A person’s late teens is an exciting time that brings about major life changes and personal growth. From decisions about college to choices about your career, there are so many possibilities ahead that you may feel overwhelmed. As someone with struggling with ADHD, however, there are additional concerns and responsibilities you need to be aware of when you move out of the house and enter the first part of adult life.
We’re familiar with how children with ADHD are supposed to behave. If they have ADHD hyperactive type, they’ll be bouncing off the walls, while those with ADHD inattentive type never seem to hear a word you say. However, children with ADHD can sometimes display behaviors that aren’t listed in the diagnostic criteria. They are picky eaters who can’t stand certain smells or textures. Dressing them up can be a real challenge; they can’t stand athletic socks, pants with elastic waistbands, or certain fabrics. At night, they have trouble sleeping because the slightest sliver of light penetrates their lids. The list goes on.
Research suggests that many children with ADHD experience such hypersensitivities because of the underlying neurological issues of the disorder can trigger problems with sensory processing. They stay away from sensory stimulation like touch, light, or sound because they get overwhelmed by these sensations. When they get over-stimulated, they may react by throwing tantrums and displaying other troublesome behaviors.
The good news is that occupational therapy and desensitization techniques can help children overcome these sensory problems. Meanwhile, you can prevent sensory meltdowns by managing your child’s hypersensitivities.
Are children with ADHD at higher risk for substance abuse? The answer to this question depends on a number of factors. The very nature of ADHD does make one more likely to smoke cigarettes, have conduct problems, and abuse substances, as shown by a new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology. But not every child with ADHD is guaranteed to have a substance abuse problem. I also believe that this risk can be avoided with proper treatment and parental involvement.
When an ADHD child can’t finish chores or homework due to lack of focus, yet can spend hours playing video games or watching TV, many parents get confused. How can these kids completely lose themselves in one task and have so much difficulty applying that same concentration on others? Although ADHD is often the cause, a New York Times article reveals that it has less to do with an attention deficit and more about brain chemistry.
Maybe it’s the diet we have today, or perhaps it’s the chemicals present in our food and in the air. Whatever it is, more and more people are getting diagnosed with ADHD today. Or are they really suffering from the disorder? Amid claims of a growing epidemic of ADHD among adults, a new report published in The Clinical Neuropsychologist reveals a surprising fact. Nearly one in four adults who seek medical treatment for the disorder might be faking their ADHD symptoms.
Children age 12 and below need at least 10 hours of sleep each night, especially if they have ADHD. Studies have shown that when ADHD children don’t get enough sleep, they become more hyperactive, inattentive, and irritable the following day. But what qualifies as “not enough sleep” and how bad do ADHD symptoms get? A new study in the scientific journal Sleep reveals that as little as one less hour of sleep is enough to make the academic performance of ADHD students deteriorate.
With every published study that comes out, we develop a deeper understanding of ADHD and find new ways to treat or diagnose this mysterious disorder. Two new studies on “mirror movements” reveals some interesting clues about childhood ADHD symptoms that may pave the way for a new way of testing for ADHD.
To most parents of kids with ADHD, the disorder can be nothing but a constant source of frustration. When their kids have a hard time making friends or staying out of trouble in school, it’s difficult to find the silver lining of this condition. Yet there is an upside to ADHD that was recently confirmed by a new study – ADHD makes people more creative.
Many parents I’ve spoken to make the same observation about their ADHD children’s sleep habits: they have a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up in the morning. When they don’t get enough sleep the previous night, they spend the rest of the day in an ADHD funk with their symptoms in overdrive. These observations are hardly surprising – sleep problems and ADHD are closely related because the regions of the brain responsible for attention also regulate sleep. While there’s not much you can do to change your child’s biology, there are a few things that can be done to help your child get enough sleep.
As a parent of a child with ADHD, you’ve probably noticed something I observe among my patients: kids with ADHD don’t do well in the winter. As fall turns to winter and a blanket of snow covers the streets, kids with ADHD tend to:
Does this sound like your child?