At the tender age of 3, Noah was once again in his room in a time-out for doing something that he shouldn’t have been doing. (Mom suspects it was teasing the cat, because, well…..that was a common thing he did)
Usually in a Noah-Time-Out (NTO), there was noise, commotion, lots of volume as Noah protested.
But not this time…
It was quiet. Too Quiet. Even the cat was quiet…
Concerned, I headed to Noah’s room to make sure everything was ok……..
He Was NOT there! Gone….Just GONE
Where in the H E L L could my little baby boy have gone??
The search began. He wasn’t in the house. He wasn’t in the yard. And he was only 3 years old. AND in a busy subdivision!
To other parents of ADHD children, this is a really relatable situation.
ADHD kids are known for their impulsive and impetuous behavior
Back to the missing Noah.…
Mom and Dad searched the house with increasing panic.
They searched the neighborhood. They knocked on neighbors’ doors.
They couldn’t find him. He was just gone!
We were just about to call the police when suddenly, Noah walks through the front door as if nothing was the matter. Calm, Collected and Completely Cool.
Mom was FURIOUS. Also Relieved, Reassured, and so very very happy that Noah was home!
Turns out he had climbed out of his window, climbed down to the ground and was playing in a neighbor’s’ yard…and the cat had also followed him out!
That is what happens with ADHD kids. A lot.
If you or a loved one is struggling with ADHD…..Please, Please, know you are not alone!
ADHD is the #1 diagnosis for kids with behavioral disorders. 11% of school-aged children have been medically diagnosed with ADHD (according to the CDC.)
WOW!
Those individuals with ADHD quite often struggle with:
Ø Impatience
Ø Impulsiveness
Ø Forgetfulness
Ø Lack of focus or conversely, hyper-focus
Ø Daydreaming
Ø Forgetfulness (see what I did there…..)
Ø Problems following instructions
These are just a few; the list goes on.
What this list doesn’t show us is the heartache and frustration felt by those affected by ADHD.
Yes, ADHD is a behavioral health disorder. But what does that really mean?
In mild cases, the child fidgets, doesn’t do homework…doesn’t remember there is homework, can’t focus on anything with the exception of video games and gives all the appearance of being lazy or careless. Typical child behavior.
In serious cases the child is so disruptive that they are unwelcome in many places. Birthday parties, holiday get-togethers, even school sometimes. Over something they cannot control. It hurts us parents to realize this is truth for some.
The stigma of ADHD is huge as well:
- You’re dumb
- You’re lazy
- If you just tried harder
The stigma for parents:
- If you just were more consistent
- A better parent
- More present and available
- Tried harder
- More discipline
STOP. JUST STOP.
None of this is true.
ADHD is real. With real-world consequences.
And there is help.
Medical prescriptions for ADHD fall in the stimulant zone…. which means for the ADHD brain it needs to speed up to focus and be effective. But what if the brain could be taught that?
Neurofeedback works to teach your brain to monitor and regulate itself. As an ADHD-brain child works with neurofeedback, the brain begins to recognize what areas need to slow down, and what needs to speed up. Essentially, the brain is being taught how to get the optimum results on its own.
So, using neurofeedback, an ADHD-brain learns to use its own brainwaves in the most effective and efficient way possible.
It worked for Noah. It can work for you!