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adhd coaching

Organization Tips

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For young people, staying organized in school is essential. But things can easily get disorganized with papers from different classes, take-home notices, homework, and trash. Here are some tips for keeping organized for school and home:

  • Label everything! Label each notebook and textbook with the subject name. Use color-coding to further distinguish different school materials. A green science notebook should match a green book cover, etc. Also include the student’s name in case of losing the items.
  • Do a daily 15-minute cleanup of the child’s room, work, and play area. Limiting the time will keep from overwhelming the child and will also prevent a massive and lengthy cleanup at the end of the week or month.
  • The child should dump his/her entire backpack onto the floor or table in the same spot every day. This helps them find “lost” objects and papers and allows them to sort through their papers and trash from school.
  • Sort through lose papers stuffed into notebooks and textbooks. Should the papers be thrown out? Should they be hole-punched and put into a binder? A binder may be better than a folder as the papers can be easily flipped through and organized into sections.
  • Create a place for important papers. Use a labeled box or office paper trays to save a place for completed tests until they are no longer needed.
  • At the end of the school day, the child should look at his/her planner to make sure that the correct books and papers are brought home for homework and studying.

 

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

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written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Sleeper-Triplett, J. (2010). Empowering youth with ADHD: Your guide to coaching adolescents and young adults for coaches, parents, and professionals. Plantation, Fla: Specialty Press, Inc.

adhd coaching improving adhd with ANSWER

Finding the A-N-S-W-E-R

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Accept that you have ADHD and the challenges that come with it. Realize that, as much as you may want it to, your ADHD will not simply disappear. Get to know your ADHD and which problems affect your life the greatest. Your problems must be recognized before they can be helped.

Narrow your focus and work on improving only one or two problems at a time. Narrow your focus by asking yourself: which issues affect my life most often? Remember that trying to tackle too many problems at once is overwhelming and likely to not work well.

Strategize about solving your one or two selected difficulties. There is no one method that will help every person with ADHD. Try to find your own strategy that works for you and realize that finding a good strategy may take some time. Don’t just focus on your weaknesses that need changing; focus on your strengths that can lead to a successful strategy!

Work through your strategy. Commit 100% to your chosen strategy and keep up your effort! This means overcoming obstacles, failures, and frustrations that come with any life change.

Evaluate your plan and judge how well your strategy is working. Perhaps, the strategy is not working as planned. In this case, you must ask yourself which parts of the plan are not working and which parts are working. Modify your strategy according to your answers to these questions.

Repeat your strategy that has been working.  ADHD is a problem that follows you throughout a lifetime, so your strategies may need to be implemented for a long time as well. After reaching success, the last thing you want is to go back to your old ways.

Of course, the A-N-S-W-E-R method of improving ADHD is easier said than done, which is where ADHD coaching is a huge help.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Ratey, N. A. (2008). The disorganized mind: Coaching your ADHD brain to take control of your time, tasks, and talents. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.

 

ADHD diagnosis

How does ADHD Coaching Help?

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Create “Good Stress”
People with ADHD often require a feeling of stress in order to achieve goals. This is because the stress and sense of urgency of a deadline forces them to complete tasks. For this reason, ADHD coaching helps clients create their own “good stress.” By creating deadlines, schedules, and check-ins, clients learn to manipulate their stress level in order to finish tasks.

Decrease Negativity
A person with ADHD may feel guilty and ashamed of the difficulty they cause to themselves and others. Many people live with ADHD as their main identity. Coaching helps to rid of this negative identity. Always remember: you are NOT your ADHD.

Stay Motivated
It is a myth that people with ADHD lack motivation. Coaching helps people to realize their motivation and past success. This leads to higher self-confidence and continued success.

Know Yourself and Make Changes
An important factor in coaching is to teach clients to recognize their own behavior. With ADHD, clients must recognize their actions in order to notice when they are getting off track. Self-monitoring also helps to tune out distractions and increase attention.

Among other benefits, ADHD coaching helps to strengthen time management and organizational skills as well as build self-esteem and acceptance.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Ratey, N. A. (2008). The disorganized mind: Coaching your ADHD brain to take control of your time, tasks, and talents. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.

