(I want to preface this article by saying that I am not against traditional medication if that is the right thing for you or your child with ADHD, but for my son, it so far has not been the right thing. This is an article about our experience using natural methods to support my son's ADHD brain).
My son has ADHD. He also has SPD. He is hyper and impulsive. His brain and his body are constantly moving. Emotionally, he is about 2 years behind his peers. When he was first diagnosed in early 2020, he was just over 6 years old, and even our pediatrician hesitated with the diagnosis. Our school had requested that we bring someone along to that pediatrician appointment, and I knew it would mean a discussion of medicating him. I had no doubt that that was what the school wanted. Sure enough, once the diagnosis came, the first thing asked by many was "what medication are you going to put him on?" The thought hadn't even crossed my mind. He was only 6, and I dare say most 6-year-old are impulsive and can't sit still at times. He needed adults who understood his brain difference and could teach him in an out-of-the-box way, not to be on some medication that could possibly worsen his difficulties with sleeping and other ADHD challenges. He tends to get 'hangry' if he hasn't eaten enough and I did not want to imagine what that might look like if he was taking a medication that could result in loss of appetite as a side effect. He also gets grumpy and has a harder time when he hasn't gotten enough sleep. I know my kiddo best, and I didn't want to feel forced to put him on traditional medications when I knew he just needed time. Time to grow into his ADHD, time to learn about how his brain works, to learn coping and calming strategies. Lack of focus wasn't the issue. Neither was intelligence. It was his hyper activeness and impulsivity that was because it meant he wasn't able to sit in a chair at a desk all day. When he wasn't asked to sit all day and was allowed to have movement breaks, he was fine.
When his official diagnosis came, he had already been doing Occupational Therapy (OT) for 6 months. Originally referred to OT for help with written output, the OT soon saw that the reason for the struggles with written output came from a weak core. During their weekly sessions, they worked hard on sensory circuits, core strengthening activities, and writing with larger writing items on big surfaces (like using a whiteboard pen on a whiteboard or writing on a chalkboard at OT. At home he uses bingo dabber). He was calmer at the end of his sessions and was able to sit for 10 minutes and do table work with the OT, so I knew we must be on to something. OT was working and he was loving it, but his hyperactivity and impulsiveness were still high, and so on the advice of a friend of my mom's, I decided to give a Naturopath a call. I thought I would exhaust all my other options before going down the traditional medications route. We got started on a gluten-free diet, probiotics, multivitamins, and omega 3's. By the time we started on the gluten-free diet, it was about a week or so before lockdown, so it was hard to tell at that point if it was helping or not. I stayed the course though, and by the time school resumed for the month of June, I had seen an improvement in his gut health and his behaviour. Sleep remained our #1 issue. Both the quality of it and the quantity. The sleep issues affected the behaviour and stamina in a huge way, and I knew that eventually, we would need to look deeper into it and figure out a solution.
We went through the summer and early fall on the same regime as the spring and didn't add any other supplements until October. On the advice of the naturopath, we decided to add a daily zinc tablet to his regime, as well as vitamin d. The zinc was meant to help with the impulsivity and hyperactivity, and after having him take it for several months, I could tell the days he didn't take it, like weekends. He was way more impulsive. I was a little reluctant to give him melatonin, or any kind of thing to help him sleep, but he was really struggling to get good quality sleep, he was having really big emotions and meltdowns at bedtime, and it was affecting how he was in the day times also. We finally did add two sleep aides, and they have helped him to get both good quality and a good quantity of sleep. I plan to keep my son on this course of treatment for as long as possible. I read that impulsivity in his type of ADHD usually peaks by age 8 and he is already 7 1/2, so I am hopeful that things will continue to improve. Combined with a predictable and consistent schedule & routine, accommodations at school and home to allow his brain to not be on overload, and enough sensory and heavy work activities throughout the day, my son is doing just fine. He completes his work quickly and efficiently; both the work he does at school and the work he is given by his teacher to do at home -- and he can multitask while doing so -- he understands the material and enjoys doing it. I know that we may not be able to stay on this course forever. He is only 7 1/2, so the work isn't super complicated or hard yet. Although he is already better at math than I am! Right now, he is thriving on our current treatment plan, but there may come a day when he wants to give traditional medications a try. I want him to be old enough to understand all that that entails and to be able to make an informed decision for himself before making that decision, but if it's something he wants to do, we can certainly look into it.
