7 Things that Make Adult ADHD Worse
Your lifestyle habits have a profound influence on your physical and mental health. Unfortunately, some habits can inadvertently make your adult ADHD symptoms worse.
In this blog, we share seven things that make adult ADHD worse — and how you can implement other lifestyle changes to support your brain health.
1. Skipping Your Daily Workout
If you’re stuck in a brain fog, your ADHD may be to blame. But if you skip your workout day after day, your brain isn’t getting the extra boost it needs. Physical activity is good for your body, but it also does incredible things for your mental health too! Physical activity can improve your memory, boost your clarity and combat brain fog, help you make decisions, solidify what you learn, and help you pay attention.
Time to dust off those gym shoes! Any physical activity helps whether that’s walking around your neighborhood, biking on a stationary bike, or swimming at your local rec center.
2. Eating Out Too Much
What you eat (and what you don’t eat) has a big impact on your mental wellness. Healthy food (especially food with brain-boosting omega 3 fatty acids) can help you manage ADHD and support overall brain function, but it’s hard to find healthy food in restaurants, especially fast food restaurants. Restaurant food tends to be loaded with sugar, sodium, and fat. Not to mention, soda and sugary foods with additives can exacerbate your ADHD symptoms.
Need tips for meal planning? Read this blog.
3. Skipping the First Meal of the Day
You know the saying: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast quite literally “breaks your fast” from overnight and helps jumpstart your metabolism. Skipping breakfast can increase brain fog and derail your focus later on during the day.
In addition, eating breakfast can make it easier to handle social situations, to power through your meeting at work, and stay focused.
Tip: If your ADHD medication zaps your appetite, try to eat at least something. You don’t need to eat a huge breakfast. Even a yogurt parfait or a hard-boiled egg can help!
4. Neglecting Your Desk
A messy desk can make it even harder to stay organized. Clearing the clutter can help you stay more organized at work. Invest in a desk organizer or folder systems to help tidy up those loose papers.
5. Skipping Your Medication
If you’re prescribed ADHD medication, it’s important to take it as directed, even if you feel good. If you need help remembering to take your medication, use the reminder feature on your phone, or set an alarm clock. You can also keep a sticky note on your car keys or bathroom mirror.
6. Staying Up Too Late
We know it’s all too easy to get sucked into “just one more episode”, but if your late-night habits keep you from getting the sleep your body needs, your ADHD symptoms might get worse. Unfortunately, sleep problems and ADHD often go hand in hand. The problem is that a lack of sleep doesn’t just leave you exhausted; it can:
- Worsen ADHD symptoms
- Affect your mood
- Increase brain fog
- Affect your judgment and decision-making
- Increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, and other chronic conditions
Need tips on improving your sleep? Read this blog on sleep hygiene.
7. Spending Too Much Time with Screens
Did you know the blue light emitted from screens (including TVs, tablets, and smartphones) can affect your circadian rhythm? Staring at screens before bed can make it even harder to fall asleep.
Here are some screen-free options for unwinding before bed:
- Reading
- Relaxing in a hot bath
- Crocheting and knitting
- Working on a puzzle
Still Struggling with Adult ADHD?
If you’re struggling to manage your adult ADHD, we can help. As a multidisciplinary practice, we view ADHD treatment from a multifaceted approach. That means we look at the whole person and include lifestyle changes, medication, coaching (group, individual, and parenting coaching), and therapy as potential treatment options for you.
If you have questions about ADHD or would like to explore your treatment options, give us a call at 502-907-5908. You can also request an appointment here.
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Three Often Overlooked Symptoms of ADHD
Some symptoms of ADHD are well-known: hyperactivity, fidgeting, and difficulty paying attention to details. However, these are far from the only signs and symptoms of ADHD.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (AKA the DSM-5), there are 18 diagnostic criteria that must be met before someone is diagnosed with ADHD. Despite this, it’s sometimes difficult to recognize the signs of ADHD in yourself (or your child).
