Cleaning your room is a hated chore in our house. As I suspect it is in many houses. However, children with ADHD struggle more with cleaning their rooms than other children because they often have difficulty with focusing on tedious unexciting activities. So how can you get your child to clean their room and stay on task until the room is actually clean? And what can you do when your child doesn't actually clean their room?
1) Choose your battles. A messy room is really not as big of a deal as failing in reading or even not brushing your teeth. This is one of those tasks where it is ok to let your child fail and it is ok to turn a blind eye if it isn't perfect.
That being said, there are good things about learning to clean your room. Safety and hygiene come to mind. Being able to find things when you need them is also a top priority, especially if you have ADHD. So there are certain parts about cleaning a room that are less negotiable than others. In our house, we don't allow food outside of eating areas ever and if the room is dangerously cluttered it must be cleaned. Also, if you lose something you need, you clean until you find it.
2) Define cleaning. Cleaning your room can mean shoving everything into the closet and shutting the door. And that may be good enough if your goal is to vacuum the carpet so no one dies from dust allergies. However, if you need to find something, cleaning means putting everything back in it's place, finding a place for it if doesn't have one, or deciding to toss it if all of that is too much trouble. In any case, if you are not clear on the goal, you shouldn't be surprised if you ADHD child cannot read your mind.
3) Less stuff means less to clean. You can use toy rotation or exchange schemes to limit the number of toys that are accessible at any given time. Also, encourage your child to bless other children with toys they no longer use or no longer want to care for.
4) Have a routine. If cleaning up is part of the daily or weekly routine, it will be less of a battle. Your child will know to expect it and eventually will plan on having to do it, so it won't seem like an interruption.
5) Make it less unpleasant. Play music. Join in the fun. Have races against each other or a timer. Have a reward (different from a bribe--a reward being agreed to before the task is accepted and a bribe being offered once the task is refused).
6) Break it down into smaller chunks. This is something that works for a lot of unpleasant tasks. You can either break it down in time increments (clean for 15 minutes as hard as you can and then take a 5 minute break, repeat) or into parts of the task (first pick up the dirty clothes, then pick up the Legos, then toss out extra papers, etc.) or into parts of the room (divide the room into sectors, cover the rest up with blankets, and then clean one sector at a time.
Keeping things neat and orderly probably won't be your child unless they just get in the zone and hyperfocus when they clean (and some people are like that!). But teaching them that cleaning up their room isn't an impossible task is a worthy goal and probably will help them stay safe and healthy. So, happy cleaning!
A blog with a family perspective on living with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
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Showing posts with label social skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social skills. Show all posts
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Book Review: 1000 Best Tips for ADHD
1000 Best Tips for ADHD, by Susan Ashley, PhD, a psychologist specializing in behavioral disorders in children, is a practical book that has helpful tips for improving various aspects of life for parents of kids with ADHD.
The book has an introduction on how to use the book, followed by a list of tips categorized by the issue at hand. The introduction is crucial to using the book, otherwise, the book is a reference style manual meant to help parents with specific common problems faced by children with ADHD. The book avoids being trite and it acknowledges the hard work that sometimes comes with implementing behavioral strategies, so in a sense, while this is a book of tips, it is not a book of hacks. Some of the suggestions given are easier to implement than others, and some of them will not work for a given child's situation.
The book has many strengths. It is very practical and is not a long treatise on a certain approach or philosophy. The main philosophy in this book seems to be, "Do what works." Many parents with ADHD willl appreciate that fact that this book is reference style, so you don't have to read the whole book to understand or get to the part that you want, which is a fix for your child's problems. The book offers a wide variety of tips in a wide variety of areas such as medication, behavioral issues, school, diet, and social issues.
There are several downsides to this book. I was looking for a book about managing behavioral issues specific to older children and teens with ADHD, things like hygiene, organizational skills, and driving. Those issues are not specifically addressed in this book. I would love to see the author write a similar book about teens with ADHD. Another omission was that the book only talked about children having difficulty in brick and mortar school situations and did not address how to alter home schooling to help a child with ADHD. It does refer the reader to a website and there are some tips on homework and specific subjects which could be helpful, however.
