The Conductor of the Brain: Executive Functions

You’re seated right near the stage, watching the conductor lead the orchestra with rhythmic motions, pointing to the string instruments, to the woodwinds, to the bass. Just as the conductor so fluidly guides the orchestra to create beautiful compositions of music, our executive functions guide our everyday thoughts and behaviors. Simply put, our executive function skills are imperative to our daily activity and functioning in the world around us.

What are Executive Function Skills?
Executive functions, or EF for short, are the management system of the brain responsible for  organization, planning, flexible thinking, goal setting, initiating and inhibiting tasks, attention, regulation of emotions and impulse. There are 3 main areas that contribute to EF: working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control. Working memory refers to the ability to keep information in mind and use it (i.e., practicing a speech). Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift attention from one thing to another (i.e., perspective taking). Lastly, inhibitory control is the ability to filter through distractions and seek relevant information from the environment (i.e., self-control).

 
While everyone is born with the ability to have executive function skills, these skills are not easy to master, require a lot of practice, and improve throughout development. EF gradually develops over time. Such skills typically emerge in infancy and develop rapidly during the preschool years, continuing to develop into adolescence and early adulthood. While EF skills become more automatic in adulthood, these skills are often challenging for children. What may look like defiance to an instruction or command, can actually be a child struggling with organization, planning, attention, impulse control, or flexibility.

What do Challenges in EF look like?
While EF skills develop as children age, some children struggle with EF more than others. Challenges with EF vary. Some struggles include:
·      Trouble starting or completing tasks
·      Trouble switching from one task/ activity to another
·      Overly fixated on something
·      Trouble following directions, steps, or sequences
·      Trouble organizing thoughts (i.e. essay writing) and belongings (i.e. frequently loses or misplaces belongings)
·      Time management

Ways to Support, Strengthen, & Cultivate EF 
Whether or not a child struggles with EF skills, caregivers and other adults can help pave the way for new neural networks to be established in the brain, strengthening children’s EF abilities. Some ways to support and cultivate EF in children include:

• Help child label and identify feelings

• Model self-control and use vocabulary pertaining to self-control (i.e. “I want to watch this show now, but I am going to wait to watch it until grandma comes.”)

• Help child think ahead and plan for near future (i.e.- Before bedtime, you and your child can set out clothes for school the next day or talk about what your child has planned for tomorrow.)

• Set up daily routines to help young children get used to organizing their time, following routines and being okay with a change in routine.

• Build agency in your child by supporting problem solving skills. Give just enough help to support your child, but not enough to fix the problem.
  

Examples of Everyday Activities to Increase EF: 
·      Cook together. Have child pick the ingredients, have child keep some of the  recipe instructions in mind (ask child, “what goes next?”), have child taste what is being made and discuss what they think is missing from the dish, grocery shop together for ingredients.
·      Simple chores, such as unloading the dishwasher and sorting through laundry.
·      Play board games that require turn taking or rule shifts.
·      Have child help plan weekend activities and trouble shoot what may occur (i.e. if rest stops are required, should you pack food?).
·      Do an art project together. Sort through necessary material, decide a color scheme, urge creativity and working through ‘mistakes’ made.

While EF develops throughout childhood, adults and caregivers can help strengthen such ability in children through everyday life and conversations. Reach out to our team if you are noticing your child struggling with EF skills and are concerned that your child may needs additional supports. We can guide you towards an evaluation to better understand your child’s day-to-day functioning or towards appropriate treatment options to help support your child’s specific needs.