In this blog, we cover three often overlooked symptoms of ADHD, including:
- Hyperfocus
- Emotional dysregulation and emotional hyperarousal
- Rejection sensitivity
[Self Test: ADHD Quiz: Is Undiagnosed ADHD Affecting Your Child?]
1. Hyperfocus
The name “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder” can be misleading. It sounds like there is a deficit (lack) of attention. To some degree, that is true. Inattention and lack of focus are hallmark signs of ADHD, but that doesn’t mean you never can focus on anything. ADHD is an interest-based nervous system.
So, what does that mean?
ADHD doesn’t cause a lack of attention; rather it causes inconsistent attention.
This means that your child might struggle to pay attention in history class, but “get in the zone” while exploring music theory.
“Getting in the zone” is often referred to as hyperfocus. Hyperfocus is an intense concentration that focuses on one subject/task. During this period of hyperfocus, you might feel like you can accomplish anything related to this task, and you might completely lose all sense of time.
Hyperfocus is not externally driven. For example, a teacher assigning a project won’t trigger a hyperfocus. Instead, hyperfocus is created by an internal interest in the subject. You might experience an intense urgency to complete X, Y, Z.
Do you struggle with hyperfocus?
Because ADHD is a an interest-based nervous system is interest-based (and not priority based), this can cause problems in completing necessary projects at work or school. You might feel compelled to stay up until you finish an interest-based project, while letting a required project sit unfinished.
You might struggle with hyperfocus if:
- You struggle to pay attention to things that don’t interest you
- You have no problem focusing on things that do interest you
- You lose track of time while focusing on your preferred topics
- You miss deadlines for work or school because hyperfocus sessions
Living with an interest-based nervous system
Here at Next Step 4 ADHD, we approach ADHD treatments holistically. Our multidisciplinary treatment plans may involve:
- ADHD medication
- Skills and strategies that help you engage topics on demand
- Therapy
Planning and organization is a skill set that can be particularly useful. (Coaching can help you develop this skill set!)
2. Emotional Dysregulation and Emotional Hyperarousal
ADHD can make it harder for some individuals to regulate feelings or emotions. This includes sadness, anger, and anxiety. As a result, children or adults with unmanaged ADHD are more prone to experience extremely emotional reactions that may not match the trigger. For instance, a child may throw a temper tantrum when snack time is over. The inability to regulate your emotions is called emotion dysregulation.
Emotional hyperarousal refers to experiencing emotions more intensely.
Managing Emotional Dysregulation
You can develop skills that help you identify your emotions and manage them appropriately. Learn more about emotional dysregulation in this blog.
3. Rejection Sensitivity
“Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) makes it harder to focus, pay attention, and sit still. Most people who have ADHD are also very sensitive to what other people think or say about them. This is sometimes called rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), which is not a medical diagnosis, but a way of describing certain symptoms associated with ADHD.”
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria — Causes and Treatment (webmd.com)
Recognize RSD
If you have RSD, you might:
- Feel embarrassed often
- Have low self-esteem
- Struggle to manage your emotions when/if you feel rejected by someone
- Struggle to maintain relationships
- Feel like a failure
- Set high standards for yourself (often unrealistically high)
Managing Rejection Sensitivity
Lifestyle habits can go a long way in helping to manage rejection sensitivity. This includes eating a well-balanced diet, sleeping enough at night, and exercising regularly. You might also benefit from stress management techniques including meditation, yoga, and spending time doing an activity you love.
It’s also important to take a minute to look at the messages we send ourselves. Did you know that ADHD researchers found that children with ADHD receive an estimated 20,000 more negative messages?! Criticism — whether it’s real, imagined, internal, or from outside sources — takes a toll on your self-esteem. You can help combat this by practicing positive self-talk strategies.
What to Do If You Notice These Often Overlooked Signs of ADHD
Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you spot these symptoms. It can be overwhelming to try and determine the source of your struggles, but you’re never on this journey alone. If untreated ADHD is holding you back, we can help.
