Understanding the Neurological Framework of ADHD Using the Griffiths III: A Case Study

Abstract

There is a multiplicity of difficulties when faced with decisions about ways to support children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Baker, 2008). This article highlights the use of the Griffiths Scales of Child Development, 3rd Edition (Griffiths III), a normed developmental measure, as well as the Conners 3: Parent and Teacher Survey—Long Form, to assist with the decision of whether to use medication to assist a 5-year-old girl with ADHD. The Griffiths III indicated a developmental delay on all five domains measured, warranting the need for therapeutic interventions. The information gleaned from the measures was used to assist with the decision to use stimulant medication to support this young child. This case illustrates the use of the Planning, Arousal, Simultaneous and Successive (PASS) model of cognitive processing and showed how this model might assist in understanding the difficulties experienced to guide interventions in her specific context.