This was submitted to #ADHDSpeaks for ADHD Awareness Month. This month’s we’re focusing on ADHD in women and girls as it often goes underrecognized and underdiagnosed. Thanks to Larissa, 17 from BC for their brave and important words!
Hi my name is Larissa,
I was diagnosed with ADHD at the young age of 7 and have been conquering the world ever since.
ADHD is a neurological disorder that effects over a million Canadian adults, and 1 out of 30 school aged children. ADHD tends to run in the family for example a lot of my family has it. I want people to know that mental illness and ADHD are not always visible. It is so important to know that ADHD can effect anyone, no matter age, gender, or race.
Without proper treatment, depending on the severity of ADHD, it can really effect a person’s ability to live a successful and fulfilling life.
I take medication for my ADHD, but not everyone does. Without my medication, I am unable to work, attend school, drive, complete daily tasks, and achieve my goals and dreams.
ADHD also has it’s positives though, as it does not affect a person’s intelligence. In fact it’s proven that we are some of the most creative, adventurous, outgoing, and resilient people.
I want everyone to know that ADHD is something you can’t control, and it’s not your fault. There’s gonna people in your life that won’t like you for your ADHD quirks, flaws, and hyperactivity. My advice, be you! Don’t change for anyone because there’s only one of you in this world. Find People in your life who will love you for who you are. End the stigma, show the world who you truly are.
I had always struggled with my ADHD, and I would say that as an adult with ADHD there are many more difficulties that are often overlooked. I struggle personally with executive dysfunction. The struggle is often with daily tasks that I see others experience seamlessly. I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten my wallet, phone, or keys.
The things that I find helpful now are lists most definitely. There are other resources I use such as my close friends or a family member that I trust that I can be accountable to. I find that I struggle with accountability as well. I find that when I have someone else being a part of what I am doing that it becomes easier to complete tasks than when I am forced to do it on my own as I know at that point that it won’t get done in time or sometimes at all. Then the guilt sets in! I feel guilty when I don’t complete a task on time or at all and I will think about it most of the time and it will take up a lot of space in my mind until I break down. Honestly, sometimes I wish I was neurotypical as that would at least allow me to complete things on time!
Coming from my mother having difficulty with me in high school as I didn’t acknowledge that I was different. I feel like I fought the rigidity of doing school like everyone else. I was the daydreamer in school, and I still find peace when I zone out as an adult. Though I don’t think there is really anything wrong with zoning out, granted it probably wouldn’t make much sense to do in the middle of a business meeting… I think it helps somewhat reset my brain.
I know that I am very intelligent, I know this. I just really struggle with applying myself. I know what I must do, I just can’t get my body to move or engage myself enough in the task to get it done. I think therefore I enjoy delegating and being a manager because I have loved building a team and building people up rather than being responsible for manufacturing items or writing etc. I love being around people. I love being a leader. I know I am meant to be an entrepreneur.
I think there is definitely a need for the community around ADHD and I think groups are a great way to feel seen and accepted. I think there is something to be said for medication too, although I haven’t investigated this too much over the years as I struggle with stimulants. I think what works for each person varies and trial and error is an important part too. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
If you have ADHD, you’re probably already familiar with the concept of executive dysfunction. While executive dysfunction is not exclusive to ADHD, most people with ADHD struggle with some level of executive dysfunction. Executive functioning allows an individual to control their actions with varying amounts of effort. Executive function is what allows us to overcome procrastination, to create a schedule and stick with it, and maintain interest in a task that may be difficult and not immediately rewarding. On the flip side, executive function also allows us to stop doing an activity that is rewarding (fun) in order to do a task that isn’t.