ADHD is treatable, and with the right treatment, you can reclaim control over your life. ADHD treatment includes medication, lifestyle changes, coaching (group, individual, and parenting coaching), and therapy — all of which are available here at Next Step.
If you have questions about ADHD or would like to explore your treatment options, give us a call at 502-907-5908. You can also request an appointment here.
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What’s the Link Between ADHD and Bedwetting?
Question: My son has had frequent accidents, but we could never could figure out why. The UTI tests always came back clear. Can ADHD contribute to bedwetting and accidents?
Bedwetting can be a struggle for many parents, but it can be even more of an issue for parents of children with ADHD.
Why?
There’s a link between accidents and ADHD. In fact, the rate of accidents is almost 3x higher in children with ADHD than in children without ADHD.
What’s the Link Between ADHD and Bedwetting?
About 20% of children have accidents, but that number is 2.7 times higher in children with ADHD, according to research. There are many reasons to explain this connection.
- Poor Impulse Control: Children with ADHD may simply miss their body’s cues telling them their bladder is full. This can lead to the sudden urge to go, and if a child waits too long, an accident is more likely to happen.
- Changes in Sleep: Changes to your child’s sleep routines may also keep his/her body from releases antidiuretic hormones. (You can learn more about good sleep tips here.)
- Increased Stress on Your Child’s Bladder Stress: If your child is constantly in the “go go go” mode, it can put stress on his/her bladder, which can increase the risk of accidents. Also, stimulant ADHD medications can add even more stress on the bladder.
- Behavioral Differences: Children with ADHD may struggle to read their normal bodily cues and stick with routines.
When Will the Bedwetting End?
Although it’s impossible to answer this question with a definitive answer, the reality is that most children grow out of bedwetting. As children learn to read their bodily cues, bathroom time becomes easier and easier.
Here are a few things you can do to help your child:
- Schedule regular bathroom breaks throughout the day (this encourages your child to check in with his or her bodily cues)
- Encourage your child to use the restroom right before bed
- Avoid drinking large amounts of water or milk right before bed
- Take regular breaks from playtime to use the restroom
When to Seek Medical Care for Bedwetting
Sometimes accidents can be a sign of an underlying medical problem, such as a urinary tract infection. If you have concerns about your child’s bedwetting, it’s a good idea to check in with his or her pediatrician.
Regardless of what’s contributing to your child’s accidents, remember that having an accident can be very frustrating and embarrassing for a child. Support your child and reassure him/her that it’s not their fault. Encourage them, let them know you’re there, and that the bedwetting will get better over time.
All of Your ADHD Needs Under One Roof
Learning as much as you can about the developmental aspects of ADHD makes it easier for you to understand and support your child, whether they are dealing with accidents or another issue. You may also find that anxiety can contribute to and exacerbate ADHD, which can then make bedwetting worse.
Here at Next Step 4 ADHD, we are a multidisciplinary practice, and our team of experts excels at treating ADHD and anxiety in children. If your child is struggling with ADHD and/or anxiety, we can help. Book your appointment here and get started with your next steps today.
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6 Podcast Shows that Focus on ADHD
Do you love to listen to podcasts on your way to work or while you’re at the gym? Below are 6 podcast shows that focus on ADHD or raising a child with ADHD.
1. Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD)
CHADD hosts two different podcast shows: All Things ADHD and ADHD 365. Together, these two shows address a variety of topics for anyone dealing with ADHD. If you’re looking for tips and strategies for parents, teens, or adults, tune in. Educators and professionals can also benefit from these two shows.
2. Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast with Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright — Nikki Kinzer
Hosted by Nikki Kinzer, PCC — a certified ADHD coach — this podcast is ideal for people looking to develop positive strategies to manage time, get organized, de-stress, and make themselves more productive.
Filled with actionable tips, this podcast helps you get back on track.
3. Adult Attention Deficit Disorders Center of Maryland
Led by the Adult Attention Deficit Disorders Center of Maryland, this education podcast shares information on ADHD, co-existing conditions, and tips for living with ADHD.
