Part One: Wednesday, April 8th | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Part Two: Wednesday, April 15th | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
ADHD in early childhood (under six years of age) continues to be under recognized and under treated. This is of considerable concern because 79% of children with ADHD test impaired in school readiness despite their IQ being equivalent to other children.
Early assessment and diagnosis of ADHD allows for the implementation of specialized behavioural strategies, school and home supports and other ADHD treatments; this will help reduce future struggles in elementary school and mitigate the long-term side effects of not treating ADHD.
Learn to recognize indicators of early childhood ADHD, what these children look like in the home and school setting, what is involved in an ADHD assessment and why these children have difficulty with executive functioning and self and emotional regulation. Proven behavioural and social skills strategies will also be discussed.
Presenter – Heidi Bernhardt, RN
Heidi Bernhardt, RN, is a psychiatric nurse by training, mother of three young men with ADHD, and the founder, President and Executive Director of the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada (CADDAC), a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to awareness, education, and advocacy for ADHD. Heidi also served as the Executive Director of the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance (CADDRA), a national not-for-profit organization of the leading clinicians and researchers in ADHD in Canada for 6 years. Over the past 25 years, Heidi Bernhardt has helped raise awareness and understanding of ADHD among parents, educators, health care professionals, industry leaders, and government officials through presentations, conferences, media interviews, and advocacy work.