ADHD or Dysregulation? What Most Parents Miss | Emotional Dysregulation in Children | E421
About this episode
This episode explores the distinction between ADHD and emotional dysregulation in children, emphasizing the importance of understanding a child's nervous system.
Wondering if it’s ADHD or dysregulation behind your child’s struggles? When focus, behavior, and emotions shift fast, the answer may not be what you think. In this episode, Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, creator of Regulation First Parenting™, shares how understanding the brain changes everything. Feeling confused about your child’s ADHD—or wondering if it’s something more? You’re not alone. What often looks like ADHD is actually dysregulation, and once you understand the difference, everything about your child starts to make sense. In this episode, we unpack what most parents miss: it’s not just ADHD—it’s a dysregulated nervous system, and when you learn to see behavior through that lens, you can finally respond with clarity and confidence. Why does my child focus on things they love but not on schoolwork? This is one of the biggest clues that we’re not just looking at ADHD—we’re looking at nervous system dysregulation . Your child can focus. They just can’t access that focus consistently. Focus requires regulation + activation Preferred activities regulate the brain naturally Non-preferred tasks can overwhelm or under-stimulate the system Example: Your child builds Legos for hours…
Topics covered
- ADHD
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