Welcome to The Connected Physician, where healthcare leaders and innovators share their expertise to enhance patient care and improve healthcare outcomes. In this episode, host Katharina Juenger welcomes Rebecca Gassert, a seasoned nurse practitioner with over 25 years of experience specializing in pediatric mental and behavioral health. Rebecca’s private practice in Phoenix, Arizona, focuses on helping children and young adults manage ADHD, anxiety, and panic disorders.

In this episode, Katharina and Rebecca discuss:

• Understanding ADHD: Rebecca explains how children with ADHD process the world differently, often struggling with focus and organization while being easily distracted. She highlights the importance of recognizing these behaviors as neurological, not behavioral.
• Symptoms and Misconceptions: Explore how ADHD symptoms like forgetfulness, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity can be mistaken for misbehavior and learn strategies to differentiate the two.
• Early Signs and Key Development Stages: Rebecca outlines the developmental milestones where ADHD symptoms become evident and emphasizes the “golden age” of 11–14 for effective behavioral and executive functioning training.
• Parenting Strategies: Discover actionable tips for creating structured, organized environments that reduce anxiety and cognitive overload for children with ADHD, including maintaining consistency in routines and fostering flexibility.
• The Role of Nutrition: Rebecca shares the impact of whole, unprocessed foods and limiting refined sugars in supporting mental clarity and reducing ADHD-related challenges.
• Medication and Personalization: Gain insights into the careful use of stimulants and non-stimulant medications, tailored to a child’s unique needs, to support learning and coping mechanisms without compromising their personality.
• Behavioral Training Techniques: Learn about Rebecca’s personalized approach to executive functioning training, designed to help children build skills like organization, focus, and emotional regulation for long-term success.

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