Overall, though, the book offers many useful behavioral strategies you can try to help your child with ADHD. While it is not the only book you will ever need, and not really a "complete reference for parenting a child with ADHD" as it is advertised to be, it certainly is a solid starter book for parents new to dealing with ADHD in a younger child.
The book has an introduction on how to use the book, followed by a list of tips categorized by the issue at hand. The introduction is crucial to using the book, otherwise, the book is a reference style manual meant to help parents with specific common problems faced by children with ADHD. The book avoids being trite and it acknowledges the hard work that sometimes comes with implementing behavioral strategies, so in a sense, while this is a book of tips, it is not a book of hacks. Some of the suggestions given are easier to implement than others, and some of them will not work for a given child's situation.
The book has many strengths. It is very practical and is not a long treatise on a certain approach or philosophy. The main philosophy in this book seems to be, "Do what works." Many parents with ADHD willl appreciate that fact that this book is reference style, so you don't have to read the whole book to understand or get to the part that you want, which is a fix for your child's problems. The book offers a wide variety of tips in a wide variety of areas such as medication, behavioral issues, school, diet, and social issues.
There are several downsides to this book. I was looking for a book about managing behavioral issues specific to older children and teens with ADHD, things like hygiene, organizational skills, and driving. Those issues are not specifically addressed in this book. I would love to see the author write a similar book about teens with ADHD. Another omission was that the book only talked about children having difficulty in brick and mortar school situations and did not address how to alter home schooling to help a child with ADHD. It does refer the reader to a website and there are some tips on homework and specific subjects which could be helpful, however.
Overall, though, the book offers many useful behavioral strategies you can try to help your child with ADHD. While it is not the only book you will ever need, and not really a "complete reference for parenting a child with ADHD" as it is advertised to be, it certainly is a solid starter book for parents new to dealing with ADHD in a younger child.
Sunday, July 10, 2016
If You Have ADHD, Is There Something Wrong With You?
I remember it very clearly. We were at a small group Bible study and DD had a dose of allergy medication earlier in the day owing to a wheezing episode a few weeks prior. DD was literally bouncing off the furniture, crawling under the table, and generally running wildly around the room. One of the other moms turned to me and asked, "What's wrong with her?"
I suspect a lot of people with ADHD get variations of that question often enough.
From themselves: "I can't seem to do what other people can do. What's wrong with me?"
From their friends: "What do you mean, I have ADHD? Do you think there's something wrong with me?"
From teachers: "She can't focus in class. Could there be something wrong with her?"
I also suspect that the underlying thought to that question is either, "If there is something wrong with me, then I'm less than other people." I'm less capable. I'm less valuable. I'm less important. I'm less worthy of your respect. Or, "If you can't keep your behavior appropriate, it's because you have made an immoral choice to do so out of poor character--laziness, stupidity, selfishness, etc."
Neither of those conclusions are correct when it comes to ADHD.
Whether a person has less value due to their imperfections or not really has to do with your world view. If you truly believe a person is less valuable because of their weaknesses, then you will do well to hide your own. However, most wise people know that all people have weaknesses and imperfections of one kind or another, and that greatness comes not from perfection so much as it does from how we face our weaknesses and how we overcome them.
There are certainly people with ADHD who have poor character. However, not everyone who makes poor choices does so because they choose to do so with malice aforethought. In fact, most of the poor choices a child with ADHD makes will probably fall into the category of "I just didn't think that out to it's conclusion."
So, is there something wrong with my daughter? Yes, but it is not her moral fiber. It's her brain. And while it makes some things hard for her, we are choosing to let her live out her life as the human being full of potential that she is. Yes, she knows she has ADHD, but she also is being equipped with medication and other coping mechanisms so that hopefully, as she grows, she'll fulfill that potential and continue to amaze us by being the human being she was created to be.