People with ADHD often struggle with impaired executive function: executive dysfunction. Something I wish the people around me understood is how genuinely difficult completing a seemingly simple task can be. As I write this, I have a month’s worth of schoolwork to catch up on and two exams in four days. I’ve been excited about writing this piece, but I haven’t had the energy to force myself to write until now, the day it is due. In the time that I was supposed to have been doing all of these things, what did I do? I spent an hour making a schedule detailing when I should be writing, studying, or relaxing that I successfully ignored for the entire month of May. I tried to shame myself into completing some schoolwork. I tried to appeal to my reward-hungry brain by thinking about how interesting it would be to write this article, and how disappointed I would be in myself if I didn’t finish it on time. I read thousands of pages of fantasy novels. I tried the Pomodoro method (twenty minutes on, five minutes off). I researched male pattern baldness for several days, even though I have no leg in that race. I just thought it was interesting. I tried studying alone, in the same room as someone else, with music, in silence. Evidently, none of my strategies worked, or this piece of writing would be much better quality and have much more direction than it does. Now, I’m desperately trying to finish this article in the middle of studying for exams, and I’m buzzing with nervous energy that can best be described as a hive of bees swarming in my brain.
When I try to tell my friends without ADHD about this, they say “oh, everyone has issues with procrastination. Everyone has difficulty sticking to a schedule.” This might be true, but I can’t help but think that my case is a little more than procrastination. Most people I know usually don’t have to ask for an extension for almost every paper they turn in. Most people don’t read several fantasy novels in the span of six days instead of their textbooks, at the cost of their sleep, diet, and hygiene. Most people I know are able to prioritize and dedicate a healthy amount of time to the priorities they’ve set. Though I’ve been diagnosed for three years and dutifully take my medication every day, I seem to have made very little progress on this front. Often, when I try to talk about my issues with executive dysfunction, people like to tell me I’m just lazy. I hate that more than anything else, because it devalues all of the effort I put into completing a task. It’s not that I think about studying and decide to blow it off, it’s that I think about studying and the thought of sitting down for an hour and reading notes physically paralyzes me.
Now, to be honest with you, I really don’t have any tips on how to hack executive dysfunction. I can’t say I’ve found one strategy that’s worked for me over a long period of time. What has worked for me, however, is accepting that sometimes my brain won’t do what I want it to do. Forgiving myself for missed opportunities. Congratulating myself for turning in a paper that is a day late, even if I get a 5% deduction, because I finished the paper and that’s worth something! Shaming myself into working has never been effective, it only makes me want to avoid doing the work more. If you struggle with executive dysfunction it can be very hard to acknowledge your own hard work, because often the amount you put out doesn’t seem to align with the effort you put in. Working your hardest every day is exhausting! It’s okay to take a break, and it’s okay to be less productive than your neurotypical peers. Sometimes you just need to sit down and play video games for 8 hours straight.
Earlier this year I decided to support a friend of mine by giving his new podcast, Holy Sh*t I Have ADHD!, a listen. I knew very little about ADHD or what being neurodivergent was and really just wanted to see what a friend was up to, so I pressed play on episode 1.
After listening to about half of the first episode, I got distracted by thinking about how much I was relating to everything they were talking about. I lifted my jaw up off the floor and decided to write myself a little note so that I could remember to bring it up to my therapist later that week. My therapists response to my statement of “I think I might have ADHD” was “Oh yeah, I can see that.”
At that point she helped me start a process of diagnosing me through questions, doctors appointments, more questions, blood tests and then a few more questions. After a lot of waiting, being on waiting lists and remaining on hold, I received my official diagnosis for ADHD at the age of 43.
It’s still pretty fresh for me and I’ve been spending the time since then trying to wrap my head around what it means to me and what I want to do with this new information about my brain.
I work as a professional photographer and thought a great way to learn more about ADHD would be to create an on-going portrait project where I can talk with other people that are experiencing ADHD themselves. I wanted to highlight adults that have been diagnosed as neurodivergent and start a discussion that may inspire others to have a closer look at their mental health.
With ADHD being the most under recognized, yet most treatable mental health disorders in Canada it feels like an important discussion to have. Going through over a year of pandemic restrictions seems to have given people scenarios that allow them to find ways to understand themselves and their loved ones, better.