Heritability of ADHD

Heritability of ADHD

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ADHD very clearly runs in families. In fact, over 25% of immediate family members (mothers, fathers, siblings) of children with ADHD also have ADHD. Studies with twins also confirm the heritability of ADHD. If one identical twin has ADHD, there is a 75-90% risk that the other twin will have ADHD as well. For fraternal twins, the risk is less profound, but still 6 to 10 times greater than among unrelated children.
Genes contribute much more greatly to ADHD than do environmental factors. The number of genes involved in inheriting ADHD is still unclear as scientists continue to study the human genome. Thus far, specifically, 9 genes may be related to ADHD. The DRD4 gene is often longer in people with ADHD. This gene is related to novelty seeking, which means that the person requires more dopamine in order to be stimulated. Therefore, the person with a long DRD4 gene may be more likely to take risks, act impulsively, and experience restlessness. The DAT1 gene may also contribute to symptoms of ADHD. This gene is also longer in people with ADHD and helps control dopamine levels in the body.
Parents should not feel blame or accept blame from others for their child’s genetically inherited disorder. Like inheriting the genes for height or eye color, this is something that is out of a parent’s control.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Barkley, R. A. (2013). Taking charge of ADHD: The complete, authoritative guide for parents (3rd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

Picture retrieved on August 3, 2015 from: https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?nih-finds-genes-that-may-be-new-parkinson-therapy-targets

 

parenting children with adhd

Parenting Pointers – Children with ADHD

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Dr. Russell Barkley stresses the importance of practicing “scientific parenting.” Much like scientists, parents of children with ADHD must be open and critical to new information. The following points describe the steps you need to take in order to be a scientific parent.

  • It’s okay to be uncertain. No one, including professionals, has the perfect guide to parenting a child with ADHD. Keep an open mind regarding information about ADHD or you may miss out on useful information.
  • Gain knowledge about ADHD. After admitting your uncertainty about parenting a child with ADHD, make a point to seek knowledge. Read the books, read the blogs, and ask questions! Knowing as much as possible about ADHD and learning from others’ mistakes will prepare you for the journey of raising your child.
  • Be critical of information. In other words, don’t believe everything you hear or read about ADHD. Reading opinions and other people’s experiences may be useful to you, but only professionals and credible sources can be truly trusted.
  • Try new things and don’t give up! Don’t be afraid to try new parenting methods if your old ways aren’t working. Experiment and do not be discouraged if the method fails. Failure will lead you in the direction towards success.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Barkley, R. A. (2013). Taking charge of ADHD: The complete, authoritative guide for parents (3rd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

Picture retrieved August 3, 2015 from: http://renewconnectenjoy.com/workshops/

 

ADHD diagnosis

ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

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Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is commonly comorbid, or simultaneously occurring with ADHD. ODD is a problem that first becomes noticeable in the preschool years or during early adolescence. The following information discusses the symptoms and criteria needed for a diagnosis of ODD. Please remember that not all people with ADHD have ODD and vice versa; however, the two commonly occur together.

Of the following list of symptoms, at least 4 must be present for at least 6 months to be diagnosed with ODD. The behaviors must also occur with at least one person who is not a sibling. For children under the age of 5, the behaviors should occur on most days for at least 6 months. For those over 5, the behaviors should occur at least once per week for at least 6 months in order to be diagnosed with ODD. These symptoms must cause distress to oneself or others in close social contact with the person, or it must negatively impact areas of functioning such as school, work, or social situations.

Symptoms:

  1. Loses temper often.
  2. Easily annoyed or often touchy
  3. Frequently angry or resentful
  4. Often argues with figures of authority, such as adults
  5. Actively defies authority figures and/or rules
  6. Annoys others on purpose
  7. Blames others for his or her misbehavior or mistakes.
  8. Has been spiteful or vindictive 2 times within the past 6 months.
  • If symptoms occur only in one setting (school, home, work, social environment) ODD may be categorized as mild.
  • If symptoms occur in 2 settings, ODD may be moderate.
  • If symptoms occur in 3 or more settings, ODD may be considered severe.

If you believe that you or a loved one may be struggling with ADHD and/or ODD, please contact Dr. Gordon today!

 

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5.

 

ADHD diagnosis

ADHD and Stereotype Threat

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Stereotype threat is a very commonly researched phenomenon that affects people’s performance on tests and other evaluated tasks. Stereotype threat occurs when a member of a stereotyped group is evaluated on a task on which society believes they should not perform well. The member of the group is distracted and self-conscious about his or her performance due to the stereotype. For example, in a society that believes girls are not good at math, a girl may become distracted and discouraged during a math test, and therefore earn a low grade. This, in turn, confirms the stereotype.

Research about stereotype threat tends to focus on race and gender; only few studies have examined the existence of stereotype threat for people with ADHD. Since ADHD is strongly related to academic underachievement, students with ADHD often view themselves as less capable of performing well on tests than their peers. Belonging to a group that typically does not perform well on tests could cause those with ADHD to be at risk for stereotype threat. Research finds that students with ADHD are at risk!

Some participants were part of the “stereotype threat group” in which stereotype threat was evoked by reminding them of the stereotypes of ADHD. These participants with ADHD were reminded of their diagnosis as well as reminded that people with ADHD tend to not perform well on tests. Their scores on a GRE test were lower than their peers with ADHD who were not reminded of their diagnosis and stereotype. This suggests that when people with ADHD are reminded of their poor academic performance stereotype, they are at risk of underperforming on evaluated tasks.