I suspect a lot of people with ADHD get variations of that question often enough.
From themselves: "I can't seem to do what other people can do. What's wrong with me?"
From their friends: "What do you mean, I have ADHD? Do you think there's something wrong with me?"
From teachers: "She can't focus in class. Could there be something wrong with her?"
I also suspect that the underlying thought to that question is either, "If there is something wrong with me, then I'm less than other people." I'm less capable. I'm less valuable. I'm less important. I'm less worthy of your respect. Or, "If you can't keep your behavior appropriate, it's because you have made an immoral choice to do so out of poor character--laziness, stupidity, selfishness, etc."
Neither of those conclusions are correct when it comes to ADHD.
Whether a person has less value due to their imperfections or not really has to do with your world view. If you truly believe a person is less valuable because of their weaknesses, then you will do well to hide your own. However, most wise people know that all people have weaknesses and imperfections of one kind or another, and that greatness comes not from perfection so much as it does from how we face our weaknesses and how we overcome them.
There are certainly people with ADHD who have poor character. However, not everyone who makes poor choices does so because they choose to do so with malice aforethought. In fact, most of the poor choices a child with ADHD makes will probably fall into the category of "I just didn't think that out to it's conclusion."
So, is there something wrong with my daughter? Yes, but it is not her moral fiber. It's her brain. And while it makes some things hard for her, we are choosing to let her live out her life as the human being full of potential that she is. Yes, she knows she has ADHD, but she also is being equipped with medication and other coping mechanisms so that hopefully, as she grows, she'll fulfill that potential and continue to amaze us by being the human being she was created to be.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Teaching Your ADHD Child to Clean Up
Prior to medication, my child with ADHD, was a living tornado. Wherever she went, she left a trail of toys, books, half-finished crafts, wrappers, clothes, and everything else in her wake. This was due to her habit of casting things to the side after she was done, and ADHD combined with giftedness resulted in a lot of things being done during the day, believe me! Many of you can relate, I am sure. The question is, how can we get a child who is easily distracted and not so motivated to do unpleasant tasks, to do something like clean up after themselves? For this question, I do not have any easy answers, but I do have some strategies you can try.
Routines
Having a clean up time every day is a great way to help young kids who mostly keep their mess in one place to learn that cleaning up after we play is just one of the things we do--and that there isn't really a choice. One way we make clean up time more fun is we let the child who is the first to pick something up and put it away choose some cleanup music.
Another routine that is a good one to follow is putting clothes or shoes away after they are used. We make throwing our dirty clothes in the hamper as part of our going to bed checklist. While it often still takes a reminder or two, having it on the list makes it less of a question in our child's mind.
Taking it Step by Step
Our ADHD child has a real difficulty seeing a mess for its parts. So when it comes time to "clean your room" she gets overwhelmed easily. It's often better to break the task up into parts--either to dictate what she should pick up one thing at a time, or to name a class of things. Another way to make things easier is to divide the room into zones, and tackle one zone at a time. Sometimes covering the other zones with a blanket is a good way to keep them from being a distraction.
At times, what I have done is ask my child or each of my kids to just pick up and put away 4 or 5 things before we start some new activity. This doesn't clean up the big messes, but hopefully it's a few less things we have to clean up later. And the good thing is that its just a few things, so the task is manageable, and so it's easy to motivate them to do it so we can move on and do something fun.
Another way to get willing participation in a partial clean up is to set a timer for 5 to 15 minutes (depending on your child's level of attention). What happens is that your child must clean for whatever the alotted time is, but when the timer goes off, even if the job isn't complete, they are done if they choose to be. This strategy makes the process of cleaning up less intimidating because your child knows it will be over pretty soon, no matter what.
A Place for Every Thing and Every Thing In It's Place
We aren't super organized around here. But we have a rule. If it doesn't have a place, make a place or toss it. We talk about having too much stuff and how it makes it hard to find things or take care of the things you really like. Have a place for everything in the house, and insist on it being put back when it's done being played with, even if it means interrupting what's currently going on.
