Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD and ADHD) Articles

A client of mine said, “I feel like a fraud. Like what right do I have to build a business around my needs and my desires? ‘Real businesses’ don’t get to do that. What right do I have to build a business my way and ignore what everyone else is telling me to do?” What do you think?

It’s all over the news, ADHD is everywhere. Kids have it in record numbers, adults have it too. Is ADHD the latest craze? Is ADHD real or is it just an excuse? What is ADHD anyway? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is commonly referred to as ADHD, ADD, AD/HD or ...

What’s the best way to capture, and hold someone’s attention? I was out for a walk and noticed the lawn signs that contractors put up when they do work at a house. I started to pay attention to which signs I was attracted to and which did not interest me. I learned a powerful lesson in messaging and how to communicate with the people you interact with as I walked. I saw a lot of signs, I’m going to focus on two signs in particular. They are both local painters.

Is gift-giving stressful at your house? Do you try to find things that your child would like, hoping to surprise her, but then learn that it was not what she had in mind at all? Gift giving for children who are inflexible in their thinking can be a disappointing exercise in miscommunication. It takes some careful communication ahead of time to have a happy gift-receiving experience. If you want to surprise you child with a gift, you probably should let go of that. Children on the spectrum simply don’t do well with surprise.

February 2006 - Volume III - Issue II nnnADHD - Organizing?- Find a good friendnnStatement: My intent in this newsletter is to express as quickly as possible my own beliefs and opinions on matters. I have no problems with people who disagree with my opinion and have even been swayed to rethink my position from time to time. We are still taking book orders for my new book "ADHD and The Criminal Justice System" and you can get my author's discount from the http://www.addcorrido

We had so much fun kayaking last week, we decided to go again. It was a bit warmer, the water was clearer and there were a lot more people. We set out on the 8-mile trip down the Delaware River. There are two islands you pass on the left as you go down the river. We stopped at the first island to eat lunch. I think everyone had the same idea and the very small “beach” got very crowded and we quickly left. As we got into our kayaks, I suggested we leave the main branch of the river and instead go around the island. Last week we stayed with everyone else.

Developing a behavior modification program for kids having ADHD entails hardwork, dedication, commitment and cooperation between parents, teachers and caregivers. To start with the treatment plan, behavioral management should be the first step. It involves understanding new skills which can feature communication, problem handling, anger control, and impulse control. When everyone takes part in the training, the most effective effects happen. The cognitive behavioral therapy,

My client was telling me about an experience he had with a client of his. My client was second guessing himself. Did he do the right thing even if it made both him and his client uncomfortable? The short answer to his question was, yes. He showed up and did exactly what he was hired to do. The real issue, however, lay in the question I asked him. Why was he second guessing himself?

My friend called when I was out. My son answered the phone. I got the message when I got home late that evening. It was after ten, too late to call back. Based on my schedule that week, I knew it would be at least two days before I could call her back. Five days later, I was sitting at my desk when my phone rang, she called me again. I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to call her. I apologized for not getting back to her. She said, “Oh I figured you got caught up with something, no problem,” and we started to talk.

Your child can be labeled “ADHD” based on a certain list of behaviors. Yet, how can you be sure that your child really has a permanent, incurable brain disorder? Could the symptoms of ADHD indicate something else? "But Doctor, my child doesn't sleep well. He stays busy all the time, one minute he's happy, the next he's crying. He still has some bedwetting problems, complains about headaches and stomach pains. He's a finicky eater. His teacher at school says he's restless

It comes up time and time again. You know you are being taken advantage of. Then suddenly out of your mouth come the words "Sure, I can do that" or "it’s ok, don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it." You think you’re being nice. You may think it’s your job, so even if you’re technically not supposed to do it you will. Or you may think you’re helping someone out and that’s always the right thing to do. Guess what… you’re not being nice. You’re being a meanie. You’re being mean to yourself.

When your child enters school a new institution enters your family. The school influences your family life, your child’s life, and his or her sense of well-being. Often this is a positive influence — new experiences, new friends, pride in learning. However, for most parents there comes a time when you need to schedule a talk with the teacher. Think of this relationship as a collaboration. You need each other. Here are some tips for making that talk as productive as possible.

I was at a beautiful, beachside hotel in Miami, the elevator opened; a bellman with six large pieces of luggage was already inside. As I joined him, I commented that someone brought a lot with them. Then he told me, two of the suitcases were empty but they will be full when they leave. Shopping was on someone's agenda. Why do we shop? It can be a necessity. There are things you truly need, that your survival depends on.

This week I have been reading Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: How the Mind Grows from Conception to College by Sandra Aamodt, Ph.D. and Sam Wang, Ph.D. The authors describe brain development and child development, linking the two in a very instructive way. Along the way, they debunk a number of myths, and they offer research data to support all they describe. While some of the book gets fairly technical in its description brain anatomy and function, it also gives practical examples of ways parents can foster their children’s development.

Child psychologists tell parents to listen to their children, and they should. I have learned in my practice and in my life as a parent that it isn’t always clear how to get children to talk when you want to listen. When children get home from school or parents arrive home from work, parent asks, “How was your day?” Answer, “Fine.” “Anything interesting happen?” “Nope.” I can’t say that I know why this happens, but I know that it does. So, when can you talk?

Over the weekend I attended a large family Passover seder with about fifty people in attendance. The seder is a dinner with a liturgy that tells the story of how Moses led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. It got me thinking about the value of community in raising children. Participants ranged in age from late eighties to seven years old. The elders told a little about the family’s origins in Poland and their travel to America, and they reminisced about seders of fifty and sixty years ago.

I was speaking with a client. She was excited to be co-presenting with a colleague. She said her colleague was very well connected because, she used to be a producer for a major network television show. My client went on to share wonderful things about her co-presenter, yet had little to share about herself and why anyone would want to hear her speak.

When I set out for my walk today, I had several very specific goals in mind. I wanted to walk for about an hour, cover about 4 miles, and get some inspiration along with fresh air. Based on my goals, I created a plan. I would drive to a large wooded “reservation” near my home. I plotted the path I would take. I would start by walking through the woods toward a paved path, do the loop on that path, and finally circle back along the road to my car.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone when all of a sudden they interjected with a comment or story that was completely unrelated to what you were talking about? That person may be suffering from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or what is better known as adult ADHD. Most of the 4.4% of the adults in the United States who suffer from ADHD use medication to help them get by, but a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that adding c

I was working with a client who had recently been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD). She went on to say that she was happy she had ADHD because now she had a built in excuse to be disorganized. Certainly people with ADHD have trouble being organized but is it an excuse?nnI have ADHD, do I have to be disorganized too?nJust because you have ADHD doesn’t mean you have to be disorganized. In fact there are many people with ADHD who are incred

The path to liberation is an ongoing process of moving forward on your path to remove the obstacles to your inner peace and self-knowledge. The obstacles on this journey can be as diverse as your mind can imagine. Yet it is not until you are solidly grounded in your body and the world that real progress can be made and most importantly maintained.

What do you need to do first when you open your business? Typical responses include open a business bank account, create a website, get business cards, design a logo and start networking. Yup, you need to put all those pieces in place and none of it will make a difference if you don’t answer the following three questions first. 1. What do you sell? This includes how it’s priced and packaged.

Do you know what day January 17th is? Here's a hint: it has nto do with New Year's Resolutions. If you’re like most nAmericans, January brings a renewed sense of energy and nmotivation that usually results in a “New Year’s nResolution.” But if you have Attention nDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (also known as ADD or ADHD), nmaking positive changes may be more of a challenge than it nseems. nnnThere are three things that make New Year’s Resolutions

There are more than 2 million children suffering from ADHD in America, and the figures are set to increase exponentially every 4 years. Despite this, most parents are unaware of how to recognize ADHD, or how to treat it. The symptoms of ADHD are also easily mistaken for a child misbehaving, making it even harder for a parent to differentiate between the two. nnnADHD is a form of Attention Deficit Disorder, and is the most common neurological disease that children suffer from,

OK, I'll admit it; I love getting rid of things. A couple of weeks ago I was sitting in my office and suddenly had the urge to purge. I filled four bags with papers, notes and other things that weren't serving my needs. The reason I love getting rid of things is because of the space I ...

