ADHD Toward College

ADHD is not a deficit of attention, but rahter a difficulty regulating it; it is an abundance of attention to everything all at once.

ADHD, as with most neuro-diverse challenges is 90% learning how the brain works. Most of our special gifts are not going away, so rather than viewing them as something that needs to be fixed, why not consider them super-powers? After all, when an ADHD person and a non-ADHD person are given a complicated situation to figure out, the neuro-diverse, if allowed to wrestle through and learn how his/her brain works, has more horse-power than the neuro-typical. Make the situation a bit chaotic and pressing, and the differences are even more marked in favor of the neuro-diverse. 

So, lay down the diagnosistic tools you are seeking to eliminate what God has gifted your child, and search for the tools and professionals that will help guide you toward gently but consistently challenging your child to learn how to maximize their tallents. This ADHD YouTuber gives an amazing understanding of what we experience as ADHD-ers. It is not an illness. It is not an intellectual disability. It is simply a big strong brain with more pathways and energy than it knows how to manage. Your job, parents, is to learn all about ADHD and then teach your child forward using methods and tools that work for this type of brain setup. For a non-ADHD-er this can be frustrating, so I can see where medication and skips/tricks might seem attractive. But, to give the most benefit, teach your child how incredible their brain is, work patiently with them toward understanding how to manage their big beautiful brain, and impart gratitude that you were gifted an exceptionally wonder-filled child! -this is not a race but a long-haul. Buckle up and enjoy the journey!

This is excerpted from Umbrella Skye, a national support community for homeschool parents.

PARENT ASKS: Do you encourage families to get an official diagnosis for ADHD and dyslexia, particularly for the accommodations now available for testing or college, or do you discourage having a label applied? I’m really struggling with the whole process and if it’s the right move for our kids. Thoughts? 

UMBRELLA SKYE ANSWERS: As a mom of three older kids with ADHD, I have found the diagnosis useful for accommodations in college. Rather than go through the full-on psychological diagnosis, we chose to reach out to our pediatrician, who had us do a less thorough test. We didn’t feel we needed the full test, just enough to get the diagnosis so we could request accommodations in college. Also, the thought of trying to get it through the school (having heard varying journeys of others) or paying hundreds of dollars was too overwhelming for me.

 For homeschooling, we didn’t need the diagnosis at all; we just always accommodated naturally to the child even into high school.

 We chose for our kids to dual enroll at a local college. That helped us accommodate them as well (fewer classes per semester would still equal a full load without overwhelming them). But that’s when we noticed more was at play. They needed a quiet space to take tests because they couldn’t focus as students got up and finished theirs or fidgeted around them. They needed longer for in-class assignments because it took them longer to focus in on the assignment. Having access to professor notes, or slideshows, or peer notes or being able to record classes helped because they couldn’t focus on what was being said AND take notes. It also helped us to discuss the “why” of the accommodation or the issues they were having to figure out an accommodation. It helped them realize those issues weren’t the norm (because they’ve always experienced them so it’s their norm) and think about what they thought would help them. It did help to have a list to work from/through to give ideas and help the discussion.

 Having the diagnosis and their doctor to get the college forms done and get the accommodations was definitely worth it. Accommodations put them on even footing with others. As I’ve told my kids, we get the accommodations approved because it’s better to have and not need than need and not have.

Having said all that, it’s not a “need now!” kind of thing, and if it’s all too much now. It’s okay. My eldest didn’t get a diagnosis and accommodations until sophomore year in college. With the youngest, it was senior year of high school. I have one going through it now as a junior in college.  So take the time to work through your thoughts and theirs, and do it on your timeline, not what you feel pressured to do.

More Blogs, Articles, and Support found at Umbrella Skye

Special needs is one of the fastest growing homeschool populations at this time.  What we are seeing, and what we have experienced, is that parents know their child’s strengths and weaknesses, and that, if given the time to expand upon that knowledge, they are better able to prepare and equip their child for the child’s most successful future.  We can tailor-make an educational journey that is focused on strengthening needed areas for their greatest success while skimming over areas that they may never utilize.  Bringing our special needs students home is showing greater success than the traditional (special needs) education which focuses on many students of various needs/levels/abilities.