A corollary to our rule is, don't have so much stuff. The more you have, the more you have to pick up. If you like books, the library is your friend. If you like toys, rotate them or participate in toy swaps. If you have crafts, finish them and photograph them, then only keep the best of the best.
Learn to Live With It
The tidiness of your home should not become more important than it really is. Yes, good habits are important. Yes, you want to be able to find things you want and not trip over and break irreplaceable objects. Yes, you want your home to be somewhat hygienic. But, realize that learning to clean up and keep things clean is going to be a process and a struggle. In the end, this is one of those times when you need to choose your battles wisely.
Routines
Having a clean up time every day is a great way to help young kids who mostly keep their mess in one place to learn that cleaning up after we play is just one of the things we do--and that there isn't really a choice. One way we make clean up time more fun is we let the child who is the first to pick something up and put it away choose some cleanup music.
Another routine that is a good one to follow is putting clothes or shoes away after they are used. We make throwing our dirty clothes in the hamper as part of our going to bed checklist. While it often still takes a reminder or two, having it on the list makes it less of a question in our child's mind.
Taking it Step by Step
Our ADHD child has a real difficulty seeing a mess for its parts. So when it comes time to "clean your room" she gets overwhelmed easily. It's often better to break the task up into parts--either to dictate what she should pick up one thing at a time, or to name a class of things. Another way to make things easier is to divide the room into zones, and tackle one zone at a time. Sometimes covering the other zones with a blanket is a good way to keep them from being a distraction.
At times, what I have done is ask my child or each of my kids to just pick up and put away 4 or 5 things before we start some new activity. This doesn't clean up the big messes, but hopefully it's a few less things we have to clean up later. And the good thing is that its just a few things, so the task is manageable, and so it's easy to motivate them to do it so we can move on and do something fun.
Another way to get willing participation in a partial clean up is to set a timer for 5 to 15 minutes (depending on your child's level of attention). What happens is that your child must clean for whatever the alotted time is, but when the timer goes off, even if the job isn't complete, they are done if they choose to be. This strategy makes the process of cleaning up less intimidating because your child knows it will be over pretty soon, no matter what.
A Place for Every Thing and Every Thing In It's Place
We aren't super organized around here. But we have a rule. If it doesn't have a place, make a place or toss it. We talk about having too much stuff and how it makes it hard to find things or take care of the things you really like. Have a place for everything in the house, and insist on it being put back when it's done being played with, even if it means interrupting what's currently going on.
A corollary to our rule is, don't have so much stuff. The more you have, the more you have to pick up. If you like books, the library is your friend. If you like toys, rotate them or participate in toy swaps. If you have crafts, finish them and photograph them, then only keep the best of the best.
Learn to Live With It
The tidiness of your home should not become more important than it really is. Yes, good habits are important. Yes, you want to be able to find things you want and not trip over and break irreplaceable objects. Yes, you want your home to be somewhat hygienic. But, realize that learning to clean up and keep things clean is going to be a process and a struggle. In the end, this is one of those times when you need to choose your battles wisely.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Book Review: The Queen of Distraction: How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos, Find Focus, and Get More Done
By Teri Matlen
Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall, this book is worth the money you pay to purchase it. It has lots of tips and just the right amount of storytelling to keep the reader engaged.
Positives:
Negatives:
Bottom line:
This book has a lot of practical tips on behavioral ways to manage ADHD, and should be helpful as a reference or for group reading. It definitely isn't comprehensive, but it is a great start toward an easier life with ADHD.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Overall, this book is worth the money you pay to purchase it. It has lots of tips and just the right amount of storytelling to keep the reader engaged.
Positives:
- Focuses on behavioral techniques for managing problems caused by ADHD symptoms. A welcome change from many discussions of ADHD which pretty much stop at medication.
- Light tone.
