teenagers - adhd west cumbria - adhd west cumbria · teenagers and adhd teenbklt.qxd 22/11/06 08:29...

Teenagersand ADHD

TeenBklt.qxd 22/11/06 08:29

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T e e n a g e r s


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Your doctor has probably just given you this

after diagnosing you with attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder (or ADHD for short).

You may know lots about ADHD and how

it can affect you, or you may not. Almost

certainly you know how ADHD makes you

feel. This booklet should help you

understand more about ADHD and how

it can be managed. It also gives you some

leads on where to find more information

on what you can do about it yourself, and

how you can still be extremely successful.

a n d A D H D


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CONTENTS

Living with ADHD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

What is ADHD? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

What can I do about it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

How is ADHD managed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Medication and ADHD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

More information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14


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About ADHD

LIVING WITH ADHD

It’s like trying to watch TV while

somebody is constantly changing

the channel. A bewildering stream

of changing images, sounds and

thoughts.

You can’t focus on one thing,

because something new is always

distracting you.

Sometimes you’re so wrapped up

in this whirl of thoughts and images

that you don’t even notice when

somebody speaks to you.

Parents and teachers keep telling

you off because you forget things.

Or do things that irritate them. Or

don’t do the things you’re supposed

to do. Even friends can be irritating

sometimes and it’s not fun.


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ADHD IS REAL

ADHD IS NOT A FANCY LABEL

FOR NAUGHTY CHILDREN OR BAD

PARENTS. ALL CHILDREN

MISBEHAVE SOMETIMES AND NO

PARENT IS PERFECT.

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

is a well-defined and widely accepted medical

condition. In the UK, some doctors use the term

“Hyperkinetic Disorder” but it means the same

thing.

As with many medical conditions, we don’t know

what the cause is. But we do know that:

■ ADHD tends to run in families

■ The brains of people with ADHD work differently

to other people’s brains. Certain areas of the

brain show differences in their structure, and

the way they work.

ADHD IS COMMON

AS MANY AS 1 IN 20 YOUNG

CHILDREN MAY HAVE ADHD.

MANY OF THESE HAVE NOT SEEN

A DOCTOR AND HAVE THEREFORE

NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED.

Boys are more often affected than girls.

Each individual is different.

The key symptoms of ADHD are:

■ Inattention – you can’t concentrate, you

skip from task to task, forget instructions and

are disorganised

■ Hyperactivity – you are restless, fidgety,

always fiddling and touching things

■ Impulsive behaviour – you speak and

act without thinking, and can’t wait your turn.

Sometimes there can be outbursts of temper.

What isADHD?


Of course all of us are sometimes inattentive, restless

and impulsive. The point about ADHD is that these kinds

of behaviour are extreme. They cause big problems at

home and at school, and these problems have been obvious

from a young age.

Each individual experiences these symptoms in a different way.

With some people, inattention is the biggest problem; with

others it is hyperactivity and impulsiveness; others show

all three symptoms.

Sometimes there are other problems.

ADHD is enough to handle on its own, but

many young people with ADHD have

other problems too, such as:

■ Specific learning disabilities, for

example difficulties with maths,

reading or spelling

■ Anxiety and depression

■ Clumsiness and lack of co-ordination

■ Oppositional Defiant Disorder, where

the young person deliberately defies

parents and teachers, and Conduct

Disorder, where the young person

lies, steals and damages property.

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■ Find out as much as you can about ADHD.

Good ways to do this include:

– Talking to people – doctors, nurses,

psychologists, teachers

– Reading books about ADHD – see our

recommendations on page 14

– Using the internet. There’s a vast amount

of information of variable quality. The web

sites we list on page 14 are good places

to start

■ Get into a routine where you need to, e.g. for

getting to school/work in the morning, or doing

homework

■ Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher/boss to

repeat instructions – it’s better than making

them up if you can’t remember them

■ Break down large tasks into smaller ones.

Set a deadline for completing each step and

give yourself a small reward when you

complete each step

■ Make a “to do” list for each day. Then plan

the best order to do things in. Then make

a schedule, showing when you plan to do

each thing

■ Work in a quiet area, away from possible

distractions. Take regular short breaks

■ Use a small notebook to write down

appointments, homework, phone numbers etc

■ Use post-it notes to remind yourself to do

things. Stick them where you’ll see them –

on the fridge, on the bathroom mirror.

What can I doabout it?

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INDEPENDENT MEDICAL

AUTHORITIES, INCLUDING THE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH

AND CLINICAL EXCELLENCE

(NICE), AND THE SCOTTISH

INTERCOLLEGIATE GUIDELINES

NETWORK (SIGN), RECOMMEND

A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH:

■ Behavioural treatments

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■ Medication if appropriate

How is ADHD managed?


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“Behavioural treatments” vary from child to child, according

to the child’s needs and the resources available. They may

be elaborate and intensive, or simple and low-key. They

include training programmes developed by specialists to

help young people control their behaviour and perform

better at school, such as:

■ Behaviour management training

■ Parent training

■ Social skills training

■ Anger control training

■ School-based programmes to improve

performance and behaviour.

Medication and ADHDMethylphenidate, the most commonly prescribed medication for ADHD, has been

in use for many years. Dexamfetamine is also prescribed, and more recently

atomoxetine has been added to the options available

Medication is not a cure for ADHD, but while

young people are taking it, it improves

the key symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity

and impulsiveness.

This table shows the current medications

licensed for ADHD.

Medication Dose

Short-acting methylphenidate 2-3 times daily

Long-acting methylphenidate (8–12 hours) Once daily

Dexamfetamine Once daily

Atomoxetine 1-2 times daily


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MORE INFORMATION

Books

Help4ADD@HighSchool

by Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D.

I would if I could: A Teenager’s Guide to ADHD

by Michael Gordon

A Teenager’s Guide to ADD – Understanding

and Treating Attention Deficit Disorders

throughout the Teenage Years

by Michael Amen (teenage son of Daniel Amen)

and Sharon Johnson with Daniel G. Amen, M.D.

Internetwww.livingwithADHD.co.uk

www.adders.org

www.addiss.co.uk

Organisations

ADDISS – ADHD Information Services

10 Station Road

Mill Hill

London

NW7 2JU

Tel: 020 8906 9068

Email: [email protected]

Please contact ADDISS for details of your local

support group.


Provided as a service to medicine by

Item number: UK/CON/2011/0035-615928 Date of Preparation: May 2011


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teenagers - adhd west cumbria - adhd west cumbria · teenagers and adhd teenbklt.qxd 22/11/06 08:29...

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