Children who are thought to be bad, lazy or unmotivated often have an unrecognized neurobehavioral disorder. These disorders are identified by a specific pattern of cognitive, behavioral, and/or emotional difficulty. There are a variety of neurobehavioral disorders including:

• language-based learning disability
• nonverbal learning disability
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Tourette syndrome
• autistic spectrum disorder
• Visual Spatial Learning Disorder
• Executive Function Disorder
• Asperger's Syndrome

What resources are available to help my child, family and/or teachers?

Rush NeuroBehavioral Center (RNBC) offers coordinated services to address the needs of a child, parents, teachers, and others. Multidisciplinary professionals provide clinical testing services to address the individual needs of a child.

The public can access RNBC's Resource Center containing books, videos, and audiotapes about neurobehavioral disorders. Educational programs, support groups, and lectures are scheduled regularly.

Schools, hospitals, universities, and community organizations offer resources to a child with neurobehavioral disorders.

Will my child be okay?

Yes .... your child IS okay. With the appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and support your child will be able to achieve his/her potential academically, socially, and emotionally. As a child learns compensatory strategies through coaching, tutoring, and remediation, he/she learns to build on his/her strengths.

In fact, actors Henry Winkler, Whoopi Goldberg, Cher, Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta and James Earl Jones; entrepreneurs Paul Orfalea (Kinko's) and Charles Schwab; athletes Bruce Jenner, Jackie Stewart, Dexter Manley and Magic Johnson; writers Stephen J. Cannell and Marc Flanagan as well as Isaac Mizrahi and Bill Waterston have neurobehavioral disorders.

What professionals do I go to for help?

If you suspect your child has a neurobehavioral disorder, it might be helpful to contact your pediatrician.

In making a diagnosis, one or more disciplines may be involved, depending on the needs of the child.

Your child may be evaluated by professionals such as a neuropsychologist, pediatric neurologist, psychiatrist, psychoeducational diagnostician, or a learning disability specialist.

What are the various treatments?

At Rush NeuroBehavioral Center, we believe in a multidisciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment of children with neurobehavioral disorders. Professionals analyze data, make a diagnosis, and determine appropriate treatements for the child.

A child with academic difficulties often benefits from tutoring. Depending on the diagnosis, medication may be recommended which would be monitored by a physician. A child with socioemotional difficulties might participate in individual or group social skill training. A variety of other treatments and interventions are available.

Treatments are selected to match not only the diagnosis, but also the specific characteristics of the child. Treatment is coordinated by the diagnostician and the treatment provider on an ongoing basis.