- Lots of practical tips for how to manage some of the most pressing issues women with ADHD face, such as paperwork, kitchen organization and meal planning, hormonal influences, parenting, clothing, work, and intimate relationships.
Negatives:
- This book has so many tips it could be overwhelming. It would be best read and applied one chapter at time. It would go nicely with a workbook or a course. The author of the book hosts a Facebook group that you have to pay to join. It is a lot more pricey than the book, but considering that it is a lot like paying a coach, the fee is reasonable.
- There isn't any real mention of medication. Maybe that's good for some women, but others find medication helpful and its nice to affirm that people make different decisions.
- The book covers a lot of topics, but there are more tips in some sections than others. For example, while the book talks about pregnancy there aren't the bulleted lists of tips that there are in the section on paperwork. There isn't any mention of nursing at all. It would be an easier read if it didn't try to cover so many topics and try to be a reference for all things female with regard to ADHD.
Bottom line:
This book has a lot of practical tips on behavioral ways to manage ADHD, and should be helpful as a reference or for group reading. It definitely isn't comprehensive, but it is a great start toward an easier life with ADHD.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
ADHD Goes To Summer Camp
Summer camp, while lots of outdoor fun, can bring out symptoms of ADHD in funny ways. This weekend we spent in the pouring rain, at American Heritage Girls camp, with DD and a bunch of other lively, lovely girls.
3 showers later. I've heard of kids with ADHD forgetting to use soap and shampoo. DD forgot twice in a row before camp. I usually check the soap dish (for water) and her hair (for the scent of shampoo). Thankfully, she was calm about it, though she did ask to postpone the real shower for the next morning since her towel was already very wet. Note to self: If she's excited, remind her to use soap and shampoo before she gets out of the shower.
I forgot my pig! DD and I were about half an hour toward camp when we realized that she had not packed her lovey. She was in tears, insisting she would not sleep (horrors!). So we turned back and arrived rather late. Note to self: Make your own packing list next time.
Almost Flattened. DD was almost run over as she careened across the field into a dirt road, dragging her 3 buddies along with her. Unfamiliar settings equals unfamiliar safety hazards. Note to self: Review safety rules before arriving at camp.
Where's my raincoat? I did remind her to pack it after we got back home from the vet's office, but reminders get lost in the excitement. Note to self: If you don't want to be wet the whole time, make sure she packs her rain gear.
Top Bunk. All the girls wanted to sleep in the top bunks, which left the moms sleeping in the bottom bunks. Not a big deal until DD started wanting to jump from top bunk to top bunk. Note to self: Thank God for camp leaders who actually tell kids not to do this!
Sleep? I don't need to sleep! It was not as bad as I thought it would be. They did stay up incredibly late the first night, but after that, they crashed. She was a little grumpy, but she was ok. Note to self: Relax. Routines are good, but breaking out the routine is not always going to be a disaster.
Look! A squirrel! DD was on a nature hike and identified most of the items on her scavenger hunt list before we had gone 30 feet into the woods! Note to self: ADHD has its benefits.
Where's your buddy? DD has had a hard time finding friends this year at AHG. Most of the other girls see each other at church or home school co-op or a local activity through the week, but we really don't because we live about 45 minutes away (on Michigan's insane 70 mph highways). So the buddy system is challenging. She eventually found some girls (many, but not all outside of her unit) who were willing. Note to self: She can do the friendship thing. She just needs more opportunities.
Mom, what's next? Can't we do something? Camp had a full, but not overly full, schedule. But waiting doesn't come easily to anyone at age 7, let alone a person who is gifted and ADHD. We had packed a few quiet time activities, but she had read her book the first night and the rest of what she had were group activities. Note to self: Pack an activity book in the grownup bag for quiet time.
Dangerous with a weapon. We have at least 4 girls in our younger unit who probably have some form of ADHD. One didn't come to camp, and 2, including DD, ended up trying to shoot the faux bow and arrows they made during craft time--while standing on their bunks. I think this is one reason why the archery badge, and the badge involving knife safety, are not available to girls in our age range, though we certainly discussed safety after the incident! Note to self: Instruct girls in safety before engaging in any risky type of craft.
