| Attention Deficit Disorder is a mild brain disorder thatis | | | | Here are some things ADD ADHD coaches and |
| passed down from parent to child. | | | | counselorstypically recommend. This kind of advice is |
| If one parent has Adult ADHD, then their child has a | | | | the hardestfor someone with attention deficit disorder |
| 50%chance of inheriting it. If both parents have it, a | | | | to follow,because they prefer to "live on the edge" and |
| childis almost 90% likely to have attention deficit | | | | find well-organized houses "boring" and "uptight." |
| disorder. | | | | 1. Set up a soothing, calm physical environment. |
| This means there may be more than one ADHD child | | | | Keepthe house neat. Paint rooms in soothing colors like |
| in afamily. | | | | lightblue and beige. Don't put up a lot of posters and |
| What this means is that attention deficit | | | | artwork,clocks, and other decorations. If you DO put up |
| disorderhyperactive children who have trouble | | | | artwork,buy soothing pictures of nature and |
| concentrating andsitting still are born to hyperactive | | | | landscapes, not violentpictures with bright colors. |
| ADHD adults who havetrouble organizing their day and | | | | 2. Buy simple furniture and aim for an unclutteredlook. |
| staying focused on tasks. | | | | Don't put up a lot of knickknacks or use busypatterns |
| This is a real problem, because the ADHD child does | | | | for draperies and rugs. Think simple, minimal and |
| bestin a very structured environment. They function | | | | "less is more." |
| best whenthere is a definite routine followed hour by | | | | 3. Organize supplies in an orderly way. Thementality is |
| hour...day byday. | | | | "Everything in its place and a place foreverything." |
| Yet they are born to parents who are unorganized | | | | Store things like forks and spoons, pencilsand |
| andunstructured - this is where the family problems | | | | stationery, and all other household supplies in anorderly |
| start. | | | | way. Put things away after you use them. Clutteris |
| That is why most ADD ADHD specialists recommend | | | | very distracting to the ADD ADHD mind. |
| that thefamily go into counseling as a group, or that the | | | | 4. Keep televisions, computers and other |
| parentsget trained in how to handle children who tend | | | | "screens"covered or enclosed in cabinets. Otherwise |
| to bedifficult. | | | | they will "call"to you to use them. The ADHD child and |
| If you cannot afford a therapist trained in | | | | adult ADHD haveproblems controlling the impulse to |
| attentiondeficit disorder or if your insurance does not | | | | turn these machines onwhen they pass them. Keep |
| cover thisservice, you may want to join a support | | | | televisions, radios, CD playersand everything else that |
| group through | | | | makes noise turned off and shutaway, unless you are |
| CHADD. | | | | going to sit down and use them for atleast a half-hour. |