The Beginners Guide to ADHD

 Why Learn More About ADHD?

Learning about ADHD is so very important! Parents of children with ADHD need to know more about it to be able to help their children thrive. Adults need to know more about their adhd and any tips and strategies that can help them in their daily life. Grandparents (yes, even grandparents!) need to know what ADHD is and the symptoms and how to help, because it’s so easy to compare their grandchild to when they were growing up and think or gosh even say say out loud where the child can hear them, “I never did that when I was growing up! Kids didn’t used to be like this! If I had done that, I would have got a spanking!” Well meaning or not, comments like that don’t actually help. Let me repeat- THEY DO NOT HELP!

Ok, now that we have that big issue covered, teachers also need to know about ADHD and how to help these children at school and in their classroom.

I have ADHD, and as a young child my mom tried so many things to help support me and help me thrive! She tried ritalin, she tried supplements, and she tried diet changes. So, I have experience with so many treatments and methods.

So when I got that phone call when I was on my lunch break at work from the director of my daughters preschool and she told me “she was exhibiting symptoms of autism,” I broke down and cried. And then I picked myself back up, and along with the help of my mom, we got her into speech and occupational therapy, and therapy with Easter Seals. We overhauled her diet, and changed her doctor to a functional medicine doctor. We got her tested for autism not once, but twice, and she did not fall into the category of Autistic. However, she did get diagnosed with ADHD before she even went into kindergarten- shocker right? So for the past 8 years, I have been on a journey that I feel like my mom started way back when I was a child. And now its time for me to carry the torch too!

So What is ADHD?

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Yes, its actually considered a disorder. Some people may think it shouldn’t be labeled as a disorder, so lets just define the word “disorder” right quick. A disorder is an illness that disrupts normal physical or mental functions. It’s also defined as a set of problems which result in causing significant difficulty, distress, impairment and/or suffering in a persons daily life. So with those definitions, can ADHD disrupt normal physical or mental functions? YES! It may cause a child to be hyperactive, and that in itself is not a bad thing (in my opinion!).

The difficulty comes when we need to teach our children something, when they have to sit and pay attention at school, and it seems like they can’t be still, or they are not focusing. So its a disorder that causes people to be more hyperactive, and they have a very short attention span at times.

And before I forget, I do want to add that just because a preschool child is super active, that doesn’t mean they have adhd! I would discourage anyone against testing a preschool child, and trying to get a diagnosis for a preschooler. Children are supposed to be very active, so it’s normal and developmentally appropriate for children to be active, and have shorter attention spans. If the symptoms persist into elementary school, and if its interfering with their health and learning, then I suggest testing and a diagnosis, if you feel that is what needs to be done. That is just my humble opinion.

Next let’s clear up some common misconceptions!

Common Misconceptions

Myth 1- Children or adults with ADHD can not focus or be still for long periods of time. I am here to tell you, that this simply is not true! I love sitting still on my couch. And my bed. I love laying down, and sitting, and being physically still. Probably too much. People might say this when children or adults with adhd are at school, or they are doing homework, ordoing something hard. But, that’s because they aren’t interested in what is being taught or what is being said! I can assure you, they can focus on something they love, and they can focus on it for a longer time than you think. It’s called hyperfocus. They can be so hyperfocused on something that interests them or something they are great at, and then have a mini meltdown when they have to stop or they get interuppted. Ask me how I know this… I do it even now! LOL

Myth 2- People with ADHD can’t be still! The hyperactive part definitely plays a bigger role in children, and I think (at least for me) I am physically not hyeractive anymore because I have 2 kids… believe me, I wish I had that hyperactive energy again! My brain is more active than my body these days, and it’s constantly thinking about things, trying to come up with solutions for different things, trying to REMEMBER all the things! So adult mom brains are already going full speed, and then add in adhd and it’s through the roof! So, moms with adhd need to take extra care of themselves, and learn strategies for slowing our brains down, being present, and calming down at the end of the day so our brains let us rest and sleep!

Next Steps

There are 2 schools of thought on your next steps. You can tackle the health aspect of adhd, or the educational aspect of adhd, or do them at the same time! I did both for my daughter at basically the same time, starting when she was 3 years old. She was tested in the school system for autism, we went to a behavioral pediatrician, we changed her diet, she was tested at a private place for speech and OT, and then she started receiving services there. It was a few months of numerous appointments, that as far as I remember, I had to take off work to take her to each testing appointment. My mom could have taken her without me, but I wanted to be there too.

Like I said above, I would hold off on getting tested or diagnosed too early, because all kids are created to move, run, jump and play! It’s the environment and teaching styles that are the problem, not the children! I would wait until they are in kindergarten or first grade, and then talk to their teacher, and go from there. Chances are, if they really do have ADHD, their teacher will approach you first, and ask about further testing and resources at the school. As far as I know, they do not test for ADHD at schools, but they do test for speech and language delays, reading delays, and learning disabilities, and from there they will decide if they qualify for services or not. If they do qualify, then they will write up an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and meet with you explaining all of it. If you want to officially have them tested for ADHD, then I would consult with their doctor about the next steps. My daughters was diagnosed by her doctor, but she didn’t go through a testing process. He just asked me some questions. You may have to go to a children’s psychologist, or a behavioral psychologist to be officially tested and diagnosed.

Tips for Success  

How can you be successful with ADHD?