What can we do to prevent stereotype threat? 

It is important to not remind people with ADHD of their stereotypes, especially before an exam. Having a role model who has proven the stereotype to be false is also encouraging for people with ADHD. Additionally, getting help for ADHD and gaining test-taking skills can give students the confidence to perform well on tests. Of course, the biggest goal would be to reduce and eliminate the stereotype that people with ADHD always perform poorly on tests.
Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Foy, S. L. (2015). Challenges from and beyond symptomatology: Stereotype threat in young adults with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 19(7), 1-12. doi:10.1177/1087054715590159

 

ADHD diagnosis

Sleep Problem or ADHD?

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Sleep disorders and ADHD share many of the same symptoms. Children with sleep apnea were found to have symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, learning difficulties, and aggressive behavior, which are similar to symptoms of ADHD. As for adults, symptoms of sleep disorders are also similar to those of ADHD. Both include trouble concentrating, problems with organizing, memory problems, and difficulty completing tasks. Sleep problems are extremely under-diagnosed in both children and adults, possibly because few pediatricians and physicians claim to be confident about helping patients with sleep disorders.
With sleep problems causing and potentially exacerbating symptoms of ADHD, it is important for people with ADHD to get a good night’s sleep. Remember to refrain from using electronics before sleeping. The light emitted from phones, laptops, and TVs interfere with the body’s melatonin levels and disrupt the sleep cycle. Also, talk to your doctor about concerns with sleep. If you think your behavior is not just caused by a sleep problem, Dr. Gordon is here to help with identifying and treating ADHD.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Breus, M. J. (2013, May 1). ADHD or Sleep Disorder: Are We Getting It Wrong? | Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201305/adhd-or-sleep-disorder-are-we-getting-it-wrong

 

ADHD diagnosis

White Noise to Improve Attention

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Due to the belief that people with low dopamine levels may benefit from external stimulation in order to better concentrate and perform tasks, white noise was suggested to help children with ADHD perform better in school. Although, white noise may be distracting for people without ADHD, it may provide enough brain stimulation for people with ADHD to improve their functioning.

This idea was confirmed through a study of one boy in first grade who had ADHD. Instead of focusing on his schoolwork, his attention was often on verbal, motor, and passive off-task behaviors. Verbal off-task behavior includes talking when not permitted to or making sounds for the class to hear. Motor off-task behaviors include standing, walking around, or playing with school supplies. Passive off-task behaviors are the times that a person visually focuses on something other than the task at hand. Before the boy was prescribed medication and before he listened to white noise, his behavior was off-task for about 89% of the time. When he listened to white noise in class with headphones, his off-task behaviors decreased to about 62% of the time. Even better results occurred when he began taking ADHD medication and listened to white noise, which reduced his off-task behavior to only 45%.

Since the addition of white noise through headphones increased attention in this boy with ADHD, other children may likely benefit from white noise as well. The sound, not only, immediately reduced all types of off-task behavior, but it also led to improvements in writing and math assignments. Perhaps most importantly, the child agreed that the white noise was helpful and easy to use.

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Cook, A., Johnson, C., & Bradley-Johnson, S. (2015). White noise to decrease problem behaviors in the classroom for a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 37(1), 38-50. doi:10.1080/07317107.2015.1000234

 

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Movement May Improve Performance in Children with ADHD

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A 2015 study of 52 boys between 8 to 12 years of age found that moving in the form of spinning or rolling in a chair, fidgeting, getting out of a chair, among other physical movements may actually increase the performance level of children with ADHD. Over the course of 4 weeks, these boys, some diagnosed with ADHD and some without ADHD, completed a series of memory tasks in a classroom-like setting. Their levels of movement were carefully observed, as were their levels of attention to the task.

As expected, the boys with ADHD showed more movement behaviors and fewer attentive behaviors than the boys without ADHD. Interestingly, higher levels of movement experienced by boys with ADHD were positively associated with higher scores on the memory tasks. In other words, the more that boys with ADHD moved and fidgeted, the higher their scores were.

It may seem counterintuitive that more movement could possibly cause ADHD children to earn higher scores. However, according to research, it actually makes sense. Children with ADHD have decreased activity in the frontal and prefrontal cortexes in the brain. Since physical movement increases cortical arousal, the extra movement may create the brain activity that these children normally lack. So, the movement that increases cortical arousal may cause children with ADHD to perform better than they would without moving.

 

Contact Dr. Gordon for help with your ADHD. We have treatment and solutions available online, by phone, and in our offices.

Get Started

written by:
 Brianna Malinowski, 
Jay Gordon, Ph.D

Sarver, D. E., Rapport, M. D., Kofler, M. J., Raiker, J. S., & Friedman, L. M. (2015). Hyperactivity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Impairing deficit or compensatory behavior? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. doi:10.1007/s10802-015-0011-1