Edge Foundation Blog

Have you read a number of books about ADHD and they didn’t work?  Did you know there are over 6,000 ADHD books on Amazon.com; which one should you read first?  Don’t you wish someone would tell you the top three books you should read when you are diagnosed with ADHD?

We can tell you some books we’ve found helpful, but we also want you to know why coaching may be a better alternative to ADHD self help strategies, books, blogs or tip sheets.

• The ADHD brain isn’t wired for self-help. A hallmark of ADHD is inconsistency.  One day you can stay on track just fine and the next day you fall short.  For example, you don’t turn in assignments late because you are lazy.  You miss assignments because your brain is wired for distraction.
• People with ADHD usually already know what they need to do; they just have trouble getting it done.  Brain research shows that “what to do” resides in the back of the brain, while “getting it done” is in the front where ADHD brains are weaker.  When staying focused and on track is the problem, self-help books fail because they don’t provide the support you need to work with this weaknesses.
• ADHD symptoms are different for different people: that’s why it’s called AD/HD, ADD and ADHD.  Scientists are still figuring out the different ways ADHD manifests in different people. You don’t need to know all of that, what you need is a program tailor made for you.

An ADHD coach is your brain’s personal trainer

You already know how a personal trainer can take your workout to the next level.  They help you develop your workout plan, encourage you to push yourself and hold you accountable to show up!

Skills are teachable and need to be built from the ground up. An ADHD coach provides you with the support to explore your strengths and weaknesses, identify areas you need to develop, outline a plan of attack, give you feedback as you practice new skills, and hold you accountable to your goals.

Still want to read a book?  Here are a few we recommend.  But we also hope you’ll give ADHD coaching a try.  In just a few months you’ll have learned new skills and strategies that will benefit you for a lifetime!

 ADHD Self Help Book List 

Books for readers seeking to understand ADHD

• Driven To Distraction : Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood, Edward Hallowell & John Ratey, 1994
• Answers to Distraction, Edward Hallowell & John Ratey
• Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults (Yale University Press Health & Wellness), Thomas Brown, 2005

Books for students with ADHD

• Empowering Youth with ADHD: Your Guide to Coaching Adolescents and Young Adults for Coaches, Parents, and Professionals, Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, 2010
• Coaching College Students with AD/HD : Issues and Answers, Patricia Quinn, Nancy Ratey and Theresa Maitland, 2000
• Learning Outside The Lines: Two Ivy League Students With Learning Disabilities And ADHD Give You The Tools, Jonathan Mooney & David Cole, 2000
• Survival Guide for College Students with ADHD or LD, Kathleen Nadeau, 2006
• Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, John Ratey with Eric Hagerman, 2008
•  Making the Grade With ADD: A Student’s Guide to Succeeding in College With Attention Deficit Disorder, Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, 2008

Books for parents of ADHD teens and college student

• Your Defiant Teen: 10 Steps to Resolve Conflict and Rebuild Your Relationship, Russell Barkley & Arthur Robin, 2008
• Help4ADD@High School, Kathleen Nadeau, 1998
• ADD and the College Student: A Guide for High School and College Students with Attention Deficit Disorder, Patricia Quinn, 2001
•  Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools You Should Know About Even If You’re Not a Straight-A Student, Lauren Pope, 2000

What can you do to “celebrate” ADHD Awareness month?  Why help spread the truth about ADHD, of course!

This October, ADHD advocates and supportive organizations around the country are joining together to share 7 Facts about ADHD (see article below). One fact that we noticed was missing is that there is a proven treatment for ADHD:  ADHD coaching. Last November the Edge Foundation announced the results of the largest study of ADHD coaching of its kind.  The findings were powerful evidence that coaching is an important tool for overcoming the symptoms and executive function deficits that come with having ADHD.

Here at Edge we believe — strike that — we KNOW that every person who has ADHD is able to reach their full potential and coaching is an important support in getting there.

Part of our mission at Edge is to raise awareness of the challenges facing students with ADHD and provide accurate information about ADHD coaching and its positive effects. To that end we urge you to share this post with just one friend.  There’s plenty of myths and inaccurate stereotypes out there about ADHD. Now is the time for all of us to join together and spread the truth!

The 7 (Other) Facts about ADHD

Source:  2011 ADHD Awareness Week Fact Sheet

 Fact #1:  ADHD is Real

Nearly every mainstream medical, psychological, and educational organization in the United States long ago concluded that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a real, brain-based medical disorder. These organizations also concluded that children and adults with ADHD benefit from appropriate treatment.

