ADHD impacts the functioning of the entire family on many levels. Everyday 6-10% of the US population has challenges that impact their home, school, work and relationships. ADHD is a brain based disorder which has impacts on key elements of day to day functioning.
The report, published in the March issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, shows that ADHD affects up to 7.5 percent of school-aged children. The National Institute of Health, using information from previous studies, had estimated the number of children with ADHD to be between 3% - 5% of the population. With these statistics, one can conclude that ADHD will impact our children either with a peer diagnosis, someone in their family being affected or themselves. Consultants can help families to develop strategies for the entire family to accommodate for ADHD.
Science has identified that there is a gene related to ADHD and evidence is that it is a genetic disorder. Chances are that if there is a child in the family with ADHD that at least one parent has ADHD also. If you believe you may have ADHD like symptoms, there are many online questionnaires that can help you determine if further investigation is warranted.
Based on the field studies by Taming ADD, the twelve common challenges associated with ADHD are: inner motivation, focus, time management, project completion, organization, information management, social skills, perfectionism, getting started, transition, impulsiveness and values clarification. These challenges can be managed in a multi modal treatment process. This process includes the development of your formal and informal support teams. Your formal support team includes your professional support: evaluating physician or psychologist, prescribing doctor and ADHD coach or consultant. Your informal support team includes your family, friends and mentors. When these two teams work together you have the support you need to control your ADHD functioning. You can't control that you have ADHD, however, you can control how you manage it.
As you head into this next school year, think about your ADHD or your child's ADHD. What is the most exasperating thing you anticipate for this school year? I would bet 80% of you said "remembering to bring their homework to class and turn it in so credit can be earned." There are many strategies to accomplish this task. You can ask the principal or guidance counselor if it would be acceptable for your student to turn in all homework assignments to them first thing in the morning. They will distribute the homework to the appropriate teachers. You can have colored folders in one binder that the student takes to every class and the homework is in the appropriate colored folder for each class. You can have one folder with two pockets: homework to do, homework to be turned in. All class homework goes into one of these pockets. As difficult as ADHD is for the parent, imagine being the student who knows they did the work but can't find it to turn in for credit. This frustration follows your ADHD student into every class, study hall and school project. However, with the aid of their support teams, this frustration can be turned into focus.
About this Author
Robb Garrett, MA, MCC, is a global ADD/ADHD Expert, providing trainings, guidance and solutions to living with ADD / ADHD at work, school, home and in relationships. He may be contacted at 800-929-4125. More information regarding Taming ADD and Robb Garrett can be found at http://www.tamingadd.com, including ongoing trainings and speaking engagements. Look for his book to be published soon on ADHD.
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