Legal Disclaimer: This is not meant in any way to be a complete manual on how to handle ADHD at summer camp. If you are a camp leader, it would be best to consult your leader's handbook, and the affected child's parents for a better idea of what issues need to be addressed and how to address them.
3 showers later. I've heard of kids with ADHD forgetting to use soap and shampoo. DD forgot twice in a row before camp. I usually check the soap dish (for water) and her hair (for the scent of shampoo). Thankfully, she was calm about it, though she did ask to postpone the real shower for the next morning since her towel was already very wet. Note to self: If she's excited, remind her to use soap and shampoo before she gets out of the shower.
I forgot my pig! DD and I were about half an hour toward camp when we realized that she had not packed her lovey. She was in tears, insisting she would not sleep (horrors!). So we turned back and arrived rather late. Note to self: Make your own packing list next time.
Almost Flattened. DD was almost run over as she careened across the field into a dirt road, dragging her 3 buddies along with her. Unfamiliar settings equals unfamiliar safety hazards. Note to self: Review safety rules before arriving at camp.
Where's my raincoat? I did remind her to pack it after we got back home from the vet's office, but reminders get lost in the excitement. Note to self: If you don't want to be wet the whole time, make sure she packs her rain gear.
Top Bunk. All the girls wanted to sleep in the top bunks, which left the moms sleeping in the bottom bunks. Not a big deal until DD started wanting to jump from top bunk to top bunk. Note to self: Thank God for camp leaders who actually tell kids not to do this!
Sleep? I don't need to sleep! It was not as bad as I thought it would be. They did stay up incredibly late the first night, but after that, they crashed. She was a little grumpy, but she was ok. Note to self: Relax. Routines are good, but breaking out the routine is not always going to be a disaster.
Look! A squirrel! DD was on a nature hike and identified most of the items on her scavenger hunt list before we had gone 30 feet into the woods! Note to self: ADHD has its benefits.
Where's your buddy? DD has had a hard time finding friends this year at AHG. Most of the other girls see each other at church or home school co-op or a local activity through the week, but we really don't because we live about 45 minutes away (on Michigan's insane 70 mph highways). So the buddy system is challenging. She eventually found some girls (many, but not all outside of her unit) who were willing. Note to self: She can do the friendship thing. She just needs more opportunities.
Mom, what's next? Can't we do something? Camp had a full, but not overly full, schedule. But waiting doesn't come easily to anyone at age 7, let alone a person who is gifted and ADHD. We had packed a few quiet time activities, but she had read her book the first night and the rest of what she had were group activities. Note to self: Pack an activity book in the grownup bag for quiet time.
Dangerous with a weapon. We have at least 4 girls in our younger unit who probably have some form of ADHD. One didn't come to camp, and 2, including DD, ended up trying to shoot the faux bow and arrows they made during craft time--while standing on their bunks. I think this is one reason why the archery badge, and the badge involving knife safety, are not available to girls in our age range, though we certainly discussed safety after the incident! Note to self: Instruct girls in safety before engaging in any risky type of craft.
Legal Disclaimer: This is not meant in any way to be a complete manual on how to handle ADHD at summer camp. If you are a camp leader, it would be best to consult your leader's handbook, and the affected child's parents for a better idea of what issues need to be addressed and how to address them.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Book Review: The ADHD Workbook by Lawrence Shapiro
Rating: 4 stars
This is a self help workbook for kids. It applies mostly to elementary school aged kids but could also be used with middle/junior high school kids. It consists of short exercises surrounding issues that are often problems for kids with ADHD: working with school teachers on academic troubles, getting along with others, making friends, wiggling too much.
