Teens, 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…
Read MoreReading Comprehension and Executive Function
Learning disabilities and ADHD often go hand in hand. According to Thomas E. Brown, PhD, approximately 45 percent of those with ADHD have coexisting learning disabilities. The most common learning disability of students with ADHD is dyslexia, characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities (International Dyslexia…
Read MoreFidget-to-Focus Strategies
How do people with ADHD and executive function challenges stay focused on important yet uninteresting tasks? Tasks they know they need to complete, but ones they find dull, tedious, and mundane? It’s a question that clinical psychologist Roland Rotz has been exploring for decades, and a question he continues to ask those attending the adult…
Read MoreEight Ways to Stop Taking Things So Personally
It’s hard not to take things personally. When someone shouts at you on the road, you feel the sting of their anger. When scrolling through social media, you see a picture of a friend out with your other friends—and wonder why you were not invited. When you write a friend or relative to get together,…
Read MoreScreen Time and Sleep During the Pandemic
What kinds of difficulties did children and adolescents with ADHD experience with screen use and sleep during the pandemic? This research update reviews two recent studies. The first study found that compared to those who had less problematic digital media use, youth with ADHD who had more problematic use showed worse attention levels, more…
Read MoreAwkward in Social Situations? Ten Tips to Help
What does “feeling awkward” in social situations mean to you? It may mean that you avoid direct eye contact, hesitate to initiate a conversation, feel uncomfortable in your own skin, or question every move you make. Do you find that your anxiety is palpable as you latch onto one friend and wish for the social…
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