The webinar will take place on January 11, 2024, 9:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. PT.

Labels are for peanut butter jars—not people. With a neurodevelopmental condition as complex and heterogeneous as ADHD, a successful evaluation involves much more than assigning a diagnostic label. Clinicians and educators also need to assess a wide range of possible co-occurring conditions, mental health impacts, educational needs, sensory sensitivities, cultural influences, and trauma histories.

Board-certified pediatric neurologist J. Thomas Megerian, MD and board-certified behavior analyst and neurodevelopmental pediatric psychologist Jina Jang, PhD have extensive experience working with neurodiverse children and teens. In the upcoming webinar, ADHD: Beyond the Label, offered through WPS ProLearn™, Dr. Megerian and Dr. Jang will describe the evolution of ADHD as a historical diagnostic entity and over the lifespan of the individual. They will focus on three crucial aspects: the developmental stages of executive functioning, ADHD assessment, and best practices for managing the condition.

Assessing ADHD is challenging for a host of reasons. Some are clinical; some are personal or logistical. “One of the bigger challenges is that we have to see ADHD symptoms in more than one setting, so we need multiple sources of information,” Dr. Jang explains. “When we’re just seeing people in one visit, we often need behavior information and observations from school and from teachers. That takes a lot of coordination between us, parents, school settings, and therapists.”

Overlapping symptoms present another challenge. At the Thompson Autism and Neurodevelopmental Center at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in California, Dr. Jang and Dr. Megerian often see children and teens when other clinicians haven’t been able to identify which condition is causing symptoms.

“I saw someone yesterday who has ADHD but was also being evaluated for bipolar disorder,” Dr. Megerian says. “When we went through the screening criteria for bipolar, a lot of the symptoms were really attributed to ADHD. The symptoms that mimic bipolar are episodic, whereas with ADHD, they’re present all the time. It’s a persistent set of symptoms that doesn’t wax and wane.” Learning disabilities, anxiety, and a host of other conditions can cause symptoms that look like ADHD, and it takes specialized training and experience to differentiate between them.

Evaluations become even more challenging when people have two or more conditions at the same time. “At least half the time, ADHD occurs with something else. So, on top of making sure you’ve done the proper screening and treatment for ADHD, you need to make sure you’ve screened for other potential problems such as conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and anxiety disorder,” Dr. Megerian notes. Dr. Jang and Dr. Megerian will also examine other complexities, such as sex- and gender-related variations and societal barriers that can keep people from accessing good ADHD care or even influence a diagnosis.

Beyond diagnostic challenges, this WPS ProLearn webinar offers you an in-depth look at executive functioning across child development stages, which is vital for clinicians and educators working with children and teens. “At each developmental phase, a different level of attention and focus is required or necessary,” Dr. Jang says. “It’s important for parents and clinicians to understand what’s age-appropriate so we can accurately assess and diagnose ADHD symptoms.” 

Dr. Megerian and Dr. Jang will also bring webinar participants up to date on treatments and interventions that are making a difference in symptoms and quality of life.

“At the Thompson Center, we really believe that behavior therapy is an important first step before trying medication, especially when it comes to young children,” Dr. Jang points out. “Research has shown that parent training and behavior management is as effective as medication for treating symptoms in young children—but there are children who require more than that. We are able to recommend and provide that combined treatment for those kiddos who definitely need it.”

Advancements in first-line medication therapies are also a core component of the webinar. Stimulant and non-stimulant medications, new generic and abuse-resistant options, and combination therapies are “what some clinicians are excited about,” Dr. Megerian says.

WPS is pleased to highlight the work and expertise of Dr. Jina Jang and Dr. J. Thomas Megerian in ADHD: Beyond the Label—and we hope you’ll join us for this 3-hour, 3 CE intensive learning opportunity.  Registration is open. We hope to see you there!