ADHD Help

Seven year olds need to be told the 3 main symptoms of ADHD (being hyperactive, acting fast without thinking first about consequences or alternatives, and getting bored and distracted easily). It is good to tell them, when appropriate, that they probably inherited it from a family member and to let them know from whom.

I also tell them that medication can make it a little easier for them to settle down, think before they act, and stay on task, but they have to try. I try to down play the medication and focus on the importance of them trying. If they are oppositional, they might think that the medication is to control them and then act bad to show you that you can’t control them with medication. I also think it is good to let them know that they are okay and that you love them.

What does the Norway Spiral have to do with ADHD?

As I was looking at the video of the giant blue and white spiral lights in the sky over Norway, my thoughts turned to children who have ADHD. What, you may ask, does the Norway Spiral have to do with ADHD? Those spiral lights are a phenomena to which many ADHD children could successfully attend. People who have ADHD are able to attend to things which really grab their attention. Things that are new, different, exciting, or rewarding, can hold their attention. Even though one of the three main symptoms is getting distracted easily, there are exceptions.

Parents often come to see me after being referred by a teacher who believes that their child has ADHD. Many immediately tell me that their child can’t have the disorder because the child is able to pay attention for long periods of time to video games or attractive cartoons. They only seem to have problems with schoolwork.

I explain to the parents that people with ADHD have their biggest attending problems with boring and redundant tasks such as school work. These problems are so severe that they really are unable to stay on task unless someone continually supervises them one on one.
I am writing this short article to remind you that just because your child can play a video game for long periods of time or can complete work when you closely supervise, that doesn’t rule out the possibility that he or she has ADHD.

If you think your child might have ADHD, get an evaluation and find out. The proper diagnosis and treatment can really help.

There are many who believe that there is a positive relationship between ADHD and creativity and ADHD and high intelligence. Unfortunately, research does not support this belief. There are brilliant people with ADHD and also retarded ones. Some are artistically or creatively gifted, and others are not. ADHD is a disorder and not an advantage. The good news is that we are becoming progressively more successful treating ADHD. With good treatment, ADHD does not need to interfere with relationships, occupational success, or overall life quality.