My son plopped down in a chair the other day and in an uncharacteristically despondent way said "Mum I think I have ADD". Up until that point the only time we talked about Attention Deficit Disorder was when one or the other of us was laughingly joking "I don't have ADD, I....hey look a squirrel!" All joking aside, his statement set off tiny alarm bells in my head (great now I'm hearing things!) With a family history of mental illness and a sneaking suspicion that I have attention deficit tendencies, I decided to do some research. ADD is no laughing matter for many people, young and old. Inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity can thwart attempts to live a normal life. But what if, as in my son's case, life is pretty normal except for problems organizing school work, getting in trouble for being too chatty in class and playing video games for hours at a time. I must admit this last one confused me as I thought ADD meant not being able to pay attention. But according to Kathleen Nadeau who explains this phenomenon in her book, Adventures in Fast Forward,
“in actuality, ADD is not a ‘deficit’ of attention, but a disorder in
which individuals have much less control over their responses to
stimuli. They are unable to regulate their attention.
Though they may have extreme difficulty focusing, organizing, and
completing certain mundane tasks, they are often able to focus intently
on other activities that interest them. This tendency to become
absorbed in tasks that are stimulating and rewarding is called
hyperfocus."1My son's symptoms are not overwhelming however they are frustrating for both him and me. My search led me to the conclusion that he may be suffering a mild form of ADD, a shadow ADD syndrome, as explained by John Ratey MD in his 1998 book "Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us." Medication has been developed to help mitigate symptoms of ADD that derail education and work. What can be done to help deal with shadow symptoms which may not warrant medication?
I discovered a wealth of information on the internet about coping with ADD. I will list a few that we are going to try:
Foods and Nutrition: Fatty acids are used to make brain and nerve tissue therefore omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, chia and walnuts can be helpful over the long term. Vitamins like magnesium, calcium and B6 have also found to be deficient in some people with ADD. Avoiding sugar can prevent blood sugar crashing. Eat at regular intervals.
Exercise: Consistent exercise can help, schedule a regular family walk after supper. Physical education at school should be encouraged. Exercise increases dopamine which can be low in people with ADD.
Establish Routines: ADD can often leave a person feeling like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day, where every day is a blank slate and deciding what to do can be overwhelming. Removing the decisions can create calm. Sit down with your child and decide on a schedule and help them stick to it. Have them do things like empty pockets in the same place every day when they get home. Bedtimes and wakeup times should be consistent and allow for a good 8 to 9 hours of sleep. Electronic devices should be turned off well in advance of bedtime to allow melatonin levels to rise and precipitate sleep.
Simplify: From decluttering their room and the house to limiting extra-curricular activities to just a few most-liked, simplification can decrease the amount of stimuli. Help you child clean out their backpack and binder from school and organize it appropriately.
Visual and Auditory Cues: Carry a 3x5 card each day with your goals for that day on it and refer to it often. Watches with chimes or alarms can help mark the passing of time and when certain tasks need to be done. iphones have infinite alarm capabilities.
Home Calendar: place a large calendar in a central location and record all family appointments and events. This will serve as a collective memory bank.
Homework Help: Homework needs to be monitored on a daily basis. Keep track of assignments using an agenda or an iPhone application. Homework should be done at the kitchen table to cut down on distractions and to allow for parental support. Big projects should be broken down into smaller bits and worked on over the course of the time available rather than trying to finish it all in one night before the deadline (or after the deadline!)
Consequences: Impulsivity can lead to poor and risky behaviour. Talk about consequences for such behaviour in advance. Establish rules and review them frequently.
Positive Attention: Catch your child being good and give them positive feedback immediately and frequently. This helps communicate the behaviour and skills you want to see. Be careful with your non-verbal cues such as tone of voice, facial expression and posture. Set aside positive one on one time of 20 minutes per day per child. Kids who feel loved, valued and positively connected with parents have high self esteem and are less likely to engage in risky behaviour.
I suppose now that we have started down this path I will become increasingly vigilant for signs of ADD in my son. I am hoping these coping strategies will provide him with the balance he desires. If it does not, the next step will be to seek professional opinion. I have recently become a fan of the TV show Extreme Home Makeover hosted by the effervescent Ty Pennington. He has ADHD (H stands for Hyperactive) and is a wonderful example of how one can use the "gifts" of this disorder. His energy, enthusiasm and hyperfocus provides the impetus for houses to be rebuilt in seven days, giving fabulous new homes to deserving families. Helping a child learn how to manage ADD now can provide good patterns going into adulthood, clear away their frustration, and provide optimism for their future.
Here are some further resources:
Keath Low, psychotherapist, maintains a helpful resource at http://add.about.com/
ADDitude Magazine online: www.additudemag.com
Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us, by John Ratey, MD, 1998. Shadow Syndromes information: http://www.addresources./article_shadow_syndromes_ratey.php
Andrea Garnier Spongberg is a full time mum, writer and accountant who wonders how she would have made it through university without hyperfocus to write all those papers.
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