The conversations that have taken place because of this project are invaluable to my growth and understanding of myself and how my brain works. The openness of others has been so vulnerable and refreshing. Having an instant connection with people that really, truly understand the moments that I’ve struggled through all these years. Each person and conversation has been so important to my forgiveness and attitude towards myself. Having thoughtful dialog about therapy and medication options makes everything a little easier to face.
Taking the stigma out of something that so many people experience is a great way to allow people to be themselves and not feel shame for it. Sharing not only my journey as I discover what ADHD or neurodiversity means to me, but creating a platform where others have been open about how they navigate a neurotypical world with a neurodivergent brain.
Knowing that there are so many people out there eager to help, support and share their thoughts on what it’s been like for them is our way of trying to take away the stigma that surrounds neurodiversity. As I continue to explore my path forward I hope to open a dialog that allows for more understanding of what it means to have ADHD or be neurodivergent as opposed to neurotypical.
I’m interested in continuing this portrait project and I am currently looking for more people to photograph. Adults living in British Columbia that have been diagnosed with ADHD and would love to spend an hour talking about it while we walk around your neighbourhood, please get in touch via email: ryanwalterwagner@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.ryanwalterwagner.com
INSTAGRAM: @ryanwalterwagner
Jake
This past December Jake was diagnosed with ADHD after some encouragement from people close to him and a little bit of self reflection.
We had a really thorough conversation where we discussed medications and other treatments. We talked about looking at our pasts and wishing we could’ve done a few things differently had we only known that our brains were working the way they are. It was really comforting to speak to another person that could really understand the way my brain seems to work and the frustrations that come along with it.
Jakes openness towards discussing ADHD was another one of those instant connections that is constantly revealing itself in this amazing community of people with ADHD.
Robbie
Last November Robbie was diagnosed with Adult ADHD and has since started a podcast (Holy Sh*t I Have ADHD) with her friend Jordan Lane, which discusses the effects and struggles of people that have been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
Dominic
My conversation with Dominic was one of the most uplifting yet. Our conversation leaned towards the amazement of discovering yourself. Being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult can be an incredible moment in your life that allows you to understand the struggle that looms inside our brains and never seems to quiet down. Dominic’s ability to take responsibility was very inspiring for me and allowed me another angle to look at ADHD with an encouraging spin.
Heidi
Growing up, Heidi says she always felt there was something a bit different about her and after some introspective work between her and her partner (at the time), she was diagnosed with ADHD in her late 20’s.
We spoke openly about how being neurodivergent has effected our past and how it’s a great thing to be able to explain, finally, why certain things have effected our lives.
One thing that really stood out to me as we wandered around her neighbourhood, was how she spoke about ‘relief’ in finally being diagnosed and having an explanation. The relief wasn’t so much about setting herself at ease, but to be able to equip her family and loved ones with information that could help them understand as well. I really thought that was a beautiful statement into how wonderful of a person she is.
Santina
My conversation with Santina was full of so much insight and information that helped me really take some bigger steps towards understating ADHD and how to navigate it in a Neurotypical world.
Part of this project for me is understanding how others have navigated their diagnosis and I thought Santina had some amazing things to contribute to my own understanding.
“What would I say about ADHD? It’s the disorder of opposites, no wonder we looked like we were spinning a mile a minute or spaced out when we were younger, and still as adults, it’s just harder to see for some. It’s pretty amazing to see so many people finding the right way to articulate their symptoms, to have a voice for their medical well being now with the accessibility of large forums. Neuro Diverse folk are the change this world really needs to listen to and provide space to nurture that craft we all have inside of us.”
Sean
Sean and I met each other in 1997 and have ran in similar circles since then. Hearing him talk about struggles he’s dealt with really opened up another part of me and my journey to understanding ADHD. He had been diagnosed at an early age with ADD and was offered medications that were over-prescribed in the era of ‘hyper kids’. After turning 19 he had deeper looks into his mental health and his journey took a lot of turns before he found himself in a more understanding place.
