ADD Student

Archive for March, 2009

One of the biggest complaints I hear from parents about their ADHD kids is that they either can’t get them to keep their room straight or they can’t get them to clean it. Feel free to insert backpack, car, or whatever here.

There are a lot of reasons why the room looks the way it does in the first place:

They tend to leave everything out so that they can see it and therefore find it again.

They tend to leave everything out because it’s easier.

They leave things laying around because they don’t know what to do with them.

They leave things laying around because they get distracted on their way to the closet or dresser.

Now that you have that information, you can begin to remedy the situation.

First, the room will probably need a good cleaning. Regardless of age, that might be best accomplished with you alongside them. That way, you can keep them on track and give direction. Take frequent breaks, use praise instead of criticism, and keep in mind that they may not know how to do some things. My son Andy, at 24, still thinks folding a shirt is wadding it up into a smaller size package.

Also, it might be a good idea to start with a plan – another thing that will need your direction. The room is liable to be overwhelming to them, and therefore will seem like too big a job. If they can know what to expect – we’ll do this today, and tomorrow we’ll tackle that – it eases their sense of overwhelm.

You can even make it fun – that might help things immensely. Get a hula hoop or a laundry basket and toss it into the room. Anything within the hula hoop or underneath the basket gets cleaned up and put away and then you’re done for the day, or the time being. Pick up all the purple stuff first, or everything that’s round, or that smells. (That could be a big one.)

Put on some music, and plan a reward for a job well done once the room is clean.

The next thing after you get the room organized is to put it in good working order so that it’s easier to keep clean. And that’s for another day.

I always try to keep up with what’s new concerning ADHD. Today, I found an article that says a new study shows that ADHD medications may be linked to stunted growth. As I mentioned on Twitter, moms have been talking about this for years, and now science is catching up.

I wanted to post a link to the article here so that you would be informed. Even if you’re on Twitter, you might not have been when I tweeted that, and it’s important.

I also wanted to let you know that for the last week or so (and continuing this week) I have been doing a series of posts on ADD Moms about alternatives to prescription medications. You can start with the first article here.

One of the biggest challenges that we as ADDers face is being able to focus and concentrate. Here are 5 easy things you can do to help increase your focus:

1. Get a good night’s sleep. 6, 8, or more hours – whatever you need. Remember, it’s the time you sleep, not the amount of time spent in bed. (ADDers aren’t so good at falling asleep quickly!)

2. Keep yourself (and your brain) well hydrated. That means water throughout the day – every hour or so. And no, Diet Coke doesn’t count.

3. Have some protein, preferably something healthy. Big Macs must have protein, but I can’t imagine they would help your brain nearly as much as a lean chicken breast.

4. Have some peppermint. It has been shown that peppermint helps your mind stay clear and focused. I would go for one of those strong peppermints or natural peppermint oil for aromatherapy.

5. Move! Even if you’re tied to a desk in school and can’t get up and wander, you can stretch your arms and legs and roll your head. Moving works off a little excess energy, which will help you concentrate, and gives your brain a little break, which it needs every now and then.