| Experts estimate that 6 to 10 percent of the | | | | feels like in the mind of a person with ADD). When you |
| school-aged population in the United States is learning | | | | communicate with them, see the communication |
| disabled and approximately 3 to 10 percent of the | | | | through their eyes and through their model of the world |
| population as a whole is diagnosed with ADD. This | | | | rather than through yours; they will be much more |
| growing problem impacts many areas of society and | | | | open to what you have to say if you do. |
| there is a growing need for effective solutions. | | | | Understand that young people with ADD operate in a |
| Parenting or teaching a child with ADD or learning | | | | world of images, so verbal and auditory communication |
| difficulties can, no doubt, be an enormous challenge. It | | | | is often the least important mode of communication to |
| requires patience of you that you may not have | | | | them. Words are very slow and difficult to process. |
| thought you had; persistence that you may frequently | | | | Whenever you give a young person with ADD |
| have to call upon; and consistency that you may be | | | | instructions, have him overlap the words into pictures in |
| learning along the way. Here are some tips to assist | | | | his mind and have him feel his body following the |
| you in providing the best possible environment for your | | | | instructions. For instance, if you want him to do the |
| child to experiencesuccess both at home and at | | | | dishes and then pack his backpack for school, have |
| school. | | | | him SEE and FEEL doing the dishes and then packing |
| Young people with ADD (like all of us) are doing the | | | | his backpack. |
| best they know how to do with what they have to | | | | Visual learning is the best way to learn academic |
| work with. When they have more options available to | | | | subjects. Make sure they learn visually by making |
| them, they will make better choices. You, as the adult, | | | | pictures in their mind of doing academic tasks like |
| are the teacher, which means that your child will model | | | | spelling words, vocabulary words and math facts. |
| you. If you are flexible and open to learning new ways | | | | When they are reading, make sure they overlap |
| of thinking and behaving, your child will be open as well. | | | | pictures with the words they are reading. Using a visual |
| There is positive intention behind every behavior, no | | | | learning strategy is more interesting, more effective, |
| matter how hurtful or how bizarre the behavior may | | | | takes much less time and it's just more fun. |
| seem. In other words, there is a need on some level | | | | Celebrate and appreciate what makes them unique. |
| that is being met by doing what they're doing. If we | | | | One of the biggest hurdles that young people with |
| can look for what the purpose is behind the behavior | | | | ADD or learning challenges face is the belief that they |
| or what need is getting met, then we can find other | | | | are "stupid", "weird" or just "don't fit in". The truth is that |
| more constructive solutions to meeting that need. | | | | they are often a step away from brilliance and have |
| Always look for the positive intention behind behavior. | | | | the ability to see the world in ways that most of us |
| Step into their model of the world. Imagine, for instance, | | | | simply can't (think Albert Einstein, J.F.K., Cher and Robin |
| what it would feel like to drive in the rain without | | | | Williams who all had learning disabilities) . Consistently |
| windshield wipers and how challenging it would be to | | | | looking for and recognizing their uniqueness and value |
| simply keep everyone in the car safe, let alone | | | | will go a long way in overcoming this belief and raising |
| maintain any sort of emotional balance (this is what it | | | | their self-confidence. |