November 2024- ADHD
What is ADHD?
ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopment disorder commonly diagnosed in childhood but often continuing into adulthood. It is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning and development. The condition manifests in three primary types:
INATTENTIVE TYPE – INDIVIDUALS PRIMARILY STRUGGLE WITH ATTENTION, FOCUS, AND ORGANIZATION.
HYPERACTIVE-IMPULSIVE TYPE – INDIVIDUALS EXHIBIT INCREASED MOTOR ACTIVITY, IMPULSIVITY, AND RESTLESSNESS.
COMBINED TYPE – A MIX OF BOTH INATTENTIVE AND HYPERACTIVE-IMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS.
The symptoms of ADHD are often more pronounced than typical distractibility or occasional impulsivity and may lead to challenges in academic, professional, and social settings. Early identification and tailored interventions, including behavioral therapy, counseling, and sometimes medication, can significantly improve outcomes for individuals with ADHD.
A brief description of each section in the blog
Parenting a Child with ADHD
A Guide to Navigating the Journey
By: Kassy Garcia Campos
Parenting is tough. That’s no secret. Now, mix in parenting a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and things can take on a whole new perspective. Your days may not resemble those of your neighbors, and that’s perfectly okay! The question then becomes: how do you manage life with a child who has ADHD?
Well, here’s the truth—there isn’t one magical solution.Sometimes ADHD looks like a messy desk and sometimes it look likes constant movement, constant talking, and multiple projects at one time, meaning there’s no "one size fits all" approach. However, there are many resources, tips, and support systems available that can help ease the challenges, whether you’re at home, school, or out in the world. The best part? These tips aren’t just for children with ADHD—they can also benefit neurotypical children, adults, and those with anxiety. Let’s dive into some practical strategies to make life a bit smoother for everyone.
The Power of Schedules, Consistency, and Routine
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The Power of Schedules, Consistency, and Routine 〰️
As someone with ADHD and a former special education teacher, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of“schedules, consistency, and routines”.
I group these three together because they’re like the ultimate trio—they work best when used hand in hand.
Let’s start with creating a **schedule**. Ideally, you’ll want separate ones for weekdays and weekends since routines often vary. For longer breaks like winter or summer holidays, having a tailored schedule for those periods will also save you a lot of headaches (more on that later).
Involving your child in creating their schedule is even better, as it fosters ownership, responsibility, and critical thinking skills all at once. Plus, when your child has a say in the schedule, they’re more likely to remember it. Here’s a quick example of what a morning routine might look like:
This is an example of part of a schedule. There are many more examples and templates on google.
Notice how each task is broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks? This is key. Rather than saying, “Get ready for school,” you’re giving specific, bite-sized actions. Psychology shows that small wins, like crossing off these little tasks, can boost mood, confidence, and help create lasting habits.
Make the schedule **fun and visible**.
Add pictures—like a sun for waking up, or a toothbrush for morning hygiene.
This could even be pictures of themselves doing the task at hand.
For younger kids or visual learners, it can be helpful to create a "Done" section where they can move tasks over as they complete them.
Consistency Is Key
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Consistency Is Key 〰️
Once you’ve got your schedule nailed down and posted in a few spots around the house (child’s bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, etc.), it’s time for the real challenge—**sticking to it**. This is where consistency comes into play. At first, it may feel a bit messy, and that’s totally normal. Stick with it. The more consistent you are, the faster your family will fall into a routine.
Managing Schedule Changes: Breaks and Holidays
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Managing Schedule Changes: Breaks and Holidays 〰️
Remember when I mentioned longer breaks? Those are the days that often need a bit of extra planning. Let’s say there’s a three day weekend coming up. A few days ahead, start prepping your child by talking about the changes. You might say something like, “Next Monday, you don’t have school. Is there anything fun you’d like to do on your extra day off?” This not only sets expectations but also gives them a sense of control.
For longer breaks, like winter holidays, be mindful of not over-scheduling. It’s tempting to fill every day with activities, but too much can become overwhelming. Pick and choose what’s most important and give your child space to recharge.
Communicating When Plans Change
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Communicating When Plans Change 〰️
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, life throws a curveball and things don’t go as planned. Maybe you’re stuck in traffic, or the baseball game got rained out. Talk about it openly with your child. Model how to handle unexpected changes by saying things like, “We’re running a bit late today, so we’ll have to skip this part of our schedule, but here’s what we’ll do instead.”
