ADHD! A disability or a valuable asset? Reflections and adapted interventions!

ADHD? Attention Deficit Dis order is probably the psychiatric disorder whose diagnosis and treatment has literally exploded according to Statistics Canada, affecting nearly 11% of children aged 4 to 17. It is hard not to feel dizzy when you look at the curve of a graph illustrating the rise and speed of diagnoses over the last 15 years.

It is hard not to ask the question, "Why is that? Another question we can ask ourselves is, ''Can something that affects so many people really be a disease''? New research in neuroscience has shown that people with ADHD have a trait that makes them constantly seek novelty. Their reward system, which is dopamine, is more difficult to stimulate than ours, which makes their daily life seem routine and not stimulating enough to give them the motivation to move forward. Thus, to compensate, they are attracted to new and exciting experiences, to hyper-stimulating video games to feed their appetite for strong sensations.

Psychostimulants such as Ritalin or Aderall will help by blocking the transport of dopamine to the neurons, thus increasing the level in the brain. Modern life doesn't seem to be moving fast enough for them, hence the impatience that we know so well. In the eyes of teachers, bosses, parents and the world in general, the problem with ADHD is that they have a deficit of concentration and attention and that they also have impulsive temperaments. So, perhaps children with ADHD simply have traits that don't fit with the expectations of our modern culture, schools and job market. What if we decided to put ourselves in the shoes of ADHD? We would probably realize that the world around us is pretty boring.

Parents often confide in me that without the pharmacological molecules, their child is unable to concentrate for more than 30 seconds on reading. On the other hand, when interested in something, the same child without medication can easily spend hours building a 3000 piece Star Wars spaceship out of Lego blocks. The same child is also able to use surgical precision to make a three-dimensional craft. So it's a safe bet that many children with symptoms or a diagnosis of ADHD will be the type to watch TV with the sound off, while listening to music with headphones on while studying for an important exam. When we watch them in action, it will be tempting for us to want to impose our methods and ways on them. We will have to talk to each other to suppress this urge because when they function in these ways, they are meeting their specific needs. Once in the workforce, most of them will not fit into a desk job. However, they will feel alive in a stimulating job where they have to do a million things at once, speak in front of crowds, be in charge of projects, entrepreneurs, etc. It is quite possible that their symptoms will diminish or even disappear.

See a short list of famous and successful people who have publicly displayed their ADHD: René Léger (founder of the St-Hubert restaurant chain), Michael Phelps (the most decorated Olympian in history) and Richard Branson (eccentric billionaire founder of the Virgin Group empire)

Who said ADHD was a crutch, a limitation?

What are the diagnosis criteria of ADHD ?

In order not to make a mistake, it is essential to ask yourself the following two questions throughout the process: ''What is the ultimate target, my happiness, my well-being or that of my child? Is my child being punished on a daily basis because he/she has ADHD?

Focus:

In the popular mind, it is well known that one needs to limit distractions and environmental noise in order to be able to concentrate and be effective and productive. However, many times, children with ADHD need exactly the opposite. In intervention, we get families to open their minds to the fact that what may be distracting to you may have the opposite effect on your child. Some children are distracted by an overly quiet environment. While some will have noise-canceling shells. For example, if you're wondering how you can help your child focus, test with background music, TV playing with sound, no sound. Observe if he will turn off the TV, if he will simply turn off the sound, turn down the volume etc. Do the same tests with a TV show he has already seen etc. There is no one recipe that works for everyone. At the Clinique de l'Enfant, we have the expertise to target your personalized needs. We will help you to :

• Make observations and multiple tests to find the right method for him or her,
• Ask questions about what they like best,
• To become aware of one's own needs, of the atmosphere that suits him best, etc.

Listen:

When your child tells you about a difficult situation at school that he or she feels has been unfairly treated, just listen. You don't necessarily have to agree or disagree with them, just listen to their story. They will feel important, heard and understood. In a helping relationship, we will investigate his feelings in the situation in question. Teach him to identify his emotion, to welcome it and to deal with it.

Induce a better future:

Children tend to believe that they will be stuck in their problems and difficulties forever. Thinking this way makes it harder to hope. They live in the moment.

Children tend to believe that they will be stuck in their problems and difficulties forever. Thinking this way makes it harder to hope. They live in the moment.

At the Children's Clinic we advocate inducing a brighter future for them. It is important to emphasize to them that they are young, that their brains are still developing, and that when they are older, they will be stronger, and will be able to handle their difficulties better and the best will be ahead of them.

That later on, they will have strategies and techniques that will make everything better. Keep in mind that without hope, the will to change cannot be there.

Dedramatize:

Keep in mind that while at school, your child is being judged because of his ADHD, he knows it, he knows he is different. He uses every ounce of energy to control himself, to try to fit in, to normalize himself and to fit the mold. He perceives how others look at him and he has to fight to keep his integrity and his self-esteem. He feels punished for being different from his friends. In the families we work with, we find that once he is home, support is paramount. He needs to feel that you are on his team, solid. This way, he will feel that he has a refuge where he can be as he is. We will equip you to be in the balance between accepting who he is without disempowering him. You must choose your battles and your interventions. It is easy to fall into the trap of over intervention. When you feel like intervening with your child, I invite you to take a step back and ask yourself if it is absolutely necessary to intervene on the situation, on the word that has been said, etc. The adults in your child's life probably intervene much more with your child than with other children. So if he can get a break at home, it will allow him to recharge his batteries.

Does your instinct as a parent tell you that your child has symptoms of ADHD? A diagnosis has been made and you would like assistance in the future? The Children's Clinic works on your situation, in a personalized approach in your living environment to align your practices with your other health and school professionals. Contact me to obtain coaching and complete support in order to build personalized solutions adapted to your specific needs.