How to Be the Detective Your ADHD Child Needs | Dr. Amy Moore

If you've ever felt like you're failing your ADHD child, this episode is for you.Dr. Amy Moore is a cognitive psychologist, neuroplasticity researcher, and mom with ADHD who has spent 30 years working with neurodivergent kids and families. She joins us to break down what's actually happening in the ADHD brain, why emotional meltdowns are not defiance, and what parents can do differently starting today.We cover why attention is not actually the core deficit in ADHD, how sleep, nutrition, and physical activity affect ADHD symptoms, what rejection sensitive dysphoria is and why it matters, why sending your child to their room during a meltdown backfires, how to become the detective your child needs, and why your calm is the most powerful tool you have.If you have a child with ADHD, suspect you might, or just want to understand the neurodivergent brain better, this conversation will change how you see your child and yourself.0:00 Introduction and Dr. Amy Moore's background1:25 How Amy got into cognitive psychology and ADHD research3:28 Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD in the 70s and 80s5:00 Getting diagnosed in college and what changed6:34 How her family responded to the diagnosis7:55 What is dysregulation and rejection sensitive dysphoria9:23 The ADHD brain vs the non-ADHD brain10:05 Chronic stress and why everything feels like a crisis12:03 Amygdala hijacking and why your child can't hear you13:50 Co-regulation and why your calm is the most powerful tool you have15:15 Parents need regulation too16:54 Your child can't, not won't18:30 Strong-willed or dysregulated?19:48 Why sending your child to their room backfires20:25 Sensory seekers vs sensory avoiders23:44 Bedtime battles and unmet sensory needs24:21 Becoming a detective for your ADHD child25:01 Why sleep is the first question Amy asks27:13 Nutrition, food dyes, sugar, and ADHD29:21 Pesticides, organic food, and omega-3 deficiency32:53 Physical activity and BDNF35:01 The cognitive skills study with 5,000 ADHD patients36:00 ADHD is too much attention, not too little37:03 Cognitive training and neuroplasticity40:23 Guilt, shame, and diverse causes of ADHD41:18 What treatment at LearningRx actually looks like42:12 The range of parents Amy encounters44:11 Grace for parents and children47:19 Closing thoughts on faith and science togetherLearn more about Amy here: http://www.AmyMoorePhD.comLearn more about Amy's brain training research at www.LearningRx.com and find her podcast at www.TheBrainyMoms.com👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. We'd love to hear what part of this episode hit home for you — comment below or send us a message! Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light. We also value your feedback — please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.For more information on counseling and resources visit samaritanswell.com or email us at [email protected]. ✅ Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallaSLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc🎁 Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlight | License code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLhttps://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-need | License code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT