Comorbidities of ADHD

Approximately half of all people with ADHD suffer from another condition. This is known as a comorbidity. Sometimes comorbidities are considered 'secondary' or triggered by ADHD. For example, a child could be particularly depressed because they are constantly being told off for being impulsive or not being able to focus on the task at hand. This will generally subside once the ADHD is diagnosed and treated. When the problems don't resolve this is when a condition is considered comorbid or standalone, a diagnosis in itself. The condition is both chronic and pervasive. That means they were noticed early on in childhood and…

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ADHD in Schools

As we know, our children with ADHD generally have difficulties with attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity and time management/planning. These are all the things that are required to thrive in a mainstream school! I've used this analogy in a previous blog, but if your child was in a wheelchair, no one would expect to have to battle to get a ramp installed or wait years for this to happen. Yet a few simple adjustments to a mainstream school could really help our children and do not affect or impact the learning of the other students. Sitting still is probably the first obstacle, our kids…

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Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) in Children

Since blogging about ADHD in children, I have come across so many other comorbidities such as ASD, ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder), Anxiety, RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria) and here is yet another one, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance).  PDA is widely understood to be on the autistic spectrum or ASD as it is now called.  As I have learnt ASD and ADHD are also closely linked.  My daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD and ODD, and I work with children who have ASD and PDA, so I was really interested in the difference between ODD and Pathological Demand Avoidance in children.  What is Pathological…

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EHCP Help for Parents

Anyone who has been through the EHCP process will tell you, it's never straightforward. This is why I thought it would be helpful to write an EHCP "help for parents guide". Without the legal jargon thrown in. This is by no means the bible of EHCP help guides. It's just me, as a mum, who has been through this process, writing down all the steps I remember. What is an EHCP? An EHCP, or Educational Health Care Plan, is a legal document for children and young people up to the age of 25 years old. It is written by your Local Authority…

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Special Educational Needs (SEN) Glossary

Seriously, ever since I started this journey with my children with ADHD I have come across so many acronyms. I'll be honest. I would often just nod in some meetings because I was so overwhelmed by all the initials being thrown at me I thought WTF? And BRB (be right back!). Sometimes specialists and people working in a particular area forget that what is normal terminology for them is a "do what when?" to us parents. So, I thought I would put together a Special Educational Needs glossary for parents to have at a glance. Please do send me more to add…

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ADHD and Screen Time

It is estimated that as many as 25% of people with ADHD have Internet Addiction.  This can cause many problems including sleep issues, which many of our children already have.  Watching screens can cut into exercise and play times, again vital for all children but especially for ours with ADHD. So, what is it about ADHD and screen time? Children with ADHD don’t necessarily have difficulty focusing.  They have difficulty staying focussed if what they are doing is boring.  That is why classrooms are so dull for them.  They don’t want to pay attention because it’s not gripping them.  However, hand them…

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Today I was over it by 08:40 am

Today I was over it by 08:40 am.  With two children successfully in school and one refusing to come down from his high-rise bed, I was officially over it. Every morning is a struggle at the moment.  My mainstream child is simply a dream when it comes to school. Thankfully.  He gets his homework done on time, he gets up every morning on time and in the entire time of being at secondary school, two years, he has missed the bus once.  Praise the Lord for that child.  I mean don’t get me wrong, he has other things that drive me bonkers,…

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Great ADHD Books for Children

I was trying to remember the other day how I first talked to my daughter about ADHD.  I have always been very open with her on the subject. She had struggled before being diagnosed at 9 years old.   I never wanted her to feel like ADHD was something to be ashamed of because it isn’t. Like any disability, hidden or not.  I just wanted to let her know what ADHD is and how it affects people in so many ways.  I was at a loss myself at the time and, at the start of my journey as a parent of a child…

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ADHD and Dysgraphia in children

ADHD and Dysgraphia can both impact a child's ability to learn. ADHD is a condition that impacts a person's ability to focus and stay on task. Dysgraphia is a condition that impacts a person's ability to write correctly. Children who have ADHD and dysgraphia may struggle in school and may have difficulty completing assignments or taking tests. Approximately 31-45% of children with ADHD have a learning disorder such as Dysgraphia, and vice versa (Sage Journals). My daughter has ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculia. What is Dysgraphia? Dysgraphia is a condition that affects a person's ability to write correctly. The word dysgraphia comes from…

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ADHD Symptoms in Children

I remember googling this phrase the first time ADHD was suggested as a possible 'thing' for my daughter. Racing home I typed in, 'ADHD symptoms in children'. I rarely used google as a Dr because as we all know, we can suffer from any of the symptoms listed if we put our mind to it! Firstly it gave me a brief description of what ADHD was. In a nutshell, it said that ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, was the most common neurodevelopmental disorder to be diagnosed in children. Children with ADHD have trouble with attention, focus, impulsivity and being overly active.…

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