Tips for Parents- There are so many tips that I can share, but then I would never get finished with this post! So, I’m going to tell you the most important tips according to me!

1. Have a consistent routine for you and your child.
2. Have a set bedtime and naptime if they are still taking naps. Be as consistent as possible with these! Us moms of ADHD children need our sleep, and quiet time!
3. If you haven’t started yet, start decluttering your whole house (little by little). You will thank me.
4. Teach them as early as possible to clean up after themselves. And if you have decluttered their toys, then they don’t have as much to clean up, so it’s a win win. You’re welcome!
5. Teach them and show them by example how to make it a daily habit of cleaning and putting things away. Clutter is horrible for all children, much less if they have ADHD! Its a stressor for adults too, and its even worse for adults with ADHD. Once something is a habit for children, it will be so much easier for you and them because you both don’t have to think about the everyday, mundane task of putting toys away, or loading and starting the dishwasher or laundry, because it’s already done because its a part of your normal routine/habit! Trust me, this will help you so much!
6. Last but not least, keep them away from dyes! Especially red dye. Or keep dyes away from them. Far, far away.

Tips for adults: The same cleaning habits apply to adults too!

1. Have a consistent routine.
2. Have a set bedtime for yourself. I know, I’m still working on this one myself!
3. Start decluttering your space!
4. Clean up after yourself, and put things away or where they go immediately after using them.
5. Stay away from dyes also. It can affect adults with ADHD too.

Frequently Asked Questions about ADHD

1. What causes ADHD? This is a controversial question because people never want to feel like it was their fault, or that they may have unknowingly contributed to their child’s adhd. There is data out there that points to it being genetic, which I do agree with since me and my daughters dad both have ADHD, and my dad has ADHD. However, I don’t think its “just genetics”, because when most people say its just genetics, there is no personal responsibility to change anything, which again I get because most people don’t want to change anything in their life. They just like to blame their bad genes. I think its a combination of genes and also food and soil nutrient depletion, chemicals in our food, and environmental factors.
2. How do you treat ADHD? ADHD can be treated in a lot of ways. Medication such as ritalin or adderall are stimulant adhd drugs, and they can have side effects, like zombie like behavior, low energy, and decreased appetite. You can also treat it with dietary changes, behavior therapy, mindfulness training, chiropractor, supplements, homeopathy, yoga, acupunture, herbs, and going to a sauna, among other things! And that’s a short list, just to get you started and researching.
3. What is the difference between ADHD and ADD? Adults and children with ADHD are physically hyper, and can have trouble being still and calm, whereas children and adults with ADD still have attention deficits, but they are not hyper or energetic.
4. Does ADHD go way? Most western medicine doctors will say no it will never go away, and you will never outgrow it, but if you’re taking an adhd medication or a supplement, then the symptoms may lessen or get better. Author John Gray says his ADHD can go away, but he has to keep taking his supplements and stay on his protocol or his symptoms flare back up. I think some symptoms may get better or go away completely, depending on age, diet, and certain circumstances.
5. Can adults have ADHD? Yes! I have heard of so many adults that didn’t know they had it, or were not officially diagnosed until they were an adult! If you think you may have adult ADHD, I say skip the official testing and diagnosing, because its expensive and most of the time, a waste of money as an adult! However, it may help students in college to have an official diagnosis, because they may get more time on a test, or more educational supports if they have something on paper.
6. Are there side effects to ADHD medication? Most of the time, but not all of the time. My mom said the side effects I had was a zombie like behavior. She walked in my room, and I was just sitting on my bed. Just sitting. And staring into space. Now, I remember being in my own world as a child, but even being in my own world, I was still usually in constant motion and a blur of energetic movement. So this concerned my mom, because that wasn’t like me at all to act like that. So, if you’re thinking about medication, do your research, read about all the stimulant medications, the non stimulant medications, and the supplements. Read about any and all side effects. Read the ingredients in everything! Then, make an educated decision based on your research. Just know whatever you decide, I’m here for you!

The Last Thing You Need to Know about ADHD

I am going to leave you with 2 last thoughts to sum up the common misconception that I mentioned above, and how getting rid of clutter or extra household items can greatly reduce symptoms of adhd.

I want to repeat myself a thousand times over, for the people in the back- people with adhd can focus! They can focus on things they are good at, and things that interest them. So parents and educators need to find strategies to keep their interest while they are learning boring subjects like math! Maybe that looks like brain breaks, maybe that looks like a 2 minute dance party or any type of movement exercise. Anything to activate their brain so they can focus again.

Now onto my last point- children and adults with adhd get overwhelmed easily, especially where they feel like there is so much to do or get done! They may feel like they never really finish anything. And that can feel disappointing, disheartening, depressing, and discouraging. The lesson here is not to try to be so good at all the things, because no one is ever going to be great at everything, even us supermoms. Yes, shocker- moms actually can’t do it all. And we aren’t SUPPOSED to!

But there is hope- if there is less stuff to think about, we can focus our energy on something else, like our kids, spouse, our passions, or that home project we keep putting off. Declutter, and start a simple cleaning and putting away routine that will turn into a habit, and that is where the magic happens! Or so I’ve been told. I am still working on all of this myself, so we are all in this adhd thing together!

I hope this has blessed you, and helped you learn more about what adhd is, what is isn’t, and how to support people with adhd! Please leave me a comment and tell me what room or area you are going to declutter and clean first!