Stimming and Fidgeting to Calm and Focus
Maybe you’ve lost count of the times you’ve told your child to stop biting their nails, bouncing their legs, or twirling their hair. What seems like annoying behavior may actually serve a purpose, like helping your child to self-soothe or increase focus. “I don’t even realize I’m doing it,” says an adult who has ADHD…
Read MoreAce the Break: Avoid the “Summer Slide”
How to Prevent Kids with ADHD from Falling Down the “Summer Slide” This Year Each day, I see the lingering impacts of the pandemic play out as parents contact our practice, wondering if our tutors or executive function coaches can help. The most common concerns are among parents of students with ADHD and weak…
Read MoreRemote Learning for Children with ADHD
How are children with ADHD faring with the shift to remote learning during the pandemic? What are parental factors that enhance child learning and well-being? This update on recent research reviews two studies. The first study found no negative short-term impact on academic outcomes for children with ADHD with the shift to remote learning, although…
Read MoreWhen Your Teen Lacks Self-Confidence
You overhear YOUR TEEN’S FRIEND TREAT HER BADLY, yet when you inquire about the friendship, she retaliates against you. You are her cheerleader, advocate, and role model, yet she rarely listens to you, even after she admits her dismay. Often, as parents, we witness our teenager being treated badly, choosing the wrong friends, or trying so…
Read MoreGrowing College Success from First Semester Failure
Last September, a new cadre of freshmen began college haunted by a looming statistical trend: More than forty percent of those who have ADHD were destined to fail their first semester. And after this initial failure, only a portion will attempt another semester, and fewer still will go on to complete college on schedule. For…
Read MoreTeens, ADHD, and Driving
Teens with ADHD are more likely to have traffic stops with police than their neurotypical friends, and sometimes those stops escalate and result in detention at the police station. The best time to prepare yourself and your teen for this is before it happens. Begin by understanding that your teen’s behavior can be “caused by…
Read MoreYoung Adulthood and ADHD
A Message of Hope When Chris’s gifted son with ADHD was struggling in high school, she and her husband worried a lot: Would he ever graduate, ever get a job, or ever live independently? Many of you may be wondering the same thing about your high school student, but we have good news for you.…
Read MoreExecutive Function Issues and ADHD
ARE THEY MORE LIKE TWINS OR COUSINS? Jack is a twenty-eight-year-old man who has chronic issues with running late that date back to childhood. He also has difficulty keeping track of his schedule and tends to finish tasks at the last minute. Jack remembers having the same issues as far back as elementary school. Margaret…
Read MoreEmbrace Miscellaneous Organization for Your Ideas
The topic of getting organized comes up frequently in coaching, and I can relate to that personally. For instance, there’s a “miscellaneous” drawer in my kitchen. It’s the depository for things that don’t have a home. The top drawer of my bedroom chest serves the same purpose. Ditto my workbench in the garage. If something is unique…
Read MoreDisclosing Your ADHD Diagnosis
When someone gets diagnosed with ADHD, he is often thrilled to finally understand what has been going on, to finally put the pieces together. He might eagerly share his diagnosis with others—with too many others. On the other hand, when some people receive their diagnosis, they are dismayed and disbelieving. They decide to keep it…
Read MoreInattentive ADHD in Boys
What comes to mind when you think of a boy with ADHD? One who is impulsive, blurts out answers in school, fidgets, and seems to be in constant motion? This was my viewpoint, until my son was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD. Parenting a child with this type of ADHD forced me to change my perception…
Read MoreCompensatory and Recovery Services for Students with ADHD
Closed schools. Endless virtual meetings. A classroom at your kitchen table. Sound familiar? It is difficult to think of a single facet of school that the COVID-19 pandemic did not change for students, families, and school staff. As schools have transitioned back to in-person instruction, parents (and legal guardians) and school staff are noticing the…
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