (such as ADHD), specific learning disability (such as dyslexia), speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment including blindness.

If you suspect your child may need additional support at school, an IEP evaluation can be an important first step.

School-based therapy services are designed to support students whose challenges significantly impact their ability to succeed in the classroom. To qualify, a child must score below the 7th percentile in at least two areas and show that the delay is negatively affecting their academic performance. This means that children receiving therapy at school are often experiencing moderate to severe delays.

However, school therapy alone is often not enough to help a child fully catch up. These services are typically provided just once a week in small groups of three to five students. For children with more significant needs, this level of support may fall short.

If your child is still struggling despite receiving school-based services, they may benefit from additional one-on-one therapy in a private setting. Individualized attention can provide the intensive support needed to make meaningful progress and achieve their goals.