Suffolk Family Carers’ Neurodevelopmental Differences Project supports families who care for a child or young person, up to the age of 25, who is neurodiverse. Neurodiversity and Neurodevelopmental Differences are broad ranging terms which group together several different diagnoses such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Neurodiverse individuals’ brains develop and process the world differently to neurotypical individuals, but whether people are neurodiverse or neurotypical they all have strengths and they all experience challenges.
October is ADHD awareness month
This provides us with a great opportunity to learn more about this neurodiversity, and how we can respond to individuals and carers who are affected by it.
When most people think about ADHD they think about a child who finds it difficult to sit still and concentrate, but there is much more to ADHD than the behaviours that you might observe. The key symptoms or behaviours that an individual with ADHD present with are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, but these are as a result of the way the brain is wired, not being a naughty child. Some individuals have ADD, which means they don’t experience the hyperactivity element but do still find concentration on undesirable tasks difficult. Individuals with ADHD also have difficulties with executive function, which is all the processes that the brain does to organise tasks and to maintain things in our short term memory. They can also have time blindness, a lack of awareness of time passing that can lead to missed appointments etc. Although these things can be challenging for people with ADHD, they also can help them to be good at other things, and they can really excel at things that they have a keen interest in because they give attention to detail and tend to be hyper focussed on their goal. It is interesting to note that some of our most successful athletes, actors, politicians and other celebrities have ADHD, for example boxer Nicola Adams, actor Russell Brand, MP Tom Watson and chef Heston Blumenthal to name but a few.
ADHD is a developmental difference that is a permanent…
ADHD is a developmental difference that is a permanent, lifelong part of someone’s identity and make up. Some individuals can be helped with medication and others will use supportive strategies to deal with the challenges that ADHD brings. ADHD isn’t caused by something or someone, and it isn’t as a result of poor parenting.
What individuals who have ADHD, and those who care for them, need is an understanding and compassionate approach to the challenges that they face, whilst also accepting them for who they were created to be and valuing their unique skills and talents. Parent carers can benefit from having other parent carer’s to talk to by attending one of our drop in sessions or joining one of our parent support programmes to understand how ADHD affects their child’s daily life. You can find out more about all of these events by visiting https://suffolkfamilycarers.org/events