As he spoke with ease describing simple, everyday things that roam around in his brain, my own fears seemed to lessen. Having people speak with me about their own experiences that match my own so closely has been a way to drag the fear that I feel over an ADHD diagnosis out of my mind. Knowing that a lot of struggles of feeling out of place and distracted are felt by others have brought a more positive outlook into my life. I’m not quite there yet, but speaking openly with old friends like Sean sure is helping.
Amity
After suspicions during her childhood, Amity was finally diagnosed with Adult ADHD in her 30’s. Since then her journey has been one of growth as she learned to find ways to understand how her brain works. I had a tremendously encouraging and uplifting conversation with Amity as we discussed both positives and negatives to being diagnosed with ADHD.
Our talk left me feeling a lot more encouraged with my recent diagnosis. This project has been an outstanding way for me to understand my own brain as I have so many conversations about all the unique and diverse ways people with ADHD navigate their own lives.
Micaela
Four years ago Micaela was diagnosed with Adult ADHD. Since then she has completed her degree and is working as a music therapist. We spent some time walking around Burnaby and talking about the effects of adult ADHD. Michaela has a terrific outlook and shared many positive outcomes with me.
Preschool Children
Learning to read is a complex process where a child must establish sound-symbol relationships and then learn how to connect those sounds into words, following the language’s complex and often inconsistent rules. So, the fact that most children learn how to read by the age of 6 or 7 is an impressive accomplishment!
For children with ADHD, the process of learning how to read can be more complex. While not all children with ADHD experience difficulties learning how to read, it is estimated that up to 50 percent of children with ADHD may struggle with the process of learning how to read, reading with fluency and reading comprehension. Learning to read requires attention and executive coordination. This means your child has to hold onto the letter sounds, string the sounds together and make meaning from the individual sounds to read the word – and then they have to do the same thing again with multiple words to read a sentence. Keeping so much active in working memory at once can be exhausting, especially if it is difficult for your child to maintain their attention.
Fortunately, learning to read is a skill that can be mastered. There are plenty of strategies that can help, including focusing on phonics, word and sound play, and sight words.
Tips for reading success in Preschool.
By working with your child to establish a solid foundation for reading, their energy can be devoted to understanding and interpreting what they read. This is increasingly relevant as your child moves into the higher grades.
Reading Comprehension In School Aged Children
Being able to read and understand increasingly complex exceedingly important for successful student learning in the later years. Deficits in reading comprehension can have a profound effect on achievement, self esteem, and confidence. In the early years, children focus on learning to read text fluently. However, as children get older, there is a greater need to understand text because of the emphasis on math problem solving, science, and social studies. For many school aged children with ADHD, reading and understanding text, especially non fiction text, is a challenge because of the sustained attention needed to focus on text that is often challenging for children with ADHD.
When reading text there are a number of cognitive processes involved including,
There are strategies that will help children with ADHD develop their reading skills and contribute to their achievement and engagement in reading activities both a home and at school.
With time and patience, children with ADHD can become proficient readers. Making reading a positive part of your daily routine will increase the likelihood that children will engage in reading voluntarily, positively impacting success in school and beyond.
Something is wrong – a parent’s struggle to find the right information and steps to navigate our health system when their child may have ADHD, Autism or any mental health issue.
What followed was a makeshift plan of various doctors, suggestions and more calls from the school to pick our son up – he was struggling immensely with his emotions and behaviours believing he was a bad boy.
That Spring, he would see an occupational therapist (because I read some article that they could help with ADHD), but it wasn’t covered under my insurance plan (which is also a shocking discovery how little coverage you have, if you’re lucky enough to have an insurance plan, for a variety of services that could possibly help with self-regulation and other ADHD symptoms). Unfortunately, we could not explore further with an OT to see if this therapy would be helpful. In his first psychological assessment, it stated: “Reece was referred for a psychological assessment by his family doctor, due to serious concerns by his teachers and parents regarding his behaviour at school. The behaviours reported included “running out of the classroom and school, and reacting to ordinary classroom demands in an explosive and volatile manner.” This behaviour would continue into the next year, with me having to leave work multiple times in a week. Circling back with our family doctor, we would begin to try medication to help with symptoms – a process which can be one of trial and error, struggling to find the right one for your child. Our son was still in crisis. We, as a family, were in crisis trying to find the right information about what was best for him and how to support him with these big emotions and behaviours.
