Ah! There’s nothing like awakening from a deep, restful sleep. We feel alert, motivated, and excited to face the day. Psychologist Roberto Olivardia has described sleep as defragmentation for the brain. Defragmentation is a process where a computer rearranges the data on the hard drive to make information easier to find. In short, it organizes…

While most of the available information about ADHD deals with how it affects children and teenagers, we know it is a lifelong condition. How does ADHD affect people who are age fifty and older? Why are diagnoses increasing in this age group? What special challenges do they face, and how can they improve their daily…

When my son was diagnosed with ADHD, it felt like I was navigating a maze without a map. In some ways, his diagnosis at the age of four brought a sense of relief. His struggles finally had a name. More than anything, his diagnosis led me to many more questions than answers. He was struggling.…

When girls with ADHD enter puberty, the changes they experience extend beyond the descriptions offered to them in health class. The fluctuations and physical changes brought on by hormones in adolescence can make managing ADHD symptoms difficult. These, in turn, affect executive functions like focus, motivation, impulsivity, and the ability to regulate emotions. Period-tracking smartphone…

Summer is often thought of as a more relaxed time of year, giving kids a break from school and the daily routines that can be stressful and sometimes unpleasant. If you’re parenting a child with ADHD, one of your biggest challenges may be helping your child to function successfully during the summer and not regress…

With all the hard work you and your child have put into learning this year, you don’t want to let summer slide take its toll. Hard to believe, but even the neurotypical child can lose from thirty to fifty percent of their learning over the summer break according to at least one study (Brookings.edu). For…

What do emerging adults with ADHD experience as they navigate postsecondary education? What types of supports are available to them? More research exists on ADHD in childhood, and there is a pressing need to understand the perspectives of older adolescents and adults with ADHD. This research brief reviews two studies that pertain to the experiences…

SMARTS—Success, Motivation, Awareness, Resilience, Talents, Success—is a web-based curriculum designed to help teachers create a school culture that celebrates students’ use of executive function strategies to overcome challenges and reach their goals, both in school and in life. CHADD honored SMARTS as the Innovative Program of the Year in 2018. The evidence-based program has grown…

“Why is it such a battle when we ask our son to get ready for bed? It can take an hour just to get past the meltdown and get him to his room!” “If she can’t do something she wants to do, it becomes a major crisis!” “When she’s tired or hungry, you’d best stay…

Hygiene is often difficult for individuals who have ADHD due to their brain and body differences. Tasks like showering and brushing teeth are low-reward activities that involve sensory input that doesn’t always feel good. Most adults with ADHD can remember spending more time trying to trick their parents that they brushed their teeth than actually…

Diagnosing combined autism and ADHD is challenging, as the symptoms vary from person to person. And yet, diagnosis is key to effective treatment. In this article, I will share observations from my practice as a coach and educator for parents of complex kids, offering insights to identify intense young people diagnosed with ADHD who might…

Many teens and adults are a bit shy when they are meeting unfamiliar people or giving a talk or presentation for a class or a meeting. They wonder, “Does what I’m wearing look okay? Did what I just said sound okay?” For most teens and adults such worries are brief and trivial. But for some…