Living with ADHD

It's been a while since I've written anything ADHD wise. I am back again and hope to bring you a monthly blog.  This is just a short note. In these new and uncertain days it can be tough for our kids where there is no certainty from day to day.  Rest assured that new routines will develop with time. It can also add pressure to you as carers for your families trying to juggle work, homeschooling and staying sane in isolation. There are many organisations who are bringing great ideas out to help us at this time. I will pop up a list here soon to give you access to tools that might be useful.   In the meantime, take care.  Jill

Isolation This word conjures up a range of thoughts and images on our minds. For some, it may bring up images of a relaxing beach far away where you don't have to deal with the usual business of life. But this is not isolation. For many, isolation is not about being far away and alone in an idyllic setting. I've spoken to people who talk of feeling isolated even when surrounded by a crowd. This can be especially so for parents of children living with ADHD, ASD or other disorders. These kids require extra support. They struggle to read the social cues and signals that others take for granted. They behave in ways that others don't understand. For parents, the fallout of this can be totally exhausting. On top of this there are the usual 'helpful' people who believe they have the answer for your child. These people believe that if you just did ..... (fill in the blank yourself), then all your child's issues would miraculously disappear. As a parent, this consta...

Hi, Here is a link to a great article on helping kids reframe their day and their thinking. It's not specifically ADHD related and I found it on The Gottman Institute Facebook page. I'm sharing it here because I like how it guides us through an easy, useful and practical way to engage kids in that after school conversation. http://www.pbs.org/parents/expert-tips-advice/2018/02/3-words-reframe-day/

Are you an adult living with ADHD, or married to one? This is a quick and interesting read. While it doesn't give answers it may well spark some thoughts and ideas. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/may-i-have-your-attention/201708/is-adhd-blind-relationship-desirable Jill

There's been a bit in the news and on social media about fidget toys and whether or not they are a good thing.  Personally I believe these toys have their place and can be a useful tool for children to help them concentrate at school, listen to the teacher and do their work. Like most crazes I'm sure there are times that using these toys is inappropriate and I imagine that teachers may well be dealing with large numbers of these toys in their classrooms and this could easily be very distracting. However for children who find it difficult to concentrate, these fidget toys are not a distraction but an essential tool to enable them to manage their work. I remember as a child at school having pens with a click mechanism that I constantly clicked, often without realising that I was doing so, and only having it brought to my attention by someone else who clearly found it annoying. However it was a completely unconscious action on my part. If I'd had a fidget toy that I could cl...

ADHD seems to attract an undue amout of criticism and controversy. Recently CHADD - children and adults with adhd posted an article from science based medicine. Here is what CHADD says: '"There are many legitimate criticisms of #ADHD and psychiatry, but that does not mean ADHD is a fraud. The scientific evidence, both clinical and neuroscience, is robust. Kagan’s criticisms are mostly greatly exaggerated, or they are straw men because they are already incorporated into the standard of care. Unfortunately, you will not be exposed to any of that from reading any of the popular press breathlessly reporting that ADHD is a fraud." So - read this.' I have read the article and it is a well written if slightly long paper on the reality of  ADHD, the difficulty in diagnosing the disorder and recent research which is shedding light on the disorder that continues to affect around 6% of any given population. Enjoy the read and what science is discovering about ADHD. https:...

To the mum on the train yesterday, I want you to know you're an amazing mum and you're doing a great job of raising your boy. You may not feel like you are and I suspect that some days you feel like it's a losing battle. I know, because I've been there. I saw the tiredness after what was probably a long and tiring day. I saw how your boy had more energy than one would expect after such a long day. But I want you to know that its ok and he was ok. I wanted to tell you how amazing you are but I didn't get a chance to before you got off the train. I tried to smile encouragingly to let you know it was ok, that he was ok. I'm not sure if that's the message you got and I suspect there are times when others frown upon you and your boy. Ignore them. They are not living your journey or walking in your shoes. You and only you can know what it's really like. Hold your head high, do what you have to do as a mum, and know that you really are doing a great job an...