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The Right Solution Counseling
Located in Eureka
Over 15 years of experience in field of mental health
Work with children and adults
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Teen group for High school Girls
So what is Attention Deficit Disorder?
According to the CDC:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
is one of the most common neurobehavioral
disorders of childhood.
It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and
often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD
have struggles often in the home and at school.
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Sound familiar?
Does your child:
Make careless mistakes
Does not listen when spoken to
Fail to complete chores, homework, etc. in a
timely fashion
Lose things often
Talk excessively
Has a hard time taking turns
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Signs & Symptoms of ADD
The CDC states that children with ADD/ADHD
might exhibit some (or all) of the following:
have a hard time paying attention and
daydream a lot
not seem to listen
be easily distracted from schoolwork or play
forget things
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Signs and Symptoms Continued…
• squirm or fidget
• talk too much
• not be able to play quietly
• act and speak without thinking
• have trouble taking turns
• interrupt others
• struggle with staying seated
However…
• Your child may exhibit some of these signs and
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not others, but this does not necessarily mean
that they do OR do not have attention
difficulties
Also, you may have multiple children with ADD,
but it might look very different for each of them
It has also been suggested that ADD looks very
different in boys than in girls
What ADD is not/ Myths about ADD
AD/HD is NOT:
“they didn’t forget, they just didn’t want to be
bothered”
“This is just a phase. They will grow out of it”
“They can play video games for hours and watch
T.V. for hours, so there is no way they have it”
“They can spend hours doing what they are
interested in, so I know this is just a behavior
problem and a choice”
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What ADD is not/ Myths about ADD
AD/HD is NOT:
• “my kid is just lazy”
• “they could do better in school if they tried”
• “they just tune me out. They chose to act like
this”
• “it’s just boys being boys”
But my child is quiet…
According to the National Institute for Mental
Health…
ADHD Can Be Mistaken for Other Problems
Parents and teachers can miss the fact that
children with symptoms of inattention have the
disorder because they are often quiet and less
likely to act out
They may sit quietly, seeming to work, but
they are often not paying attention
to what they are doing
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But my child is quiet…
• They may get along well with other
children
• Also, adults may think that children with
the hyperactive and impulsive types of
ADD just have emotional or disciplinary
problems
Boys
• It has been estimated that boys are 2-3x more
likely to be diagnosed with ADHD
• However…
• Boys with ADHD tend to be noticed more at school
and at home because of the symptoms they display
• Boys with ADHD often act out more, have defiant
behaviors in multiple settings, show aggression, and
look more like the stereotyped “hyper child”
Girls
• According to the American Psychological
Association:
• Girls with ADHD aren’t usually hyperactive.
• Instead, they tend to have trouble focusing.
• Parents and teachers often miss symptoms in girls
because they tend to be quiet and appear to
daydream instead of being “hyper”.
Girls
• According to researchers, girls with untreated
ADHD are at risk for low self-esteem,
underachievement and problems like
depression and anxiety.
So how do I know if my child has ADD/ADHD?
• There is no one approach to determining
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if your child has Attention Deficit
Disorder
Your pediatrician, psychiatrist,
psychologist, or child’s mental health
counselor can assist in diagnosing your
child with ADD, and help with ruling out
other concerns
Types of ADD/ADHD
• Many people ask “what is the difference
between ADD and ADHD?”
• Both ADD and ADHD are ways of saying your
child has Attention Deficit Disorder
• There are three sub categories of ADD
Inattentive type
The inattentive type: mostly seen as your
daydreamers, forgetful kids, and generally
unorganized
Hyperactive type
The hyperactive type: often seen as your
talkative kids, “hyper” children, or the
child who cannot sit still
Combined type
The combined type: children who display
both hyperactive and inattentive traits
AD/HD and Emotional Health
• Often, children with ADD have additional
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diagnosis such as anxiety disorders and
depression
The chances of your child developing other
disorders in late adolescence/early adulthood
can decrease with early intervention
Self Esteem
• Children with ADD often suffer from low self
esteem
• This is especially true for adolescent girls
• There is often a sense of failure
• Children with ADD are often criticized more by
parents and teachers
Depression
• Children with ADD may isolate themselves from
others due to personal frustration
• Children with ADD may feel hopeless that things
will improve
• Children with ADD often have trouble sleeping,
which can increase these feelings
Anxiety
• Children with ADD are often anxious about their
ability to perform certain tasks
• Children with ADD often have test taking anxiety
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due to their inability to focus and memorize
materials
Children with ADD often have impulsive
behaviors which increase anxiety
Impulsive Behaviors/ Anger
• Both boys and girls with ADD may have very
impulsive behaviors, and struggle with acting
out as a result
• However, this is usually followed by guilt and remorse
• At times, children with ADD may exhibit very
aggressive behaviors or be quick to anger
Making and keeping friends
• Due to the impulsive behaviors, anger, and self
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doubt, many children with ADD have a hard
time making and keeping friends
Children with ADD are often seen as
unpredictable by their peers, which also causes
struggles in forming relationships
Homework struggles
• Children with ADD often need frequent breaks
in homework
• May require more 1:1 help
• Benefit from having homework and projects
broken up into small sections
• Struggle with remembering to write down their
assignments
But I forgot…
• Children with ADD often forget to complete
their homework
• Forget to turn in their homework
• Make small mistakes on work (i.e forget to
answer all questions)
But I forgot…
• Often forget to complete chores…even if you
asked them 5 minutes ago…5 times in a row…
• Struggle with keeping a concept of time
• “I will in just a second…” really turns into 2
hours later
• Often need to be reminded several times
Behavior struggles
• Children with ADD may act out
• Struggle with waiting their turn
• Act aggressively
• Interrupt others
• Struggle to emotionally self regulate
• Struggle with patience
School
• Talk excessively
• Squirm or fidget in their seat
• Daydream
• Interrupt
• Struggle with grades
• Lose assignments
• Stay unorganized despite help
So what now…
Will they grow out of it?
Who do I call?
Where do I start?
What can I as a parent do to help?
Is it genetic?
Treatment Options
Counseling
Parenting classes
Medication evaluations
Behavior modification in the classroom
How to help your child be successful
• Schedule. Keep the same routine every day,
from wake-up time to bedtime. Include time for
homework, outdoor play, and indoor activities.
Keep the schedule on the refrigerator or on a
bulletin board in the kitchen. Write changes on
the schedule as far in advance as possible.
How to help your child be successful
• Use homework and notebook organizers. Use
organizers for school material and supplies.
Stress to your child the importance of writing
down assignments and bringing home the
necessary books.
Organize
Organize everyday items. Have a place for
everything, and keep everything in its place. This
includes clothing, backpacks, and toys.
Clear and consistent
Be clear and consistent. Children with ADHD need
consistent rules they can understand and follow.
How to help your child be successful
• Give praise or rewards when rules are followed.
Children with ADHD often receive and expect
criticism. Look for good behavior, and praise it.
Could there be something else wrong?
Often, children with ADD have other struggles such
as:
Anxiety disorders
Depression
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Conduct Disorder
Learning disabilities
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The Right Solution Counseling
• Accept all ages
• Will accept insurance – offer sliding scale for
those without insurance
For more information:
RightSolutionCounseling.com
314-374-1620
Questions?