I got thinking today about how helpful it is for children when their parents and teachers can communicate and collaborate well. I happened to run across two good examples among the families I work with. This is true even if your child does not have learning problems, but it is especially important for children who have ADHD, learning disabilities, or Asperger Syndrome. Here are some ways to go about building a good relationship that invites helpful communication.

There are those that are natural born networkers and there are those that are not. I fall squarely into the “are not” camp. The goal of business networking is to meet, and connect with people so that you can find clients, partners, employees, referrals to people who provide services you need, or referrals to people who need the service you provide. Networking can even simply be about meeting people in the same boat as you to become part of your support system. Networking is vital to growing any business, including mine.

This week we all have our minds on the disclosure of sexual abuse of young boys by a coach at Penn State. I have been struck by the emphasis on who did what when rather than conce for the children who were abused. For many of us it raises the frightening prospect that our children or children we know could be sexually abused. I want to spend some time talking about how parents can find out whether a camp, preschool, Sunday School, or club is a safe place for their children. The way I see it there are three lines of defense. Educate Children

This is an article about sales and connecting with your prospects, but first I am going to tell you a story. I had been feeling pretty good overall, but then suddenly, everything was bothering me. My feet were sore, my shoulders were achy and my thumb hurt. None of this was particularly unusual, since these were the things that I generally saw my chiropractor about; what was unusual is that, all of these issues had been a lot better until I found myself tossing and turning all night because I couldn’t get comfortable.

Approximately 5% of the population suffers from ADD, with majority of them being children. However, it is possible for ADD to carry on into adulthood due to a lack of treatment. Whilst there is insufficient research to support the causes of ADD, it can be due to genetics, prenatal conditions or neurological damage. nnnADD is a condition whereby the reticular activating system is impaired, reducing the amount of norepinephrine in the brain, which causes difficulty in communica

I often connect two things that on the surface seem to have nothing to do with each other. Do you ever do that? Here’s something that occurred to me while I was out for a walk. Your business is like a dandelion. Let me explain. Dandelions were brought to the United States as a medicinal plant. They seem to have taken to the environment very well (at least here in the Northeast). So much so that they are now looked upon as weeds and, judging by most of the homes in my neighborhood, we do everything in our power to get rid of them.

I was at a beautiful, beachside hotel in Miami, the elevator opened; a bellman with six large pieces of luggage was already inside. As I joined him, I commented that someone brought a lot with them. Then he told me, two of the suitcases were empty but they will be full when they leave. Shopping was on someone's agenda. Why do we shop? It can be a necessity. There are things you truly need, that your survival depends on.

A client emailed me…I am feeling crazy stuck in a comparison cycle today - and I have so much to do. Just wanted to share my mind-tape today in case you have any sage wisdom. When you play the comparison game it seems that you always fall on the short end of the stick. Everyone else’s business is better. Everyone has more clients. Everyone is making more money. Everyone else is doing more than you. Everyone else can do it. Now wait a minute. Is that really true? If you are going to play the comparison game at least play full on.

I love to nurture and take care of people. Since I love to cook and bake one way I get to satisfy this need is to cook and feed them. I hosted a dinner party for twenty recently. I checked in with my guests to see if there were any dietary needs. There were two vegetarians, one person who didn't eat beef and two who avoided gluten. The menu covered all the bases. Everything was gluten free. I decided on a chicken, a beef and a vegetarian dish. The side dishes and appetizers would be gluten free and vegetarian.

I got a text message from one of my clients telling me that he was leaving his office to mix up the energy and get him going. It's a strategy that we had discussed recently; a strategy to get him focused and helps his creative juices flow. I could say that being an entrepreneur is always wonderful. I could say that the entrepreneurial life is easy because entrepreneurs get to do exactly what they want and don't have a boss to answer to. Yeah, I could say that and if I did I'd be lying. Being an entrepreneur is hard.