4. Distracted
The Distracted Podcast highlights all of the positives of ADHD. (You can also take our free course on the 10 Strengths of ADHD.)
5. Positive Parenting Podcast with Jane Nelsen
Are you parenting a child with ADHD? Positive parenting is invaluable for raising children, but it’s especially fruitful for raising children with ADHD.
6. Parenting Your Challenging Child with Dr. Ross Greene
Dr. Ross Green is the developer of the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions approach to parenting. He’s also the author of The Explosive Child. In this podcast, he provides practical tools based on the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions approach.
Why Podcasts Help ADHD
Education is always the first step in any treatment plan, whether you’re on your own journey with ADHD or you’re parenting a child with ADHD. Podcasts are just one example of education materials that can help you learn more about ADHD and how to create strategies to overcome your obstacles.
If you don’t enjoy podcasts, that’s okay. There are many other ways to learn. You can:
- Read books
- Watch videos
- Take courses
Podcast aren’t designed to replace mental health care, but if you’re struggling, we can help. Our team of experts excels at diagnosing and treating ADHD. We offer medication management, therapy, ADHD coaching, parenting coaching, and so much more.
Book your appointment by calling 502-907-5908. You can also request an appointment here.
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How Is ADHD Diagnosed?
If you or your child is struggling with inattention, lack of focus, or hyperactivity, how do you know if your symptoms are related to ADHD? There are many conditions that can mirror the symptoms of ADHD so that’s why an accurate diagnosis is key to helping you regain control over your life. But how is ADHD diagnosed?
At Next Step 4 ADHD, our expert team of multidisciplinary providers excels at diagnosing and treating ADHD in children, teens, and adults.
Below, we share more about the diagnosis process and how ADHD is diagnosed.
Diagnosing ADHD
There isn’t a lab test or blood test that diagnoses ADHD. Instead, mental healthcare providers rely on the guidelines for diagnosing ADHD outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5). The DSM is the standard used by the American Psychiatric Association.
Healthcare providers use the guidelines in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth edition (DSM-5) to help diagnose ADHD.
What is the DSM-5 Criteria for Diagnosing ADHD?
Adults and children who have ADHD demonstrate a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity. These symptoms typically interfere with daily functioning (at home, work, or school) as well as development:
Below is the DSM criteria for being diagnosed with ADHD:
- Inattention: Six or more symptoms of inattention for children up to age 16 years, or five or more for adolescents age 17 years and older and adults; symptoms of inattention have been present for at least 6 months, and they are inappropriate for developmental level:
- Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or with other activities.
- Often has trouble holding attention on tasks
- Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
- Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace
- Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities.
- Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to do tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework).
- Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (e.g. school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile telephones).
- Is often easily distracted
- Is often forgetful in daily activities.
- Hyperactivity and Impulsivity: Six or more symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity for children up to age 16 years, or five or more for adolescents age 17 years and older and adults; symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity have been present for at least 6 months to an extent that is disruptive and inappropriate for the person’s developmental level:
- Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat.
- Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected.
- Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may be limited to feeling restless).
- Often unable to play or take part in leisure activities quietly.
- Is often “on the go” acting as if “driven by a motor”.
- Often talks excessively.
- Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed.
- Often has trouble waiting their turn.
- Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)
In addition to demonstrating the above-listed symptoms, the following conditions must be met:
- Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present before age 12 years. (Even if you weren’t diagnosed as a child, you might recall experiences or examples of this e.g., never sitting still in school, etc.)
- Several symptoms are present in two or more settings, (such as at home, school or work; with friends or relatives; in other activities).
- There is clear evidence that the symptoms interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, school, or work functioning.
- The symptoms are not better explained by another mental disorder (such as a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, dissociative disorder, or a personality disorder). The symptoms do not happen only during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder.
