Dopamine & Your Neurodivergent Child

Dopamine in Your Neurodivergent Child: Nervous System Regulation & the Dopamine Menu

Allana Bykes of Candor Diversity Group and child behavior specialist Emry Kettle explore how dopamine, the nervous system, and regulation interact in neurodivergent children. They introduce the “dopamine menu” as a practical tool to support regulation before and after dysregulation—not in the middle of it.

The webinar explains dopamine as a neurotransmitter tied to motivation, reward, focus, and craving, alongside other “DOSE” chemicals, and clarifies the difference between neurotransmitters and hormones. Emry breaks down the nervous system and stress responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn, flop), along with simple parasympathetic supports like movement, grounding, connection, and rest.

Allana explores how dopamine functions in ADHD, how stress disrupts access to it, and how to recognize patterns of low vs. high dopamine. Together, they connect this to the arc of dysregulation, showing how dopamine fluctuates across daily life—and how parents can respond more intentionally with the right tools at the right time.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome & Overview

04:30 Dopamine Basics (DOSE + Neuro vs Hormones)

08:00 Nervous System & Stress Responses

18:00 Regulation Tools (Parasympathetic Support)

28:00 The Dopamine Menu (When & How to Use It)

36:00 Dopamine in ADHD (Low vs High Patterns)

50:00 Stress, Dysregulation & Daily Fluctuations

58:30 Arc of Dysregulation & Co-Regulation

01:10:00 Tough Days, Depletion & Closing Support