Chances You Know Someone Who Has ADHD
The Centers for Disease Control says that 11 percent of American children, ages 4 to 17, have ADHD a significant increase during the past 20 years, according to a new study. Yet despite it's pervasiveness, it is one of the most misunderstood disorders. Unless your child has ADHD, you may not even know what it is. Too often people dismiss ADHD as not being real. ADHD is frequently confused with Autism, or just seen as a disorder of hyperactivity and inattentiveness. To get the facts I spoke to Dr. Edward Hallowell and Dr. Sharon Saline two psychologists who are experts in the field of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Dr. Hallowell Knows ADHD is Real Because He Has It!
Dr Hallowell refers to having ADHD as a strength. "I have ADHD and wouldn’t trade it for anything. If we turn negatives to positives, hyperactivity is actually energy. I love my energy. I wouldn’t trade this trait for anything." His advice is the same for his young patients at the Hallowell Centers in Boston, NYC, San Francisco and Seattle. "I tell kids, “Great News!” You have ADHD, you have a Ferrari brain but you have one problem. You have bicycle brakes. You will learn to build your brakes so you can win races."
Learning to channel that energy and remain on task is something that doesn't come naturally to children with ADHD. They have to learn it. Dr. Hallowell says "ADHD is characterized by distractibility, impulsivity and restlessness or hyperactivity.." Dr. Saline adds, "Many kids with ADHD miss social cues, say or do impulsive things or act inappropriately in situations. Their peers are aware of these behaviors and may often not be forgiving about them. They can be overexcited and seem intimidating or aggressive. Or, they may space out and miss things that are going on and try to catch up inappropriately, making things worse."
ADHD SYMPTOMS
- Avoidance of Activities Involving Sustained Focus.
- Decreased Awareness of Consequences.
- Decreased Motivation.
- Disorganization.
- Fidgeting.
- Forgetfulness.
- Frequent Talking.
- Hyperactivity.
- Restlessness.
- Insomnia.
- Social Anxiety.
- Low Self-Esteem.
The Ability to Hyper Focus
Dr. Hallowell explains, "When you’re doing something that is challenging and really matters to you, hyper focus is a great thing. You operate at your best." The caveat being that sometimes hyper focusing can prevent you from managing your time and completing other tasks. Dr. Saline states, "They often become so immersed that they’ll lose track of time, their environments and other activities."
Mastering Self-Control
According to Dr. Hallowell. "Kids with ADHD need constant reminders to stop and think before yelling something, or touching someone or running about. Developing self control is a critical part of developing close friends."
The Sooner You Get Help The Better
Dr. Hallowell concludes, "By the time the diagnosis is made, many people with ADHD have lost confidence and blame themselves. ADHD is a neuropsychiatric condition. It is genetically transmitted. It is caused by biology, by how your brain is wired. It is NOT a disease of the will, nor a moral failing. It is NOT caused by a weakness in character, nor by a failure to mature."
Children with ADHD Came up with These 5 Tips For Parents Featured in Dr. Saline's New Book
-They don’t like when parents lose their temper or when they feel out of control themselves: Self-Control.
-They want to feel understood (and forgiven): Compassion.
-They want their opinions about what might help them and what makes sense to them to be considered in any interventions or plans: Collaboration.
-They want you to do more of what you say you will, and stop expecting perfection from them: Consistency.
-They want more positivity—authentically praise for big and small accomplishments: Celebration
Dr. Saline adds 'Preparing kids with ADHD for success means teaching those all-important executive functioning skills so they can create independent, successful lives. The ADHD brain matures up to three years more slowly in terms of developing executive functioning skills (organization, motivation, planning, working memory and sustained attention, to name just a few). It’s important that parents remain patient, keep supports in place longer than they might expect and give positive feedback for changes that are developing. Often parents focus on things like college or getting and maintaining work when those events are years away. Instead, concentrate on what’s occurring now or in the near future--situations where your influence makes a difference right now. Since so many things change as kids with ADHD mature and their executive functioning skills kick in, it’s nearly impossible to know how life will unfold."
For More Information on Dr. Sharon Saline Visit: https://drsharonsaline.com/
For More Information on Dr. Edward Hallowell Visit: http://www.drhallowell.com
Dr. Hallowell is the author of 20 books including the NY Times best sellers: Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction. Other books include CrazyBusy, and Driven to Distraction at Work.
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