By grade one, I decided to find another psychologist to assess my son to see if we could find more understanding and ways to help him. So back on the waiting list we went, and in March 2018, we had another psychological assessment on the books. This assessment was fifteen pages long and seemed more geared towards how to best support him at school. Since the initial observation done by the school psychologist, I was left feeling “now what?”, after each small step.
After a yoga class one night, I was speaking with a woman who happened to be a Clinical Psychologist. She referred me to a Psychological Associate of hers who often assesses and counsels children. I reached out, waited a while and then Reece was assessed again. During one email exchange with this psychologist, he suggested that my son get tested for Central Auditory Processing Disorder as sometimes, he mentioned, children are misdiagnosed with ADHD when really they have CAP. What in the world is CAP? I was angry – why had this never been ruled out before? If there was a chance a child could be misdiagnosed with something, why wasn’t there a mandatory checklist to rule out other possibilities? Our son had already had two psychological assessments, an occupational therapy assessment and other medical opinions over the years and not one mentioned CAP. Needless to say, I followed his instructions and dove into the world of audiology. I was told, “CAP testing is usually only an option for children age 7 and older (due to the lack of normative data for younger children). The audiologist strongly suggested that I wait until he was at least seven years old to conduct the test and as the results would be more definitive. By the way – the cost of the test would be $550 and not covered by insurance. We proceeded with this third assessment for our son which uncovered a learning disability in working memory. I, for one, do not recall what this means even now when I read up on it to refresh my memory. If I have learned anything through this, in regards to how this affects our son, it is really hard to apply specific recommendations in our daily lives.
On a routine visit to our family doctor, she told us it might be beneficial for Reece to see a Pediatrician who knew more about ADHD. After 8 months, on yet another waiting list, we were referred to a Pediatrician that specializes in treating patients with mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders (including ADHD) – Dr. Van Stralen. Going on three years later with Dr. Van Stralen, it is still unbelievable to have stumbled upon a medical doctor that researches ADHD with the most up-to-date knowledge.
All this to say, we are now on a path of interlocking bricks as opposed to cobble stones – so the path is a little less bumpy, especially while wearing heels, juggling work, family and endless medical appointments to find out more – because there is always more to discover and we’ve only just begun.
But why is it such a struggle to get concrete guidance for an ADHD child? What if like many, a family doesn’t have coverage (and many do not)? What if the parent(s) weren’t working with excellent and dedicated educators? Or their child doesn’t have the best Kindergarten teachers with the biggest hearts who go above and beyond to bring to your attention that something is wrong with your child and the urgency to act now? What if a single parent’s child is suspected of having ADHD but doesn’t have a family doctor, or doesn’t work at a place of employment who understands urgent calls from her child’s school? What then?
Something is wrong…with our reactive health care system in this country. There is too little guidance for parents to support them in advocating for their children. Parents need clear guidance on what next steps should be taken. A diagnosis of ADHD needs more steps included than just a psychologist’s assessment to rule out any other possibilities or even uncovering something more.
There should be no stumbling on finding a path of treatment and what to do for your child when navigating our healthcare system when a child may have ADHD, or any mental health issue.
Yep, something is definitely wrong.
How a Few Minutes of Your Time Can Help Effect Change!
A personal ask from Heidi Bernhardt, the President of CADDAC
A personal ask from Patrick McKenna, actor, director and comedian
View Celebrity ADHD videos rolled out during October, ADHD Awareness Month
Club ADHD is a CADDAC resource for adults impacted by ADHD, a place where adults with ADHD can talk about their experiences and ADHD issues. Club ADHD has three components
A Facebook Discussion Group
A biweekly Podcast
A Twitter account
For questions and comments contact, contact@clubadhd.ca
In November of 2017, CADDAC initiated a survey on ADHD and the Canadian Education System to better understand the education resources for children with ADHD across the country. Results