Based on the types of symptoms, three kinds (presentations) of ADHD can occur:
- Combined Presentation: if enough symptoms of both criteria inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity were present for the past 6 months
- Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: if enough symptoms of inattention, but not hyperactivity-impulsivity, were present for the past six months
- Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: if enough symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity, but not inattention, were present for the past six months.
What to Do If You Think You or Your Child Has ADHD?
It can be overwhelming to try and determine the source of your struggles, but you’re never on this journey alone. If untreated ADHD is holding you back, we can help.
ADHD is treatable, and with the right treatment, you can reclaim control over your life. ADHD treatment includes medication, lifestyle changes, coaching (group, individual, and parenting coaching), and therapy — all of which is available here at Next Step.
If you have questions about ADHD or would like to explore your treatment options, give us a call at 502-907-5908. You can also request an appointment here.
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7 Ways to Stay Hydrated (and How Hydration Impacts ADHD)
Managing your ADHD symptoms matters, and controlling those symptoms plays a big role in your quality of life. There are many strategies to choose from when it comes to ADHD. For example, if you struggle with time management, you might include some planning and organizing strategies in your daily routine.
But what about brain fog? Brain fog is a common ADHD symptom, and according to the experts at Harvard Health, brain fog (and task initiation and forgetfulness) can all be linked to ADHD.
Brain fog can also develop due to lack of sleep, not drinking enough water, and not eating enough protein, so it’s important to focus on self-care too.
Is lack of water exacerbating your brain fog symptoms? In this article, we’ll highlight seven strategies for staying hydrated.
7 Strategies for Staying Hydrated
Need help staying hydrated? Experts suggest that adults drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, although this number can vary. You might need more fluid intake if you’ve been working out, live in a hot, dry climate, or if you’ve lost a lot of water through sweating.
You can support hydrating with these strategies:
- Add fresh fruit slices to the water for a fun treat! Lemon, strawberries, oranges, pineapple, and limes are particularly refreshing.
- Tip: slice each fruit very thin. The thinner the fruit, the more infused the water becomes.
- Add fresh herbs such as mint. (You can also combine fresh herbs with fresh fruit.)
- Keep a bottle with you at all times. It’s much easier to stay hydrated when your water bottle is already at your desk.
- Find a large water bottle. The larger it is, the less likely you’ll have to go refill it, making it more likely that you’ll log those ounces!
- Drink one glass of water as soon as you wake up — so you can start the day off right!
- If you exercise, be sure to bring water with you to the gym (or just keep it next to you if you work out at home.)
- Keep a pitcher of fresh water on your dinner table.
You can also log your glasses in an app or on a note-pad if it helps you keep track. The goal is to stay hydrated and build healthy habits that support your mind and body.
How Water Improves Your Mental Health
Drinking 64 ounces of water isn’t a magical cure. It won’t eliminate or cure ADHD, but staying hydrated does support your brain health and improve brain functioning, according to a 2018 study published in the World Journal of Psychiatry.
“Water facilitates signaling pathway and nutrients delivery to the brain, removes toxins and inflammatory markers and provides energy sources for brain, and thereby improves brain function.
The World Journal of Psychiatry
Researchers from the same study found that individuals who chronically didn’t drink enough water had higher levels of anxiety.
Other Self-Care Strategies
Self-care isn’t just a mani-pedi or a trip to the spa. Self-care is about taking care of your entire mind and body. Examples of self-care includes:
- Eating well-balanced and nutrient-dense meals
- Staying hydrated
- Sleeping 7-9 hours each night
- Exercising daily
- Making appointments (healthcare, mental health care, dental, etc.)
- Spending time each day doing something you love (reading, crocheting, etc.)
To learn more about self-care, you can take our free Self-Care for ADHD course.
If you need help managing ADHD, our compassionate and expert team excels in diagnosing ADHD. We also offer therapy, ADHD coaching, and medication management.
Call our Louisville, Kentucky office at 502-907-5908. You can also book an appointment here.
