Cognitive Profile of Children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder): A Neurological Assessment

Abstract

Neurological disorders during infancy, childhood, and adolescence may adversely affect the acquisition of cognitive and emotional milestones Sadock B.J., Sadock V. A. (2000). There is growing consensus that the fundamental problems in ADHD are in self regulation and that ADHD is better conceptualized as an impairment of higher-order cognitive processing known as “executive function”. Tannock Schachar R. R, Therefore in order to provide help to the children with ADHD it is necessary to know the weaknesses and strengths of cognitive processes. The study was planned to prepare a cognitive profile of children with ADHD in order to measure the cognitive attributes children with ADHD may share. For the purpose of assessing the cognitive function of children with ADHD, Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) was utilized. It was hypothesized that children with ADHD would be low in cognitive processes or functioning. From the findings of the study it was concluded that there was a deterioration of cognitive functioning in all the four areas attention, planning, simultaneous and successive processing  measured by Cognitive Assessment System.