Leading by example can help your child learn to navigate changes more comfortably, setting them up for success when things take an unexpected turn.
Establishing Rules and Consequences Together
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Establishing Rules and Consequences Together 〰️
Another helpful tool is setting up household **rules** and involving your child in the process. By participating, they feel heard and are more likely to follow through. It’s also essential to have clear **consequences** for when rules aren’t followed, ensuring everyone understands what’s expected.
Using IF/ THEN often helps the individual understand and complete tasks.
Embrace the Diagnosis
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Embrace the Diagnosis 〰️
One of the best ways you can help your child and yourself is to embrace the ADHD diagnosis. Don’t be afraid to talk about it—whether that’s explaining it to family and friends or empowering your child to share with their teacher. Sean McCormick, from the podcast *ADHD Kids Can Thrive*, emphasizes the importance of teaching kids to advocate for themselves. “So one of the best things you can do is have your kid just declare what grade they want in each class. And it's not about grades, it's about the goal, and that setting the goal and then, you know, adjusting behavior around that goal. So at the beginning of the semester, have your kid introduce themselves to their teacher, say, hey, I'm excited to be in your class, I have ADHD and these are the accommodations that are helpful, and my goal for your class is to earn a B or an A in your class.” This sets a positive tone for the school year and allows teachers to better understand and support your child.
From The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast: Building Executive Function: Strategies for Parents of ADHD Children, Sep 23, 2024
A Small Note From This Sections Author
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A Small Note From This Sections Author 〰️
Parenting a child with ADHD brings unique challenges, but with the right tools—schedules, consistency, open communication, and self-advocacy—you can create a smoother, more manageable daily life for your family. Remember, this journey isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress, patience, and embracing your child’s strengths along the way.
Taking A Test With ADHD
By: Chad Juniper
You sit uneasily at your school desk, eyes fixed on the clock. With each tick, the bell draws closer. You can remember your teacher mentioning the test a few days ago, if only you could’ve recalled that yesterday. After your friends reminded you this morning, you tried to cram all your studying into one class period, but by then, was it too late? Your palms begin to sweat as the looming fear of failure sets in. Negative thoughts flood your mind: ‘Why do I procrastinate? How could I have forgotten this test? Why does this keep happening?’ Suddenly the bell rings. It snaps you out of the internal labyrinth of your mind. Now, you find yourself face to face with that dreaded Algebra test…
Does this sound familiar?
Feeling stressed about an exam - especially one with larger scale consequences for your academic career - is completely normal. However, there is a difference between that typical stress and something more severe, known as ‘test anxiety.’
Test Anxiety is categorized as an ongoing stress related to exams. It can manifest itself as a feeling of dread towards school, negative self-talk, and a feeling that no matter how much you study, it’ll never be enough. Not to mention the physical symptoms that often accompany test anxiety like stomach aches, headaches, or a feeling of shakiness.
While test anxiety can happen to anyone, especially those with a history of poor exam performances, it is more common in children with ADHD. With ADHD comes a unique series of challenges when it comes to test-taking, such as organizational difficulties, procrastination, and ineffective study habits. This set of challenges looks different for everyone. For some, test anxiety can start weeks ahead of the test, but for others, it only appears the moment the test lands on their desk. To explore how test anxiety affects everyone just a little differently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jadrin Garcia, The Executive Director Of Operations at AIM, who has ADHD and their own history with test anxiety.
An Exclusive Interview
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An Exclusive Interview 〰️
Despite being tested at a young age, it wasn’t until later that Jadrin really started to see how his ADHD played a part in his test anxiety. “I am not a professional in the field of psychology, so I can only give my experience with ADHD and anxiety, as opposed to the actual science of the relationship of the two, which is very common; with my ADHD there’s always this issue with procrastination, like, packing for a trip, yeah probably won’t happen until the night before… studying for a test, rarely would happen until the day before. That worked in High School but at the college level, doing the homework alone wasn’t going to cut it. Often leading to sitting down for a test and freezing in the moment. This all really started with Precal and Calculus for me. Math had always come easy, and here I was stuck, and no longer able to just ride on not studying for exams.’