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Understanding the Inattention Symptoms of ADHD
Do you frequently misplace your keys or phone? Do you struggle to stay organized at home and at work? Do you struggle to follow instructions? Do you “space out”? These are just a few signs of inattention — and for those who are diagnosed with predominantly inattentive ADHD, inattention can derail your life.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is well-known for causing hyperactivity, but inattention can be just as problematic. While ADHD symptoms can include hyperactivity, that’s far from the only symptom of ADHD. It’s possible that inattention is your main ADHD symptom, particularly if you have predominantly inattentive ADHD. But how do you know if inattention is keeping you from reaching your potential?
Here at Next Step 4 ADHD, our team of compassionate providers are experts when it comes to diagnosing and treating ADHD, regardless of whether you’re struggling with inattention or hyperactivity (or both). If you’re struggling to focus, we recommend that you visit us for an evaluation.
In the meantime, continue reading this article to learn more about inattention.
ADHD and Inattentivness
According to the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, there are nine signs of inattentiveness associated with ADHD. They include:
- Trouble staying focused on tasks (both at home and at work)
- Making careless mistakes (if you didn’t pay close attention to the details)
- Frequently missing deadlines and appointments
- Being easily distracted
- Frequently failing to follow through with projects
- Difficulty keeping up with routine chores (e.g. paying bills, returning emails or phone calls)
- Frequently avoiding tasks that require long periods of mental focus (e.g., preparing big reports at work, filling out long forms, or tackling time-consuming projects around the house)
- Frequently losing items (e.g., keys, phone, remote)
- Frequently hearing from friends or family that you’re not listening even when they speak directly to you
You don’t need to demonstrate all nine of those signs, however. According to researchers from Cleveland Health, you only need five out of the above nine symptoms to be diagnosed with inattentive-type ADHD.
Is ADHD the Only Cause of Inattention?
No, ADHD isn’t the only cause of inattention. Other non-ADHD causes of inattention can include side effects from medication, extreme fatigue, and other underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism.
Can Inattention and Hyperactivity Coexist?
Yes! ADHD isn’t characterized by inattention or hyperactivity. It’s possible that you or your child report symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity. If you experience both inattention and hyperactivity, you might have a different type of ADHD — the combined type. According to the experts at Johns Hopkins, this is the most common type of ADHD.
Is Inattention Holding You Back?
If you’re struggling with inattention, it can affect all facets of your life from home to work to your personal relationships. The good news is that ADHD is treatable, and with the right treatment, you can reclaim control over your life. ADHD treatment includes medication, lifestyle changes, coaching (group, individual, and parenting coaching), and therapy — all of which is available here at Next Step.
If you have questions about ADHD or would like to explore your treatment options, give us a call at 502-907-5908. You can also request an appointment here.
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10 Strategies to Strengthen Your Relationship with Your Child
Are you tired of nagging your child? Do and your child squabble over unwanted behaviors? As a parent, your best chance of seeing good behavior from your child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is for him or her to feel a strong parent-child connection with you. And the best way to do that is to strengthen your relationship with your child.
Not only is your child more likely to follow your directions if s/he feels strongly bonded, but unwanted behaviors are often an expression of feeling alone or unsupported.
Between work obligations and our increasingly high-tech world, it’s sometimes hard to connect with family members. Both parents and children may struggle to be present to each other.
There’s good news though: you can implement these strategies to be present to one another, to connect with your child, and to strengthen your relationship.
Strengthening Your Relationship with Your Child
Children feel love in many ways. Some children thrive the most with quality time, while others may thrive with physical affection. At the end of the day, children receive a parent’s love in many different ways.
Here are ten strategies to strengthen your relationship with your child:
- Hug your child every day. Snuggling, hugs, a gentle pat on the back — all of these signs of affection let your child know and feel your love.
- Play together. Whether you’re building blocks, playing dress-up, or riding bikes together, quality time a key ingredient in any relationship. Plus, laughing together stimulates endorphin release in both of you.
- Turn off your phone when playing or talking with your child.
