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.

Through a lot of mourning for the past and trying so hard to stay hopeful for the future, I decided to work through it as an art project.

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.

Through this effort I have met so many amazing people with a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives on what being neurodivergent means to them.

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.

The community that exists around ADHD has been the biggest surprise for me during the first few months of my discovery.

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

DHD Portraits by Ryan

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.

Establish a love of reading. Read to your child so they can experience the joy of a great story or learn more about something they love. Reading to your child strengthens their listening skills and engages their imagination. You can encourage them to visualize the events in the story and predict what happens next. This will help your child stay focused and engaged, and it’s a great way to spend time together.
Develop pre-reading skills. Rhyming is an essential pre-reading skill as your child has to hear the last sound in the word to find a matching rhyming word. Dr. Suess or other fun rhyming books (like my favourite, Llama Llama Red Pyjama by Anna Dewdney) are a great way to have fun and work on rhyming.
Use movement. Play the game Jump on It by spreading a few letters written on cue cards on the floor. Call out the letter name or the sound the letter makes and ask your child to jump on it! You can play the same game with sight words too.
Use decodable readers. Series such as Bob Books are an excellent tool for learning how to read. They are phonics-focused and help your child develop and build their skills. Have your child read regularly and for short bursts at a time when they are not too tired. Be sure to praise their efforts for staying focused on their reading – you might consider a chart in their bedroom or on the fridge where they can place a big colourful checkmark for each book they complete.
Engage your child’s teachers. Your child’s teacher is an important member of your child’s team. Communicate with the teacher about how you can best to support and reinforce the reading program taught at school.

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,

Decoding the words, some of those words might be unfamiliar longer words that require a solid understanding of language rules.
Comprehension involves inhibiting dominant responses and focusing solely on understanding text. Very often children with reading difficulties will find it incredibly challenging to focus on a reading activity, and will often choose an activity that is more desirable.
While reading, children with ADHD may have difficulty ignoring irrelevant information, and unfamiliar word meanings, causing them to lose sight of important details. As well, children with ADHD often skip words, sentences, and important phrases making it very difficult for children to understand what they read.
Working Memory is a cognitive skill necessary for successful comprehension of text. Working memory and attention are closely related, and children with ADHD often have comorbid Working Memory deficits. When reading, children need to activate prior knowledge, integrate new information with information stored in memory, be able to analyze incoming information, think critically about text, and make connections.

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.

Providing choice in what you read will increase the likelihood your child will want to read. Children with ADHD will disengage from reading when the material provided is not of interest to them. For those children that are struggling to read successfully, high interest, low readability books are a good choice. ADHD children are more likely to sustain their attention on a piece of reading they find exciting and engaging.
When school aged children are initially learning how to comprehend, keep the reading short in order to maintain interest and focus. Children should initially read easier pieces of text and gradually increase the level of difficulty as children become more proficient at understanding text.
Preview text for children by completing book walks and allowing them to make predictions. This will activate prior knowledge. For subject specific content, provide children with specific vocabulary upfront, and teach them how to use text features in order increase their comprehension skills.
Set aside time each day to read with your child. Talk together about the characters in the story, where the story took place, and the important events in the story. Encourage them to make connections by reminding them about characters in other stories.
Provide a quiet place for your child to read that’s free of distractions. Given them adequate time to read and process text.
Talk to your child’s teacher about providing reading material ahead of time that you can read at home with your child. This will help children build their reading confidence as well as encourage increased focus and participation in the classroom.

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!

October 2, 2018 Media Release

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

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

ADHD and Education Survey

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

New BC PharmaCare Coverage Discriminatory to Adults with ADHD

On April 18th BC PharmaCare announced that it was expanding its existing coverage of medications for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the paediatric population only. Three long acting ADHD medications (Adderall XR, Vyvanse and Strattera) will be added under the Special Authority (SA) program. CADDRA and CADDAC along with BC medical practitioners welcome these expanded medication options for children. However, British Columbia continues to lag significantly behind other provinces by denying coverage to individuals over 19, thereby discriminating against adults with ADHD.

Read More on our Blog
May 2, 2017 Media Releases

Education Ministry Special Education Guidelines Will Recognize ADHD under the Learning Disorder Category

A new Huffington Post article is talking about changes coming to the BC Special Education Guidelines that will allow students with ADHD, who present learning needs, to be identified under the learning disability (LD) category. This may not seem like a huge change, but parents of children with ADHD in BC and CADDAC have long been advocating for this change. In fact, CADDAC has been advocating for this change to occur in Ontario since our inception in 2005. For more information on why this is important and what is happening in Ontario please acess out Blog Post.

If your child with ADHD is struggling at school and continues to be denied an IEP or recognition as an exceptional student in the Ontario School System and you would like to share your story with us to further advocacy efforts in Ontario, please contact heidi.bernhardt@caddac.ca

Access the Huffington Post article HERE

CBC's Documentary “ADHD: Not Just for Kids”

On Thursday March the 16th at 8pm, CBC’s The Nature of Things will debut a documentary on Adult ADHD. The documentary “ADHD: Not Just for Kids” features adults sharing their storey of a lifelong struggle with ADHD symptoms and how they felt after receiving a diagnosis. ADHD medical experts and researchers discuss many aspects of adult ADHD; that in most cases symptoms are not outgrown, that it continues to go undiagnosed, that it is over-represented in the prison population and still often missed in girls. New research and the impact of ADHD on families and society at large will also be covered.
For more information access CBC Documentary

New BC PharmaCare Coverage Discriminatory to Adults with ADHD

Read More on our Blog
May 2, 2017 Media Release