Fact #2:  ADHD is a Common, Non-Discriminatory Disorder

ADHD is a non-discriminatory disorder affecting people of every age, gender, IQ, and religious and socioeconomic background. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the percentage of children in the United States who have ever been diagnosed with ADHD is now 9.5%.  Boys are diagnosed two to three times as often as girls. Among adults, the Harvard/NIMH National Comorbidity Survey Replication found 4.4% percent of adults, ages 18-44 in the United States, experience symptoms and some disability. ADHD, AD/HD, and ADD all refer to the same disorder.  The only difference is that some people have hyperactivity and some people don’t.

Fact #3:  Diagnosing ADHD is a Complex Process

In order for a diagnosis of ADHD to be considered, the person must

• exhibit a large number of symptoms,
• demonstrate significant problems with daily life in several major life areas (work, school, or friends), and
• have had the symptoms for a minimum of six months.

To complicate the diagnostic process, many of the symptoms look like extreme forms of normal behavior. Additionally, a number of other conditions resemble ADHD. Therefore, other possible causes of the symptoms must be taken into consideration before reaching a diagnosis of ADHD. What makes ADHD different from other conditions is that the symptoms are excessive, pervasive, and persistent. That is, behaviors are more extreme, show up in multiple settings, and continue showing up throughout life. No single test will confirm that a person has ADHD. Instead, diagnosticians rely on a variety of tools, the most important of which is information about the person and his or her behavior and environment. If the person meets all of the criteria for ADHD, he or she will be diagnosed with the disorder.

Fact #4:  Other Mental Health Conditions Frequently Co-Occur With ADHD

• Up to 30% of children and 25-40% of adults with ADHD have a co-existing anxiety disorder.
• Experts claim that up to 70% of those with ADHD will be treated for depression at some point in their lives.
• Sleep disorders affect people with ADHD two to three times as often as those without it.

Fact #5:  ADHD is Not Benign

ADHD is not benign. Particularly when it is undiagnosed and untreated, ADHD contributes to:

• Problems succeeding in school and successfully graduating
• Problems at work, lost productivity, and reduced earning power.
• Problems with relationships.
• More driving citations and accidents.
• Problems with overeating and obesity.
• Problems with the law.

According to Dr. Joseph Biederman, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, ADHD may be one of the costliest medical conditions in the United States: “Evaluating, diagnosing and treating this condition may not only improve the quality of life, but may save billions of dollars every year.”

Fact #6:  ADHD is Nobody’s FAULT

ADHD is NOT caused by moral failure, poor parenting, family problems, poor teachers or schools, too much TV, food allergies, or excess sugar. Instead, research shows that ADHD is both highly genetic (with the majority of ADHD cases having a genetic component), and a brain-based disorder (with the symptoms of ADHD linked to many specific brain areas). The factors that appear to increase a child’s likelihood of having the disorder include

• gender,
• family history,
• prenatal risks,
• environmental toxins, and
• physical differences in the brain.

FACT #7:  ADHD Treatment is Multi-Faceted

Currently, available treatments focus on reducing the symptoms of ADHD and improving functioning. Treatments include medication, various types of psychotherapy, behavioral interventions, education or training, and educational support. Usually a person with ADHD receives a combination of treatments.

If you are reading this, you probably already personally know a number of people who are living with ADHD. You share their struggles. You share their triumphs.  You know just how hard it can be to reach a goal.

• But have you shared the story that coaching works?
• Have you told your friend about the Edge research that shows coaching helps improve academic skills?

Many people who have ADHD have no one to turn to for support. Parents may not know they have ADHD until their child is diagnosed and figure out that they also have it.

Despite all the chatter about our “ADHD culture,” ADHD is still a misunderstood and unrecognized condition. As a reader of this blog, you are one of the lucky ones.  You’ve found a reputable source of information about and strategies for working with the symptoms of ADHD.

And we appreciate the implicit trust you give us each time your visit our site.

That’s why we are asking for your help. Please spread the news: ADHD coaching works. Many, many struggling students have never heard of an ADHD coach. With your help, you can help turn the tide of ignorance about ADHD.

If each of our readers takes just one extra minute to do even one of the steps below, it will help. We don’t have to wait until October’s ADHD Awareness month to act!  Parents, students and teachers need this news now!

 Can you spare 1 minute?

Please choose one (or more) and pass it on!

1. When you use Google, click on the +1 button next to sites (like ours!) that you know have reputable information about ADHD.
2. Like our page on Facebook and join in the discussion.
3. Sign up for our newsletter and forward it to your friends.
4. Forward, tweet, or post one (or more!) of the links below.

• Survival tips for college students with ADHD
• How to keep your meds safe away at school
• Resolutions for the new school year
• What you need to know about your legal rights when you turn 18

Thank you for helping us spread the news that ADHD doesn’t have to be a barrier to academic success!

No one wants to hear that summer is half over, but it is. Really.  Do you have half of your summer dreams accomplished?  Are you well on your way to accomplishing half of your summer goals? No?

