Sleep – Proper sleep hygiene is a very important part establishing a foundation of self-management of ADHD. Start by establishing a target bedtime for your teen. Be firm with the time. While understanding that exceptions to the bed time may occur, it is equally important that the occasional exception is an exception. It is not uncommon for teens to resist bedtime, claiming that they are not tired or complain that it’s too early and they can’t fall asleep. For best results, I’ve been recommending that all teens (and adults) disconnect from ALL electronics (computer, Facebook, cell phones, texting, Instant Messaging, etc) at least 30min to 1hr before bedtime. Electronics too easily stimulate the brain adding to the difficulty falling asleep.
Routine & Structure – ADHD children adults do far better with basic structure in the home. Lack of structure is often a problem in ADHD homes, especially if the parents also struggle with ADHD. An example of establishing structure is setting a specific bedtime and time to get up in the morning. This simple routine can be a key component of reducing conflicts in the morning. Structure may also include specified times for homework, for dinner and a specified time for use of electronics. Each year at the start of the semester, I have my child/teen clients bring in their book bags for a review and comments on adding structure to avoid lost homework and more.
Homework – I find that many teens have already exhausted their days quota of focus by the time they arrive home from school. Thus, resistance to homework is not uncommon. Here’s my recommendation: start with 30min of free/play time before getting down to homework. A word of caution is to avoid free time activities that your teen will have trouble disengaging from i.e. computer games. Next step, start by purchasing a ‘dual-digital-timer’. Then begin by estimating the pre-set length of time for your teen to give quality focus/attention. Let’s say that time is 45min. Thus, Begin by setting your dual-digital-timer for 45min and the second timer at 10min. For best results have your teen study for 45min followed by a 10min break. Repeat this sequence 2-3 times until the homework is complete. A common parental mistake is to force children and teens to sit and do homework until it’s complete. Many students easily lose their focus within the first 30min to one hour and spend the remaining time daydreaming.
Launching Pad – I learned this great idea from www.ADDitudemag.com. Mornings are frequently a challenging time for most children and teens to wake up, shower, get dressed, eat and then get out of the door on time. Recommendation: Use a box or tape off an area on the floor beside the front door and designate this area as the ‘Launching Pad’. Each night before bed, have your teen gather books, supplies, completed homework, sports bag, etc and place them in the ‘launching pad’ ready to go in the morning. Option: I had one bright teen inform me that her launching pad was her car. She put everything in her car the night before to insure she was ready to leave for school without a last minute fuss, stress and anxiety.
Okay, so you have a little trouble concentrating. So what, right?
Not so fast. The truth is, ADHD can have some pretty significant impacts on quality of life if it’s left untreated. Here are just a few facts that demonstrate how important it is to identify, understand, and treat or manage ADHD symptoms.
Adults with ADHD are more likely to:
Be dismissed from employment
Have interpersonal difficulties with coworkers and managers
Experience relationship difficulties and breakups
Struggle with substance abuse if they’re not treating their condition
If you recognize ADHD symptoms in yourself, don’t ignore them. Speak to a healthcare professional who is well versed in diagnosing and treating ADHD.
Parents and college students are aware of the advantages of having proficiency in another language. Research now suggests that high-level use of more than one language may actually improve early brain development. Still other studies suggest that command of two or more languages improves the ability to focus in the face of distraction and may improve the essential skills known as ‘executive function”.
Summer temperatures having been soaring across the country and it has come to my attention that Medications + Heat = can easily lead to serious health risks.
Attention Deficit medications such as Adderall and Ritalin can prevent the body from maintaining a normal temperature. Children and adults taking these medications should be encouraged to drink lots of water during the day. Overheating can be extremely dangerous.
In addition, people taking antipsychotic, antiparkinsonian, or tricyclic antidepressant medications should avoid overheating and prolonged sun exposure. Even newer medications such as Seroquel, Risperdal or Abilify can increase your risk of stroke. Dehydration is a serious consideration and consumers should make sure that they drink plenty of fluids.
As I have written in previous blog posts, ADHD can produce varying degrees of challenges to many domains of our lives. In some cases these challenges can lead to severe impairment. Our ADHD related challenges can range from significant disorganization, procrastination, poor focus and attention, easily distracted, difficulty completing tasks, restlessness, troubled relationships, poor parenting, problem finances, poor self esteem and more.
