Ten Things You May Not Know About ADHD—Part One
Ten Things You May Not Know About ADHD—Part One
If you go to story time at your local public library, and all the other little kids are looking at the librarian and listening closely to the wonderful and interesting story while your child is facing the back of the room looking at God-knows-what, then your child might just have ADHD.
If your child is supposed to be playing left field for his baseball team and instead keeps throwing his glove up in the air trying to knock down the pretty, little unsuspecting butterflies, then your child just may have ADHD.
If you get multiple calls from the school because your child repeatedly blurts out wildly inappropriate--but hilarious--remarks in class, then your child might just have ADHD.
If your child seems absolutely fearless and will climb anything and everything in sight, then your child may be the Spiderman or Spiderwoman for our universe—or they just might have ADHD.
Hello, good people. My name is Dr. K, and welcome to Mental Health | Plain Speak. I’m a psychiatrist in the Southeast, and my goal with these talks is to provide easy to access information on mental health. And our topic for today is ADHD. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. Recent studies report that it affects about 10-11% of children and 4-5% of adults in the United States. I want to jump right in and share with you ten things that you may not know about ADHD. We are going to cover five of them in part one of this talk and five of them in part two.
Okay, so let’s get started with the first five.
Number One—ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is a brain-based syndrome. Errr??
Okay, let me break this down for you. ADHD is not about a good-for-nothing kid needing a good butt-whoopin,' Children with ADHD have a real disorder that affects the development of their brains. Research shows that people with ADHD have parts of their brains that are actually smaller—especially in the front of the brain. The front part of the brain is the part that controls concentration, attention, self-control, and organization. Research has also found that brain development in people with ADHD is slower and brain maturation occurs at a slower rate. Also, people with ADHD have differences with the chemistry of their brains—two brain chemicals affected are dopamine and norepinephrine, which are important for mood, movement, sleep, self-control, and focus. So, ADHD is a true disorder that affects the way the brain develops and functions. And keep in mind, people are born with this—they don’t have any control over whether they get it or not.
Number two—ADHD runs in families. Now, let me explain. ADHD is highly genetic, meaning whether or not a person has ADHD can largely be determined by what’s in their DNA. That doesn’t mean that a person who has ADHD running in the family will automatically show symptoms of ADHD but the chances are increased significantly. Overall, a person who has a parent, sibling or child with ADHD has a nine-times greater chance of having ADHD than the general population. There have been many times in clinic when parents bring their child for a ADHD treatment, and the longer I interact with mama or daddy, the easier it is for me to see—ooh, they got ADHD, too but it just hasn’t been diagnosed. The apple does not fall far from the tree. And when ADHD runs in the family, it benefits the whole family if the parents with ADHD get treatment, too. As a parent, you have got to bring your “A game” to stay on top of things. And if you are parent with ADHD trying to parent a child with ADHD, then I encourage you to get treatment as well. Children with ADHD tend to do better in environments that are structured and predictable, and it’s hard for parents to create an orderly environment if they have untreated ADHD—how is a child going to thrive if their parents’ own minds are chaotic and running ninety-to-nothing and the parents are always forgetting things or losing things.
Number three---If you are parenting a child with ADHD, I need to wrap your head around this and then let it settle in real good. You’re going to have to put the work in. Period. A lot is going to be asked of you. Kids with ADHD need a little bit extra of pretty much everything—extra love, extra attention, extra emotional support, extra energy, extra time, extra supervision, extra supervision. Oh, and did I say extra supervision. And also, extra patience. Yes. EXTRA. PATIENCE. In the same vein, if you are parenting a child with ADHD, prepare yourself for extra joy, extra excitement, never-ending adventures, and endless laughter. And an added bonus: I don’t think you’ll ever be bored. Nope. You won’t have time to be bored.
Number four--Treatment for ADHD has multiple components. Because ADHD is a brain-based, neurodevelopmental disorder, biological treatments like medications are a mainstay of treatment for improving attention, concentration, organizational skills, and the ability to work towards goals and complete work. Therapy is also a mainstay of treatment, as people with ADHD need to be equipped with behavioral strategies and skills for helping them to compensate for problems with attention, concentration, organization, planning, and work completion. Therapy can also help improve problem-solving skills and social skills. Parent training is also a component of treatment, as parents benefit from learning behavioral management skills for bringing out the best in their child. Schools often times need to be involved in treatment planning for a child with ADHD, as it can be beneficial for the children to receive extra supports or accommodations in the classroom, such as extra time to complete assignments or seating close to the teacher to decrease distractions.
Number five--It may take a minute to find the right medication. If it has been determined that your child has ADHD and a plan to start medication is made, then be patient with the process. I tell parents that it can be a lot like like trying on shoes to find the right fit medication for your child. There are so many different formulations of ADHD medications, and each of these medications are not one-size-fits-all. Studies show that about 80% of children with ADHD have fewer symptoms after finding the right stimulant medication and dose. Your child may not do well with a specific ADHD medication in one class, but they may do well with a medication from another class. It is so important for your child to communicate with you how they feel after taking the medication and for you to observe and take note of any behavioral changes—positive or negative. It is also important for you to take note of any side effects and report all this information to the mental health provider prescribing the medication. The goal is to effectively treat ADHD symptoms without causing problematic side effects.
Alright, that’s the end of the session for today. I hope this content has helped you better understand ADHD. Make sure to view the next video to get some more facts about ADHD that you may not already now. Also, please keep in mind that the suggestions I offer here are not meant to be a substitute for advice from your own provider. So, talk to your provider before implementing any of these tips. And if you don’t have someone helping you with your mental health needs, consider reaching out to a professional. Folks, let’s make it our business to understand mental illness and those who struggle against mental illness. I’m Dr. K, and this has been Mental Health | Plain Speak. And remember, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
