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This is ADD ADHD: A Visual Explanation

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD ADD is very common yet one of the most misunderstood challenges. So the first order of business is to try to explain it. There are many sites that explain it well with words already. So we're going to try a slightly different approach. Ready?

Let's take a typical school day. The teacher instructs the students, both verbally and by writing it on the board, what the assignment is, and they are to begin working on it. It's straightforward enough: you get your book, paper and pencil, and get to work. It's a good transmission of information, for the "normal" student.

Now, let's compare that to how an ADHD child might be receiving information. The teacher is giving instructions, the rythmic tap of the chalk on the board is a little like a basketball being dribbled down the court.

Being an observant teacher she notices that one child seems to "not quite get" all of the instructions, she goes and rubs the child's shoulder and repeats the instructions, maintaining eye contact.

Child is redirected.

Child tries to do assigned work, but drops pencil on the floor. Have you ever noticed all the different shoes everyone wears?

Again the teacher realizes the child has lost concentration. Again, patiently, the teacher calls the child back to the task at hand. Child goes back to work and is doing well. Teacher now calls the reading group over. The child must "shift gears" to reading now.

After the group finishes reading, the teacher instructs them to go back and finish their seat work. Children go to their desks as the next group goes for reading. On the way back the ADHD child happens to catch a glimpse of a plane outside the classroom window.

This time however the teacher is busy teaching reading to the other group. The child can not help thinking (AKA - daydreaming) "Where are all those people are off too? Disney World? Gosh, I wish I could go to Disney World. Washington, DC? Wow! That would be COOL to see all those neat monuments and things! Wonder where those people are going?" The child is abruptly brought back to the school room by the bell ringing, announcing it's time to go home. Everyone packs up their back packs and heads home. On the bus everyone is talking about going outside and playing soccer. Our friend isn't smiling and joining in the conversation; this child realizes he has to go home and do not only homework, but the seatwork he didn't get finished - AGAIN.

To recap, visually, this is what the last 45 minutes of the ADHD child's day "looked" like:

Pretty busy, rather confusing picture, huh?! You see, the ADHD child isn't lazy or just not getting it. In fact, it's quite the opposite, they're getting EVERYTHING! But in trying to process the assignment and get the work done, the EVERYTHING gets in the way. The ADHD child can not screen out the other things going on around them, they absorb it all, and therefore are overwhelmed and can't get ANYTHING done.

Ah, but there are places to help these children. There are many many resources! The schools are working very hard to help these children and are making great strides. There are ways for parents to help the children stay on task. There are also medication options. These are the "tradiitonal" remedies; however, there are many other approaches that have proven very useful. Among them would be natural, herbal remedies, home schooling, and behavior modification techniques just to name a few!

Submitted by Katrina Milligan

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