- Connect with your child before making a big transition. “Connect” can include using eye contact and smiling, using his or her name, giggling together. Try to connect before just jumping into transitions such as “come eat” or “go pick up the play room.”
- Make one-on-one time a priority each day. Even 15 minutes of parent-child time can do wonders for your child.
- Allow your child to express his or her own emotions. Instead of getting upset that your child is crying or anger, use this moment as an opportunity to teach about emotional regulation — to help your child learn to manage emotions. Remember, your child trusts you enough to share all of his vulnerability and emotions with you.
- Practice active listening.
- Slow down. We live in a busy world, but be sure to try to savor each moment with your child.
- Use bedtime as another opportunity to bond with your child. Read stories, connect, talk about the day.
- Show up. Wherever you are, be all there. Whether you’re watching a game, listening to your child tell a story, or playing a game together, be fully present to your child.
You can also find more positive parenting strategies in our course “Introduction to Positive Discipline.”
Is Parent Coaching Right for You?
What if you implement these strategies and you still feel disconnected to your child? Sometimes unmanaged ADHD can get in the way. If your child’s ADHD isn’t fully managed, we can help your child get the care s/he needs. As a multidisciplinary practice, we offer therapy, parent coaching, medication management, and online course. Parenting coaching can help you learn the tools and strategies that are most likely to benefit your unique situation.
If you would like to book an appointment for coaching, therapy, or medication management with one of our professionals, give us a call at 502-907-5908 or fill out this form.
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When Homework Troubles Indicate It’s Time for Cognitive and Psychological Testing
If you’re the parent of a child who attends school — either in-person or virtually — you’re probably already used to the flurry of activities that they go through every day. There are new friends whose names you need to remember, appointments with teachers, and of course, there’s all of the homework that needs to be done.
When it comes to homework time with your kids, it can be either incredibly rewarding or incredibly frustrating. You feel rewarded when you’re sitting and figuring something out with your child, and then you finally understand a concept or problem that they’re working on.
But then there come the times when you can feel frustrated because your child feels frustrated as well. These are the times when it seems that they have difficulty paying attention. Sometimes even just starting homework seems impossible.
Why Is Homework So Hard?
If you feel like your child gets frustrated with his homework or schoolwork often and you wonder why, two common disorders might be contributing: The first is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. The second is a learning disability.
ADHD and Homework
Signs of ADHD in a child may include difficulty sitting still, getting started, staying organized, or sustaining their focus/attention for extended periods of time. They might have significant difficulty engaging in doing their homework, or start it only to abandoned it midway.
Learning Disorders and Homework
A learning disorder, on the other hand, is usually focused on a single area rather than everything at once. Your child may have difficulty in one specific area of academics, even though they are good at other areas. For example, your child does well in math but at the same time struggles with reading words. Or it can be that your child can read well but specifically has problems with spelling the words or writing them.
If you think your child has any of these symptoms and has difficulty in school and with homework there are easy methods to find out what exactly they’re having problems with. Sometimes ADHD is the cause; sometimes learning disorders are the cause. And sometimes a child has both ADHD and a learning disorder.
The Role of Cognitive Assessments and Psychological Tests
At Next Step, we are equipped to give you helpful cognitive assessments and reliable psychological tests to identify your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and growth areas. These psychological tests are designed especially for children, and can give a complete picture of their learning processes and intellectual and academic functioning.
Such tests can provide extremely useful information that can help guide teachers and parents in their work with children, serve as a guide for interventions and needed accommodations, and greatly increase your child’s chances for success in life.
Remember, you can learn more with your children when you learn more about them.
If you would like to book an appointment for cognitive assessment and/or psychological testing with one of our professionals, give us a call at 502-907-5908 or fill out this form.
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New Year’s Resolutions & ADHD: Try a New Year’s Theme Instead
It’s almost 2021… finally! While many people are creating a list of New Year’s resolutions, why not try something different this year? Only 8% of people make it through the whole year with their resolution, and a whopping 80% fail by February.
