ADHD

College Student

Three Ways to Prepare your High School Graduate with ADHD for College

Posted on by stephen

The time has come for your high schooler with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to transition to college. As a parent with a child with learning differences, you are likely feeling many different emotions including joy, pride, anxiety, fear.

Research estimates that between 2 and 8% of all college students in the United States have ADHD. Teens and young adults with ADHD experience more academic performance concerns and higher levels of depression during their transition to college when compared to their peers. Because these students experience academic difficulties, mood problems, and are at a greater risk for drop out, preparing them for a successful transition from high school to college is essential.

The good news is that there are concrete ways that you can help your teen in the months leading up to their first day as a college freshman. The following tips cover everything from teaching your high schooler how to do laundry to helping them takeownership of their disability and seek out support.

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Our kids should not go back to normal

Why life Shouldn’t go Back to “Normal” When it Comes to our Kids’ Mental Health

Posted on by stephen

Most of America is coming out of over a year of lock down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of schools are offering at least some in-person learning. Recreational sports are beginning to resume. Several states have started to drop mask mandates for vaccinated individuals. Large scale sporting events and even concerts are back on Spring and Summer schedules for many venues.

Things are finally getting back to normal.

We are hearing this phrase in many different settings. At the grocery store check-out line. At school drop off. At the end of work zoom calls. We smile as we say it – no doubt dreaming of the summer BBQ’s and beach vacations that may finally be within reach.

But when it comes to the mental health of our kids and teens, what if “getting back to normal” isn’t the best metric to meet?

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Boy with ADHD

Five Common ADHD Myths

Posted on by stephen

In our last article, we wrote about the importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment of ADHD across the lifespan from childhood to adulthood. AHDH impacts 11% of children and 5% of adults in the U.S. However, these number likely reflect a lower estimate given some of the unique challenges that come along with accurate diagnosis and misconceptions associated with treatment.

Despite the common occurrence of ADHD in children and adults, there continues to be stigma associated with the disorder. In this article, we identify and debunk five common ADHD myths.

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ADHD Post-it

ADHD: Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Through the Lifespan

Posted on by stephen

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder that affects the parts of the brain that plan, focus, and follow through on tasks.  There are three sub-types for ADHD: inattention, hyperactive and combined. The disorder impacts 11% of children and 5% of adults in the U.S., however these number likely reflect a lower estimate given some of the unique challenges that come along with accurate diagnosis and misconceptions associated with treatment.

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Nature Therapy

The Great Outdoors: An Under Prescribed Solution for a Better Mood

Posted on by stephen

As adults, we have all heard it before: “spend time outside – doctor’s orders!” Parents say this phrase to their kids when they are in a bad mood, “get outside and take a walk.” We have a lot of antidotal evidence that suggests being outside and with nature can boost our mood. But is there science behind the great outdoors and it’s positive impact on mental health?

Turns out, the answer is yes. Research supports spending time in nature as a type of therapeutic intervention for depression and anxiety and it even has a name – ecotherapy.  Ecotherapy, also known as nature therapy or green therapy, is the applied practice of ecopsychology. Ecotherapy is rooted in the idea that people are connected to and impacted by sights and sounds of our natural environment.

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