It’s time to put together your “summer bucket list.”  Think of it as a mini bucket list of everything you want to do this summer.  Usually we think of a bucket list of everything we want to do before we die.  But why not break that down for just what you want to do the rest of the summer.

To make it more likely you’ll accomplish your summer bucket list, try these tips to get organized:

1. Brainstorm your list of what you want, and need, to do this summer.
2. Break your list into sections:  fun, work, school prep, parents, friends, movies, (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2!), exercise, housework (ugh!), more fun.
3. Think about your time.  How many weeks and days do you have left before school?  What things can you put off?  What do you need to get started on now so you have enough time to plan?
4. Put things on your calendar.  Yes, no one likes to think about a calendar in the summer.  But the days can easily slip by if you don’t plan for what you need to do – even fun!
5. Get off your butt!  Turn off the computer/DS/smart phone/ipad and get out there and start.
6. Check in.  Make a promise to yourself to check in with your list every Sunday night.  Make sure you know what you want to do in the week ahead, and go for it!

Summer is short and fleeting. So get moving!  Let us know how you plan to use your bucket list to make the most of it!

Summer is here and it’s a great time to switch up your exercise routine. There are tons of ways to have fun in the sun while getting some important exercise.

Did you know that exercise is even more important when you have ADHD? Getting your heart and lungs pumping can mean the difference between a calm, focused mind and a harried, inattentive self. Exercise can help reduce some of the symptoms of ADHD and help stave off anxiety and depression.  It even sparks new brain growth!

To get the maximum benefit from summer activities, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 or 4 times a week will do the trick.

It can be hard to start an exercise program, and even more difficult to make it a long-term habit. So while summer is a good time to mix it up with outdoor movement, an ADHD coach can help you set achievable exercise goals for yourself, stay on track, and problem solve when you aren’t able to meet your goals.

What’s on your exercise list this summer?

• Kayaking
• Swimming in the lake
• Hiking
• Rock climbing
• Jumping rope
• Shooting hoops with friends
• Water skiing
• Surf boarding
• Skate boarding
• Roller blading
• Biking
• Running
• Triathalon competition
• Yoga in the park
• Walk or bike to work

Did we miss your summer sport?

Over the years we’ve written a lot of great posts about ADHD.  We thought you might find it helpful to get a quick index to all of the topical posts.  When you scan down the list it seems like there are few topics regarding high school and college students with ADHD that we haven’t covered!  If there is something we’ve missed, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Okay, we noticed, we don’t have a “Z” topic.  What is the Z of ADHD?

It happens more than you’d like.  It’s 10 a.m. and suddenly you realize, “Oops!  I forgot my 10 a.m. appointment!”  Don’t worry, you aren’t alone.  That’s one of the reasons why coaching is done by phone.  It’s hard to be late when getting to the appointment is as simple as picking up the phone.  And if you do forget your appointment, the coach can call you without missing a beat.

Eight other reasons for phoning your coach:

1. It makes your coach much more accessible to you – and a lot easier to be on time.
2. Driving takes time that a phone call doesn’t.
3. A 30-minute appointment takes exactly 30 minutes.
4. It’s easier to fit a phone call into a busy schedule.
5. When you call from your desk or bedroom, you have everything you need right in front of you.
6. You don’t have to get organized to go to the meeting.  That’s what the coach helps you do.
7. There are just not that many ADHD coaches nationwide who have been trained in the special concerns of young people with ADHD.  The phone gives you access to some of the best in the nation.
8. Students tend to be highly mobile.  Phoning your coach allows you to access your coach where ever you go.

You can also meet with your ADHD coach on Skype!

The 2010/2011 school year is in its final days.  Are you gearing up for finals?  Can’t wait for it all to be over?  Does this sound like you?  “I know I shouldn’t wait until the last minute and pull an all-nighter.  My work isn’t the best it could be, but it’s the only way I can get motivated.”

Getting back on track:

You can still get yourself back on track, even with a few days left.  And here’s how.

Assess your time:

• Make a calendar.  Get some paper, open up a spread sheet, or set up a Google calendar.
• Sketch out a calendar for the upcoming days remaining in the school year. Block out both the days and leave space for the hours of the day.  Here’s a weekly planner to give you an idea of what it might look like. (You can also download and print it.)
• Block out on your calendar plan all your classes and other critical time commitments (ex. job, sports — things you MUST do).
• Block out when you’ll be sleeping and eating.
• On the second page, list all the other things you have to get done.

Prioritize:

• Circle the items that have big consequences for not getting them done.
• Everything else is lower priority right now. You can even let them fall off the list for now.

Break your project into smaller bits:

• Identify all the steps you need to do to get a big project done.  For a paper, for instance, you need time to do research, brainstorm and/or write a draft, write the final draft, and hand it in.
• Block of time on your calendar for each of those steps.
• If it looks like you have extra hours left on your calendar plan, look to the next higher priority tasks and start scheduling them until you run out of hours in the day.
• Don’t forget to schedule some short breaks along the way.