After taking a stint away from schooling, Jadrin felt that he had made substantial progress in different facets of his life that would help him navigate a return to school. “Keeping sticky notes and using project management software has been extremely helpful; although ironically I sometimes use different ones and things get a little lost, but it's mostly because of using different systems for work and personal life. Morning workouts really make a difference… as well as making sure to eat healthy.” He also began to realize how physical activity, which he had been doing since high school sports, played a big role in managing his ADHD, “I was also in sports in high school. I ran track, cross country, and played soccer. Physical activity is huge as a coping mechanism for my ADHD and stress, and I really didn’t realize it as much at the time. But one of the requirements to compete in sports was grades always had to be passing, so the pressure to dial in and make sure we could compete was a massive incentive for staying focused”.
From my conversation with Jadrin, it became clear that ADHD and its connection with test anxiety doesn’t always end with school: ‘With both math and work, details matter, and when you miss a small detail it can be the difference maker. If you rush something, chances of errors are higher too. So the anxiety stacks up when there’s a tight deadline. The back of the busy brain is saying “don't mess up, don't mess up” but you’re rushing and afraid of missing something.’ Yet that doesn’t mean accommodations can’t be made. For Jadrin, these accommodations came in the form of a 504 plan: ‘The 504 got me more time, and notes ahead of time. That allowed me to actually follow lectures as opposed to rushing to copy the notes and not hear a single word. The extra time for tests helped remove the internal voice of anxiety and fear that I would run out of time.’ Much like test anxiety itself, these accommodations are going to look different for everyone. Seeking support through an IEP or 504 plan can be daunting, but it could also be the difference for yourself, or your child, in managing exam stress.
For children with ADHD, test anxiety can feel like an uphill battle with no end in sight. Often, children don’t even realize they’re dealing with something beyond normal stress; instead they will blame themselves, which can be deeply damaging to their self-esteem. However, Jadrin's story is a reminder that while ADHD and test anxiety can be long-lasting challenges, they are not insurmountable. Jadrin found his way forward through a 504 plan, sticky notes, and a physical activity routine - but that path is different for everyone. It’s crucial to find the plan that works right for you, and don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work the first time!
A Small Note From The Author
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A Small Note From The Author 〰️
Once that proper plan is in place, test anxiety can be looked at in a different light. By building healthy study skills, reducing distractions, talking to the right resources at school, and learning to adapt to the techniques that work best for you, you can create a healthier relationship with these academic challenges. With the right strategies in place, the once-dreaded ticking of the clock can become a signal of confidence. Next time, as the bell draws closer with each tick, you might feel calm anticipation rather than fear.
Navigating ADHD: My Struggles and Successes
By: Jay Houser
Early on in school, I struggled—not with the work in class or with tests, but with getting my homework done. Nearly every day when the teacher came around to collect homework, I would pretend to look for it in my backpack or conveniently need to go to the restroom. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to or didn’t know how to finish my work—I just forgot or couldn’t focus. For a couple of months I continued to struggle, my grades dropped, and my behavior worsened. It finally reached a point where we had to figure out what was happening, and that's when I found out I had ADHD.
We tried all the typical things: taking medicine, using to-do lists, and setting timers, but it was still hard. While the medicine helped, I also had some side effects that were difficult to deal with as a young kid. When I took it, I felt less like myself—less energetic and less excited about the world. The worst side effect was the reduced appetite. I was already a pretty skinny kid, but with the medicine, I almost never wanted to eat, which made my already low energy levels even lower.
I continued to take medicine throughout elementary school, but once I entered middle school I started to rethink the whole thing. I had learned some coping skills that helped me get by, and I became less hyper as I grew up. I thought maybe I had grown out of it, that I didn’t need the medicine, so I stopped taking it for a couple of years. I got through middle school this way without much issue, but once I entered highschool, I once again struggled with my work and time management. My early high school years were still relatively easy, there were a couple classes that I struggled with, but overall I didn’t need to make many adjustments. Sophomore and junior year was where I really began to struggle. I was taking a bunch of AP classes and was preparing to take some AP tests in preparation for college. On top of that, I had joined a couple different clubs and participated in other extracurriculars. With all these things I had to remember and complete in life, I started to fall behind and felt a lot of anxiety. No matter how much I tried to work and focus, I just couldn’t get anything done. This pressure slowly built up until one day in junior year it all became too much, and I broke. I had a long talk with my mom about how hard life felt, how much pressure there was, and how, no matter how much I wanted to focus and learn, my mind felt like it was working against me. Talking with her helped me validate some of my concerns, and it felt good to have someone in my corner working to help me.