Keeping elaborate or challenging New Year’s Resolutions can be even harder with ADHD symptoms getting in the way. There’s good news though: instead of setting a massive challenge for yourself, try a New Year’s theme instead.
The Problem with Resolutions
As evidenced by the 80% failure rate, New Year’s resolutions seldom work, whether ADHD is in the picture or not. When “larger than life” goals are set, it’s easy to get swept up in the novelty of it during the moment, but too big resolutions can become too much to keep. Larger-than-life resolutions can be tricky to keep if they get boring, if your schedule changes interrupt the routine, or forgetfulness and inattention creep back in.
Try a New Year’s Theme Instead
While New Year’s resolutions come with the notion that there’s a rubric to measure yourself by, and if you don’t check the box, you fail. For example, if you set the lofty goal to run a marathon in 2021 and run 30 miles each week, you might feel hard on yourself if you don’t reach your goal.
So what is a theme? A theme is like a mantra for the year. Instead of setting rubrics and checklists, a mantra guides you throughout the year. Using a mantra for 2021 eliminates the daily pressure of measuring up to your checklist, and instead creates a more holistic view on self-awareness.
Choosing Your New Year’s Theme
Your mantra for the New Year can be a word, a phrase, or a simple statement like “I want to be more _____________ this year.” By reflecting on your theme, it can influence your day-to-day decisions. Each day-to-day decision you make can help propel you closer and closer to your goal.
To use the running example, your theme could be “I want to be more active this year.” While this doesn’t put so much pressure on your daily life, you can see how this could influence your choices. You might decide to run more often or join a running club, but you won’t feel like a failure if you don’t make X number of miles each week.
Here is another example: let’s imagine that your theme for 2021 is “I want to spend more time with my family.” You can then make decisions based on this theme. You might ask yourself:
- What can I do each day to make more time for my partner or children? (Maybe you build a new evening routine or maybe you wake up 30 minutes earlier.)
A theme isn’t about setting one goal. It’s about adding more to your life. You can still set mini-goals throughout the year to help you continue the theme.
How to Choose a Theme for the New Year
Are you ready to choose a theme for 2021?
Choose a theme, and then come up with a plan to put in place.
— Pam Valdes
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- A Year of Gratitude: Focus on adopting an attitude of gratitude throughout the year.
- A Year of Self-Care: Focus on staying active, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep. Self-care is a large umbrella, and choosing this theme enables you to create healthy habits that benefit you and in the long-run (rather than setting one specific exercise or weight loss goal). You can start with this free course on self-care: A Happier You Starts with Self-Care
- I Can Tame Stress: Learn to incorporate stress management techniques throughout your day. Support your mental well-being through healthy outlets for stress.
- Time with Family: If your theme is time, you can work on ways to prioritize time with loves ones, build stronger relationships, and strengthening time management skills.
- “I Give Myself Permission to Be Okay Where I Am. I Am Doing My Best.” Learning to be in the moment isn’t always easy, but with this mantra, you can learn to focus on progress over perfection.
- A Year of Organization. Being organized more than just a clutter-free desk; it’s about the mindset and systems that you organize your thoughts.
These are just ideas. Remember, a mantra can be a single word or a phrase or an idea. Your theme can grow and develop over the year.
Putting Your Plan into Action
Once you’ve chosen your mantra for the year, create a plan to put it in place. Coaching may be a particularly beneficial way to help you do this.
If ADHD, or any of its co-occurring conditions, interferes with your plans for the year, know that working with a professional and finding a multidisciplinary treatment plan that works for you is an important step in managing symptoms and living the life you want.
Need More Guidance?
Whether you need help managing ADHD or need guidance putting your New Year’s theme into practice, we can help. Here at Next Step 4 ADHD, we provide comprehensive, multimodal support, including:
- Medication management
- Therapy
- ADHD coaching
- Online courses, including our Planning & Organizing Group Coaching Program which focuses on nutrition
To make an appointment or to learn more, call us at 502-907-5908. You can also request an appointment here.
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