The Twelve Days of ADHD
On the first of the special days I dreamed you gave to me Acceptance of my ADHD On the second of the special days I dreamed you gave to me Patience when I mess up And acceptance of my ADHD On the third of the special days I dreamed you gave to me Extra time…
Read MoreSupport Your Future Thinking Skills
Here’s a challenge for you. Try to guess the hottest new tool for time management, according to the Wall Street Journal. Here it is: paper! Yup. Old fashioned paper. Sure, you might have smartphone apps to remind you about appointments and your to-do list. But these digital tools rely on your brain to put them…
Read MoreMindfulness, ADHD, and Managing Emotions
A NEW STUDY* SHOWS BENEFIT TO CHILDREN WITH ADHD as young as seven years old when they practice mindfulness. Perhaps surprisingly, the study is not really about attention. Instead, the researchers measured improvements around behavior and emotion. That’s because neither ADHD nor mindfulness specifically have to do with focus. On a much grander level, both…
Read More“You’re On Your Own!!!”
An Approach to Leading Students from Supported Instruction to Responsible Independence “I’VE SHOWN THEM HOW TO DO IT, now they’re on their own!” You’ve heard yourself say it, I’ve heard myself say it. Or I’ve shouted it silently in my head. At times, it’s the right thing to say, but most often our students…
Read MoreHow Can I Get My Child to Read for Pleasure?
WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I always had my nose in a book. The characters became my friends, and I basked in their lives. Compelling plots urged me to pick up my book whenever possible—during short breaks in class and as soon as I returned home from school. Reading was my ultimate form of relaxation…
Read MoreADHD and Dental Care: Guidance for Parents and Caregivers
Caregivers and dental professionals play an important role in helping children to develop healthy oral hygiene habits and to feel comfortable at the dentist. For youngsters with ADHD, their introduction to dentistry often sets the tone for how they relate to oral healthcare for the rest of their lives. ADHD often makes it difficult for…
Read MoreWhat’s a Comprehensive Assessment and How Could It Help My Child?
My last year in my doctoral program to become a clinical psychologist, I applied for a fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology. I had focused on child development, assessment, and health psychology during school. I wanted to learn even more about the assessment of cognitive skills linked to brain functioning, like memory, attentional functioning, processing speed, and…
Read MoreThree Things I Know to Be True About ADHD in Adults
I didn’t know it, but I grew up struggling with symptoms of ADHD. I regularly heard feedback like “If you tried harder, you would do better” or some variation of that. But I didn’t know how to try harder. I didn’t know why I wasn’t giving my best or why my brain seemed “asleep” until…
Read MoreChoose the Right Apps
Thanks to all the advances in technology and the portability of smartphones and tablets, there are now more resources than ever before available to help adults with ADHD keep track of appointments, use to-do lists, meditate, and get lots of notifications to remind them to follow through on every aspect of daily living. Some adults…
Read MoreLatinx Youth with ADHD
This month’s research update focuses on the development of symptoms and treatment of ADHD in Latinx youth. A longitudinal study of Mexican-origin youth The first study associated factors like gender, nativity, and cultural values with the symptomatic expression of ADHD and other behavioral disorders in a community sample of 674 Mexican-origin youth. This longitudinal study…
Read MoreCHADD Hosts Summit to Address Impact of ADHD on Public Health
An esteemed group of healthcare professionals, public health officials, health payers, and thought leaders convened in Washington, DC, on October 7, 2019, to discuss the considerable implications of ADHD, when CHADD hosted the ADHD Public Health Summit 2019. The invitation-only gathering focused on groundbreaking findings regarding ADHD and life expectancy, and the impact of ADHD…
Read MoreComics That Educate and Validate
Dani Donovan proves that sometimes the best way to educate others about a disability, disorder, or difference is through humor and simplicity. Her comics aim to validate the suffering experienced by people affected by ADHD, who often feel misunderstood and isolated. Donovan’s visuals illustrate her personal journey and struggle by showing others what the world…
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