In a recent study, Dr. Russell Barkley estimates that more than 5 percent of adults have ADHD, but only 10 percent of those adults have received a formal diagnosis. These statistics are similar to a previous study I’ve quoted which reports that of the estimated 5% adult ADHD population, 85% of these ADHD adults are unrecognized, undiagnosed and untreated. These are astonishing statistics.
Worse yet, for those adults who do pursue a diagnosis of adult ADHD, the road can bumpy, potentially hazardous and lead to misdiagnosis. The following article, “Speed Bumps on the Way to an ADHD Diagnosis”, was posted in the NY Times on May 13, 2011 and tells of the difficulties faced by several adults when seeking an accurate diagnosis for ADHD. The article also offers several helpful suggestions for the savvy health consumer who is seeking a proper diagnosis of ADHD.
While the article makes no mention of ADHD Coaching, I find the article to be accurate and informative. I hope you too will find it of value.
Many adults with ADHD begin their day with only a vague idea of what they want to do and what they want to accomplish. Of course, by days end, adults with ADHD review their day only to find that they have accomplished little if anything. It is an unfortunate and common experience that adults with ADHD are frequently ‘busy’ but unproductive. Is this your experience?
Follow these “7 Steps To Get Control Of Your Day” … (and maybe your life)
I enjoyed a wonderful new experience today. I was interviewed by ADD Coach Tara McGillicuddy on her ‘ADD Support Talk Radio’ show this afternoon. The topic was “Problems with ADD/ADHD and Finances”. It was a lively discussion covering several aspects of the challenges that adults with ADHD face with their finances.
During the show we discussed the issue of disorganization, which so many adults with ADHD experience, and it’s impact to ADHD finances. Disorganization can be anything from troubles finding bills, actually paying bills or disorganization leading to procrastination which then leads to ‘late fees’, over-drawn bank accounts, repossession and more.
CoachRudy will return for a live TeleSeminar with Tara McGillicuddy on July 12 at 9pm EST. The topic will once again be “Problems with ADD/ADHD and Finances’. A handout will be available and your questions will be addressed. Stay tuned for pre-registration information.
The live radio show was recorded and available her for replay:
Most adults with ADHD will admit to having a personal struggle with some aspect of managing finances, paying their bills on time, late fees, credit card debt, procrastination resulting in late filing of Federal income taxes and more.
ADHD CoachRudy was recently interviewed on this topic, “Financial Challenges of Adults with ADHD”. The interview was published online and available here for you to read…
Those of you who follow my blog and adult ADHD seminars are familiar with the difference between the child and adult presentation of ADHD. We have been told for sometime that a panel of experts has been attempting to define and publish the adult ADHD diagnostic criteria. We have also known that the currently published ‘child ADHD diagnostic criteria’ continues to rule out the majority of adults seeking assistance for their adult ADHD challenges. It is estimated that ADHD in adults is 85% unrecognized, undiagnosed and untreated. The new proposed ‘ADHD adult diagnostic criteria’ is welcomed and long overdue.
~CoachRudy
A Proposed New Definition May Make ADHD Easier to Spot in Adults
By Meredith Melnick Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is still thought of as a childhood condition, even while it persists into adulthood for many patients who are diagnosed as children. But now, psychiatrists say, a proposed new definition of ADHD may make it easier to diagnose and treat older teens and adults.
Reporting at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting (in Honolulu — lucky shrinks!), researchers say the updated edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the DSM-5, which is slated for publication in 2013, may hold revamped diagnostic criteria for ADHD in adults. Increasingly, data suggest that the condition manifests differently in kids than in older teens and adults.
For example, while children with ADHD may run around their classrooms and fail to complete their schoolwork, adults with the disorder are more likely to interrupt someone who is speaking and have problems meeting deadlines at work.
The hyperactivity seen in children tends to be reflected as restless feelings in adults. Impulsivity is more of an issue with children with the disorder, compared with adults, but problems with attention tend to persist from childhood into adulthood, [Dr. Steven Cuffe of the University of Florida] said.