Our first step was to get an updated diagnosis, which revealed that contrary to what I thought I had not grown out of my ADHD and I had developed some anxiety as well. It was at this point—probably around my junior year—that I got an IEP plan and started working with a doctor to find a medicine that worked for my needs. Under the IEP plan, I got extra time to complete assignments and formed a plan with my teachers to best support me. Working with my new doctor we found an extended release medicine that didn’t reduce my appetite, and helped me stay focused all day long. However, despite dealing with ADHD my entire life and being diagnosed by different specialists, I still felt like a poser. I thought maybe I was just lazy, maybe everyone felt like this. I stopped using the accommodations, and decided that I would just try to get by with the medicine. Thanks to all these efforts I made it through highschool and got into a good major at the college of my choice. I was excited to start college and was confident I could tackle the workload with my coping skills and new medicine. However I was in for a surprise, as my first year of college coincided with the COVID lockdown.
If learning was hard for me normally with ADHD, it was impossible on Zoom with 250+ people in the class. Once again, I started to fall behind in my classes, and struggled to complete my work. The material was very difficult, even for those without ADHD, and I wasn’t able to talk with my professor or the TAs. There were so many people in our class that I never had a chance to talk during office hours, and I couldn’t visit their office due to the lockdown procedures. I got through my first semester's classes with a couple B’s and C’s, but the next semester's classes were much harder. Because of the AP classes and tests I had taken, I was ahead of my degree plan, so I had to take sophomore and junior year math and physics classes in my second semester. These classes would have been hard normally, but taking them ahead of schedule and during covid was just too much. I ended up failing most of my classes during that semester, and during my third semester I didn’t do much better. After struggling through a year and a half of college, I couldn’t do it anymore. I was failing most of my classes, and since I was on academic probation, I would have been kicked out at the conclusion of that semester. Due to all this and my mental health I decided to drop out. It was crushing, it felt like my dream had been ripped out from under me. I stopped taking my medicine and didn’t know if I would ever go back to school again.
For a while I was not sure what I should do, COVID was still in effect and I was in no position to go back to school. I applied for a couple jobs half-heartedly and not surprisingly I didn’t get a call back. Slowly I started getting back into the swing of things and worked on some personal projects and goals while I lived at home with my mom. Then I was given a great job opportunity, and even though I didn’t feel like I was ready I knew I had to take a leap. It was hard at first—there were many times when I needed to be accountable and failed because I got distracted or forgot something. However, each time I failed, I learned how to prevent it, how to keep my self on track. Unlike school, I couldn’t mess up in real life, I had to take accountability and recognize that even though some things were harder for me, it didn’t change the fact that I had to do them. It wasn’t just a grade at stake anymore—it was insurance, a car payment, my rent, etc. Slowly but surely, I started to adapt, I learned what worked for me and what didn’t. I learned how to keep myself on task and make sure I remembered everything I had to do. I found ways to remember my appointments and get to them on time. I learned how to stop putting things off and dealt with them as they came up. The biggest change was using a note taking app called notion, it allowed me to put everything I needed to remember or complete in one place I checked often, so I couldn’t miss it. While all these things may sound trivial, they were hard for me, and they’re hard for many with ADHD.
Today, I’m in a much better place. I’ve found medicine that keeps me focused without taking away from my personality. I utilize healthy coping mechanisms and natural ways to deal with my ADHD. Everyone has their own journey and their own struggles—just keep trying until you find things that work for you, and always advocate for yourself.
Meet The Authors
Sources:
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-test-anxiety
https://childmind.org/article/tips-for-beating-test-anxiety/
https://huntingtonhelps.com/blog/tips-for-tackling-test-anxiety-2022/
FROM THE ADHD KIDS CAN THRIVE PODCAST: BUILDING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION: STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS OF ADHD CHILDREN, SEP 23, 2024
HTTPS://PODCASTS.APPLE.COM/US/PODCAST/BUILDING-EXECUTIVE-FUNCTION-STRATEGIES-FOR-PARENTS/ID1622483350?I=1000670411429