In the US, diagnoses in adolescent ADHD has increased! Adolescent ADHD is often diagnosed at about the age of 7, and can continue through adulthood. People with ADHD tend to think outside the box and can visualize more than others; that’s a positive feature! Even though ADHD can be complicated and frustrating, everyone should know about ADHD so that they will be able to cope and help others.
Dennis P Cantwell of Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (J AM ACAD CHILD PSY) says, “ADHD is very complicated.” However, “it is a different way of thinking” according to Mike Willer, an employee at Qorvo whose son has ADHD. Clinically, ADHD has 3 parts: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There are also 3 types of ADHD. Those types are inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or both. Along with that, symptoms in ADHD children may change over time. ADHD is mostly hereditary. Although ADHD can affect friendships, school work, and interactions in society, it’s really not that bad when people take the time to understand how a person with ADHD thinks.
Those with ADHD must learn to cope. Some choose medication to help with focus and hyperactivity while others choose coping techniques without medication. Of those with ADHD, most of them are males. However, ADHD is also found in females. For females, ADHD can cause more chaty, hyper, and disorganized behaviors. In males, ADHD makes them hyper, unfocused, and absent minded. Since ADHD is permanent, those with it must learn coping techniques.
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A big question people want to know about ADHD is how can a non-ADHD sibling help an ADHD sibling? According to Mike Isaacson, Head Baseball Coach at Sandlot Baseball in Kernersville NC (Coach Mike), “The best way to help an ADHD sibling is to know ADHD.” In other words, if non-ADHD siblings know what ADHD siblings are going through, then they can show better empathy. Simply learn the basic facts on ADHD and effective tips on how to help.
There are some creative tips on how non-ADHD siblings can help their ADHD siblings. One maybe making a chart or calendar to help with organization. Another one could be to get a tutor for the ADHD sibling. Also, it is good to give good feedback with daily activities so that ADHD kids don’t get discouraged. An amazing idea to help an ADHD child snap out of a hyperactive occurrence without public embarrassment is to have a cue word so that when that word is said, the ADHD child immediately knows to settle down.
Anyone can have ADHD! That person could be a relative, a friend, a teammate, a classmate, or even an acquaintance. Everyone benefits when ADHD is understood; a little help goes a long way. Try helping the ADHD child “do one assignment at a time” and “find a quiet area to work” as presented by The ADD Book for Kids. Good communication between non-ADHD and ADHD people can “find new ways to interact with others” as stated by the book, Putting on the Breaks.
Here’s an obvious fact: ADHD in kids is completely different than in adults. Adults have learned to cope and use medication for specific situations. Kids, on the other hand, have not yet learned to cope. They tend to lose track of things more often than adults, and get distracted very quickly. Kids with ADHD can also be impulsive. In other words, they tend to make rash decisions without thinking through the details of what that decision entails.
Medication can help the ADHD child focus on such circumstances, so don’t be afraid to use it. It helps because it corrects the synapses in the ADHD brain. Meaning, it adjusts the connections between two parts of the brain that give signals to the body. Without it, the ADHD child cannot think thoroughly. Since ADHD medicine is not addictive, ADHD kids don’t get hooked. That’s cool! Medication also helps with self-awareness when making tough peer-pressure related decisions like drugs, smoking, or drinking. However, medication is not always helpful depending on the circumstance. If anyone with ADHD wanted to join the military, they can’t use the medication because the military requires all personnel to be drug free. This includes ADHD medication. Therefore, medication is highly recommended based on the situation.
With ADHD growing rapidly, everyone needs to learn more about it and how to cope with the changes in structure and support. With proper education and support, ADHD children can thrive and accomplish great things in life like finding a cure for cancer! By not understanding ADHD, people remain frustrated and give up easily. So, never give up, keep trying to understand, and help even when researchers say that it is complicated. Like Coach Mike says, “It can be a hurdle or it can be a gift”.
