ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Students with ADHD have differences in their brains, which can make it hard for them to focus and use self-control. People with ADHD also tend to have weaker executive functions, which are the tools that your brain uses to get things done without getting too distracted. Without support, some things can be a lot harder for students with ADHD than they are for students without it.

If you have ADHD, it’s important to know that it is not who you are, but a part of who you are! It also has nothing to do with how smart you are. It just means that you process information a little differently!

Students with ADHD can have difficulties with…

Attention - Concentrating on one thing for a long time, shifting focus from one thing to the next, paying attention to the important details, following directions, rushing through work, finishing what they started, daydreaming, forgetting things, losing things

Hyperactivity - Fidgeting, having trouble sitting still or staying quiet, feeling restless or bored easily, having a lot of energy, making lots of careless mistakes, disrupting others, talking a lot

Impulsivity - Controlling behavior and emotions, understanding the difference between a big problem vs. a little problem, interrupting, blurting out answers, taking things without permission, working through conflicts with others

How do you know if you have ADHD? Doctors, psychologists, and therapists can help to figure out if you have ADHD. You, your guardians, and/or your teachers might be asked to fill out a form about your behavior. You might be asked to take a test. Someone might observe your behavior at home or in school.

Is there anything good about having ADHD? Yes! People with ADHD tend to be creative and “out-of-the-box” thinkers. They can come up with LOTS of great ideas very quickly. People with ADHD can also have a lot of energy. When they direct their good energy towards their creative ideas, they can do amazing things!

DID YOU KNOW THAT THESE CELEBRITIES HAVE ADHD?

Justin Timberlake Emma Watson Simone Biles Ryan Gosling

Solange Knowles Michael Phelps Adam Levine

How can ADHD be treated?

● Support in School - If you have ADHD, and you feel like it’s affecting your school performance, you can ask your teachers for help! Self-advocacy (asking for what you need) is important. Teachers will be happy to help you however they can. If they give you extra support for a while, and you continue to struggle, you may benefit from a special plan for your learning, called an IEP or a 504.

● Therapy - Some people with ADHD choose to work with therapists (emotion and behavior doctors) to learn and use strategies to help manage their ADHD behaviors.

● Medicine - Some people with ADHD choose to take special medicine (prescribed by a doctor) to help them focus, slow down, and use more self-control.

If you have ADHD, there are lots of strategies that you can use to help manage symptoms on your own. You can:

● Ask your teachers for: breaks, extra help after school, help with organization, help with breaking down your longer assignments, repetition, a special signal for you to use if you need a check-in ● Exercise, play sports, eat healthy food, and get a good night’s sleep ● Sit near the teacher and peer models ● Use a planner, calendar, and post-it notes to help set reminders for yourself ● Use timers to help you learn how long it takes you to do things, to help set time limits, and help you move on to the next thing you need to do ● Cover the worksheet parts you aren’t working on with a piece of paper or a notecard ● Use a highlighter, colored markers, or pens to color-code your assignments and keep track of what’s important ● Use quiet self-talk when working through assignments or completing tasks