Stick to your plan!

• Keep the plan with you 24/7. Put it in your agenda, or your phone.
• Keep checking your plan.  Stick to it to the best of your ability. If it’s 1:00 pm and your plan says you should be done with lunch and working on the draft, go work on the draft.
• Remember, it is an emergency plan to get you through a tough spot. One way or another, it will be over soon.

How an ADHD Coach can help

• If you find yourself in a last minute study crunch so much of the time it feels like a habit, and ADHD coach can help you avoid emergency situations in the first place.
• One of the characteristics of ADHD is a tendency to shoot from the hip, or the “ready, fire, aim” syndrome. A coach works with you over time to develop better planning and self-management skills; skills that will help you manage your time and your things so you’re on top of your work and the rest of your life and not overwhelmed and behind all the time.
• Once you’ve met your deadline, get yourself a coach. By working with a coach, you can stay on top of your work and have fun too!

Do you worry about your child’s grades?  You aren’t alone.  Every week we are contacted by parents desperate to find help for their child. He’s flunking in school.  She’s so disorganized she can never get a paper in on time so her grades don’t reflect her ability.  He’s unmotivated by rewards – even paying him for A’s doesn’t seem to help.

A common focus of concern for parents is grades.  And no doubt your child carries a lot of internal stress about his or her performance in school – whether she admits to it or not.  But we’d like to suggest that this focus on grades is a distraction from helping your child see what she needs to do to take charge of her life.

We believe an ADHD coach can help make the difference in your child’s life and we have the research to prove it.  We encourage you to put yourself in your child’s shoes and think about what does motivate him or her.  School performance is a means to an ends, it is important, but not the only thing that measures success.  After all, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates both dropped out of college to passionately focus on their dreams.

We’re not suggesting dropping out is the solution, but we are encouraging you to shift your focus to what inspires your child, what are his or her dreams and what is holding them back from success.   Overcoming these obstacles is the focus of coaching.

Motivating your child

• It’s not your job to get your child a coach.
• You can’t force him to call.
• You can’t tell him what to work on in coaching session.
• You can’t sign him up.

What you can do is help your child envision the possibilities that coaching will open up for her.

Coaching isn’t about fixing her.  It isn’t a tutor, therapist or mentor.  It’s unlike anything she’s ever tried before. A coach is your child’s partner in helping him accomplish his goals (not yours).

Coaches help the students they work with decide what they want to achieve, develop a plan to accomplish those goals and take the steps needed to reach their dreams.

An ADHD coach should not be a punishment

Instead of saying “Your grades better come up next term or you’ll have to get a coach,” we suggest focusing on your child’s point of view.  Think about opening up the channel for conversation with your child and trying some conversation starters like:

• What is most challenging for you right now?
• What frustrates you most about your life?
• What are you struggling with?
• What do you envision for yourself after you graduate?
• What are your worries?

Your child may not want to talk to you about these issues.  And that’s okay.  It’s an important part of their development to want to tackle these issues on their own.  But you can still counsel and guide them towards a coach.  After all, a coach isn’t a punishment, a coach is a resource to help you set goals, learn new skills and hone the edge you need to make your dreams come true.

Last month we talked about how Edge Foundation will match you with an ADHD coach. But how do you do that?

Select an ADHD Coach

When you select an Edge coach, you have access to dozens of coaches who are qualified to work with ADHD students to choose from. How do we help you narrow that list down?

Complete the sign up form.  Talk to our Coach Match Maker.

Now it’s your turn to ask the questions.

Before you agree to working with a coach, you’ll have an opportunity to interview him or her.  This is your chance to get to know the person a bit and see if she or he feels like a good fit.  But what are some of the questions you might want to ask?

ADHD coach interview questions

Here are a few questions to ask your Coach Match to help determine if they are a good fit for you.

1. How long have you been an ADHD coach?
2. Approximately how many ADD/ADHD clients have you coached?
3. What ADHD coach training and continuing education do you receive?
4. Do you have personal experience with ADD/ADHD?  Yourself or your children?
5. What will I be able to expect from you during the coaching relationship?
6. What type of issues can we work on in coaching?
7. What will a coaching session be like?
8. What will you expect from me during our coaching relationship?
9. How will you monitor my progress?  How is it evaluated?
10. Do you coach full-time or part-time?
11. What days and times are you available to schedule coaching sessions?
12. Do you use Skype?
13. Why did you become an ADHD coach?
14. What is your basic approach to ADHD coaching?

Download the ADHD Coach Interview Questions in a pdf to print.

What questions did you ask your ADHD coach? Did we miss any?