There are many symptoms that a person suffering from ADD will display. These include a lack of organization, restlessness, inability to concentrate, agitation and impulsive behaviour. However, these symptoms are easily mistaken with that of other diseases, such as thyroid, depression, or simply an excessive intake of sugar. nnnIf you find that you, or your child, have constantly exhibited the above symptoms for a long period of 3 to 6 months, there is a possibility that you a

Now we are into December, and the holiday season is officially underway. How can you help you and your quirky kids focus on the enjoyment and minimize the overwhelm that can come with this time of year? Self Care

I participated in a "painting party" with seventy business owners. Painting has never been my thing. I don’t see myself as artistic. And creating an image by drawing, painting, sketching or anything else like that makes me uncomfortable. There were rows of tables and easels. Each seat had paint, brushes and an apron. There were three platforms, also with easels for the instructors and a bar. I searched for an excuse. How could I possibly get out of this "party"? I did not think it was going to be fun; in fact, I was certain I was about to expose some serious shortcomings.

Legitimate excuses. no excuses What’s yours? We all have them. A legitimate excuse is the reason you say you can’t do something. I hear a lot of legitimate excuses. I hear them from clients during coaching calls and, boy, do I hear them during sales conversations. Legitimate excuses I hear from clients are: -I can’t speak with potential clients until I have the particulars of a program worked out or a sales page completed.rn -I can’t go to a networking event until I figure out what to say in my elevator pitch.r

That’s a silly question, isn’t it? We all know that lying is saying something that is not true and acting as though it is true. Strictly speaking, that is the case. What is a lie that a parent should be conce ed about and what should parents do about it? That is a more difficult question, and I think that all parents face this at one point or another. Kids lie when they fear a bad outcome or when they don’t want you to know that they are messing up because you will be so upset or because they’ll be so embarrassed or all of the above.

ADD is when the reticular activating system in your brain, which is a part of your body’s central nervous system, is dysfunctional. This area of the brain is responsible for coordinating the information from one region of the brain to another via norepinephrine, due to external information. When it is impaired, there is excessive stimulation causing the mind to be overworked and unable to cope, leading to a lack of focus and other symptoms. nnnThere are many forms of AD

There are many different anxiety disorders, but their one common underlying characteristic is the overwhelming and incessant worry and fear experienced. For those who suffer from anxiety disorders, there is a variety of treatments available to help you overcome this illness and live a normal life free from panic attacks. These range from medication to therapy and alternative medicines. Often, the different treatments can be combined together, depending on each individual&#821

Despite continued controversy, powerful new evidence regarding the biological underpinnings of ADHD have recently emerged. Repeated studies have shown the fact that controlling for confounding variables, the coefficient of heritability for ADHD is .8, or higher than that for Schizophrenia (.7), Intelligence (.5), or Breast Cancer (.3). This information is very compelling evidence for a biological explanation of ADHD, as it basically states that the chance of an identical twin

Today we use science, statistical data, patriotism, religion, popularity, wealth, health, and love, as ways to control. We are manipulated by what we may or may not be, have, lose or never get if we do not do, think or verbalize, exactly as we are told to. Hung over our heads are images of ...

The diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) has skyrocketed 800% in the past three decades. Currently over sixty millio Americans are said to suffer from attention disorders and there are now forty five million prescriptions written for these toxic medications to improve their performance on a daily basis. However, there is no biological test to show this “illness” exists despite a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical industry that thrives on its existence. Moreover these medications are dangerous in themselves.

People with ADHD-related conditions often make spontaneous purchases that are unneeded and may hurt their budget. This is because ADHD often makes people hyper focused on present impulses and desires and makes it difficult for those with the disorder to put off immediate gratification for future needs. One study revealed that adults with ADHD impacts finances, as people with ADHD are more likely to use payday loans, pawn shops, pay late fees, and get bank overdrafts. Impulsiv