Author: Edie Brown

  • ADHD in Girls.  They Have it Too…A Lot!

    ADHD in Girls.  They Have it Too…A Lot!

    Count it out.  50% to 75% of girls with ADHD are missed.  It doesn’t manifest in the same way for boys and girls.  Keep your eyes open when trying to diagnose different genders. Girls with ADHD have unique needs and characteristics.  It is more likely for 13.2% of boys to be diagnosed as having ADHD.…

  • ADHD and Executive Functioning…What a Mess!

    ADHD and Executive Functioning…What a Mess!

    Hyperactivity and impulsivity?  The inability to stay on task?  They form a pattern of chronic difficulties in executing daily dask. Executive functioning is a cognitive management system of the human brain.  They are very specific, divided into more distinct skills that typically develop during childhood and adolescence. Executive function can be divided into two groups.…

  • ADHD and Food:  Friends or Enemies?

    ADHD and Food: Friends or Enemies?

      64% of diagnosed cases of ADHD are impacted by food.  It can cause physical or behavioral symptoms.  These chemicals accumulate to create “bad days.” Food allergies?  Food sensitivity?  They’re not the same.  Classic allergies (IgE) cause serious symptoms like hives, swelling, and anaphylaxis.  Food sensitivity (IgG) is not a true allergy and cannot be…

  • Tired?  Out cold?  It might just be ADHD.

    Tired?  Out cold?  It might just be ADHD.

    Sleep problems go hand-in-hand with ADHD symptoms. One-quarter to one-half of parents of teens with ADHD report that their children suffer from sleep problems. The situation aggravates behavior, negatively impacting how they think and function. Adults typically digress and become sluggish during daytime hours. Children tend to overcompensate and speed up. They are also more…

  • ADHD in Adults: There are millions!

    ADHD in Adults: There are millions!

    About 4% to 5% of adults have ADHD. That translates to 10 million. Some say that adults with ADHD can determine their diagnosis. Few are treated. ADHD is known as a childhood disorder. Some outgrow it, but more than 60% still show symptoms as adults. In contrast, if you have it as an adult you…

  • Smartphones Make Smart ADHD Kids

    Smartphones Make Smart ADHD Kids

    Smartphones can be a great academic choice for students with ADHD.  They are miniature, mobile-friendly devices.  The portable computers are versatile with a variety of capabilities.  The trick is learning how to use them effectively. Cell phones were previously used “in case of an emergency.”  Now they’re everywhere, being used for all aspects of living.…

  • Autism & ADHD:  A match made in heaven?

    Autism & ADHD: A match made in heaven?

    50% of people with Autism also have ADHD.  They are both a disorder of self-regulation and executive functioning.  Social development is a stressor that interferes with both.  Care must be taken to address both. Traveling on the WayBack Machine… “Hello Doug.  My name is Miss Edie.”  Nothing.  “Hi.  What’s your name?”  Nothing.  “What’s your favorite…

  • ADHD Parents are Super Heroes

    ADHD Parents are Super Heroes

    Meltdowns, fidgeting, interrupting others…bedlam.  That’s ADHD.  Parents are key to establishing the “saturation point,” both in school and at home. Parental involvement is especially critical to the identification and instruction of students with ADHD.  This is particularly true in inclusion classes (general and special education students in the same class).  Everyone has to let go…

  • ADHD + Math…Yikes!

    ADHD + Math…Yikes!

    Math Anxiety.  It’s a vicious cycle.  Skills go up.  Skills go down…all the way down. Traveling on the WayBack Machine… 2009 rocks.  I have 2 sections of honors algebra.  No IEPs to be seen.  Really? 1st period comes, so does the shock.  ADHD for sure.  How do I know?  Comes in screaming, slams down books,…

  • ADHD Literacy:  Talking about Talking

    ADHD Literacy: Talking about Talking

    Let’s Talk!  Wait, we want students with ADHD to stop talking.  Here’s why they should. Let’s define 21st Century literacy.  In the past, it was simply made up of reading and writing.  Now it’s grown to include listening and speaking too. Oral literacy and speaking skills are important in order to convey personal needs and…