Minuses are that many of the exercises are pencil and paper exercises. Since a good portion of kids with ADHD don't like to write, this can be a problem if you expect your child to sit down and complete the pages themselves. Also, some of the solutions posed are simplistic and there is no built in way to enforce practice of the exercises beyond trying them once while you are doing the pages.
Pluses are that the exercises are a good way to bring up issues with your child in a safe way. If you work through the exercises with your child orally, you'll probably get better participation than if you force them to write answers. Even better would be to work through this with a support group or with a therapist who could build in some accountability and help with follow through and practice.
Everything ADHD Medical Disclaimer
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This is a self help workbook for kids. It applies mostly to elementary school aged kids but could also be used with middle/junior high school kids. It consists of short exercises surrounding issues that are often problems for kids with ADHD: working with school teachers on academic troubles, getting along with others, making friends, wiggling too much.
Minuses are that many of the exercises are pencil and paper exercises. Since a good portion of kids with ADHD don't like to write, this can be a problem if you expect your child to sit down and complete the pages themselves. Also, some of the solutions posed are simplistic and there is no built in way to enforce practice of the exercises beyond trying them once while you are doing the pages.
Pluses are that the exercises are a good way to bring up issues with your child in a safe way. If you work through the exercises with your child orally, you'll probably get better participation than if you force them to write answers. Even better would be to work through this with a support group or with a therapist who could build in some accountability and help with follow through and practice.
Everything ADHD Medical Disclaimer
Everything ADHD Privacy Policy
Thursday, April 24, 2014
8 Driving Habits Which May Indicate You Have Adult ADHD
We took a long distance driving trip today, with DH driving. Now, DH is a pretty decent driver. Since he became a Christian, he does his best to obey all traffic laws. But I do notice some differences in his driving which I am pretty sure come from ADHD. See how many apply to the ADHD patient in your life....
Just as a disclaimer: This article is not meant to diagnose ADHD in any person, but to point out the differences between driving habits in patients with ADHD and neurotypical patients.
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- You think the best route anywhere is the one where you can drive at the greatest speed, even if the distance is longer.
- You think the best route anywhere is the one where you can avoid sitting a stop signs or traffic lights.
- You can't ignore your cell phone if you can hear or feel it ringing while you are driving.
- Your first reaction is to get frustrated at other drivers if you are going below the speed limit.
- You are more likely to exceed the speed limit than to drive far below the speed limit.
- In a new environment, you are likely to drive through an intersection with a stop sign/light.
- If there is a traffic jam, you drive around it, even if it is miles out of your way.
- You've run out of gas while driving.
Just as a disclaimer: This article is not meant to diagnose ADHD in any person, but to point out the differences between driving habits in patients with ADHD and neurotypical patients.
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Monday, April 21, 2014
Big Huge Hug!
If you are a friend of DD, if she sees you on the street, chances are she will give you a huge hug. She might even lift you off your feet, if you are short enough. She will also want to hold your hand a lot while you are playing. Kids with ADHD tend to be very physically affectionate. This can be very nice for parents, but not always so nice for friends, especially new ones.
One of DD's good friends (now) almost wasn't a friend after DD repeatedly tried to grab her hand during a park playdate (with other children). She only successfully made friends with the child in question after I discreetly pulled her aside and told her that "some big kids don't like to hold hands".
I've also pointed out to her that "some people don't like to be hugged"--like grandma who breaks a bone every time she gets out of her chair, and mommy who just doesn't like hugs. But of course, as mom, I give and receive hugs freely with her because I know she needs them.
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One of DD's good friends (now) almost wasn't a friend after DD repeatedly tried to grab her hand during a park playdate (with other children). She only successfully made friends with the child in question after I discreetly pulled her aside and told her that "some big kids don't like to hold hands".
I've also pointed out to her that "some people don't like to be hugged"--like grandma who breaks a bone every time she gets out of her chair, and mommy who just doesn't like hugs. But of course, as mom, I give and receive hugs freely with her because I know she needs them.
Everything ADHD Medical Disclaimer
Everything ADHD Privacy Policy
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