James Forgan - The ADHD Empowerment Guide

Copyright 2019, Prufrock Press Inc.

Edited by Katy McDowall

Cover and layout design by Allegra Denbo

Illustrations by Micah Benson

ISBN-13: 978-1-61821-933-6

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Dedication

Jim dedicates this book to his supportive family and Drs. Mangrum, Strichart, and Forgan, who were instrumental in unlocking his potential.

Mary Anne dedicates this book to Matthew, Maxwell, Molly, Cole, and Teddy, with thanks for all of the joy and wonder they have brought.

Table of Contents

Chapter 2 Dream Big, but Realistically:
You Make a Difference

Chapter 8 The Success Plan:
Focused on the Future

Acknowledgements

Projects like this require the work of many individuals, and wed like to thank Katy McDowall, our editor at Prufrock Press, for her expertise; Danielle Pettifor and Emily Forgan for their research; Rachel Salinger for her strategies; Drs. Michelle Chaney and Judith Aronson-Ramos for their contributions; and our loving spouses for their support.

Introduction

This book is different than the previous books weve written to help parents of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and executive functioning difficulty. Inside these pages we have explained how we have parented our own children and helped other parents in our private practices unlock the potential in their children with ADHD. We want you and significant others to look at your child and not just see him as he is today, but instead forecast the future of what he can become. You have an amazing child who happens to have ADHD. As one of our teen clients used to say, ADHD wont stop me, and we have faith that it wont stop your child either.

Just by reading this book youve demonstrated that you believe in your child. That is one of the secrets for unlocking your childs potential. Well admit that children with ADHD can be annoying and get on your last nerve. But you still love your child. You still want the best for her. In order for your child to work toward her potential, she must have an adult who can sense the greatness and hidden treasure within. As all kids grow and develop, they are works in progress, but children with ADHD need even more guidance and support than their peers without ADHD. If your child has ADHD, she is less emotionally mature than peers and has more challenges to overcome with regard to inattentiveness, disorganization, impulsiveness, and emotional inconsistency. This just means your child needs you more than ever, so we want to encourage and equip you to help her.

From our experiences, we believe your childs potential is there. You may even be privy to small glimpses of that potential when he smiles because he has made you laugh, when he has independently finished homework, when he has made a right choice, or when he has told you about helping a friend. These glimpses are narrow windows that allow you to see a wonderful future for your child. Its easy to say everything will be all right, but when you sense that your child has what it takes to be successful, its exciting. The passage of time will reveal the reward of your investments and perseverance in helping your child. Were pleased to accompany you on that journey. Here is how we have structured the book.

First, well give you some background information about ADHD, discuss characteristics that have enabled people with ADHD and learning disabilities to succeed, and highlight lives of successful people with ADHD along with advice they offer. Then, well introduce and explain the multiple intelligences theory. We believe a multiple intelligences approach to describing children with ADHD is the best way to capture their gifts and affinities. Children with ADHD can be smart in many ways, but standardized tests do not always fully capture their intelligence. Our children are outside-of-the-box thinkers, movers, and learners, who have gifts that emerge in myriad ways.

Its fine to be intelligent, but that alone does not equal success. There are many personal characteristics that are equallyif not moreimportant for success. Well introduce 11 keys that are crucial for success in almost any field and for happiness in general. Youll learn about activities to improve any weaker areas and enhance your childs multiple intelligences.

If your child is 8 or older, we encourage you to give her an age-appropriate explanation of how youll be helping to set her up for a successful future. We wrote two letters for children to read and feel encouraged. You can read them, and you may want to share one with your child.

Treating ADHD is an important part of unlocking your childs potential. We have included a chapter on current traditional and supplemental treatments, including articles by a developmental pediatrician and a child and adolescent psychiatrist. There are also four important questions to consider before medicating your child. We also encourage coaching for children with ADHD and offer insights and resources.

Because your child spends the majority of his day in school, its important to have the right school fit. As school psychologists, we spent a lot of time working in schools, so we have a chapter dedicated to providing insight into school issues. In order to help you obtain the best school services for your child if he needs them, youll find two sample letters that you can utilize to request a 504 plan or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

We recommend that you dont skip the final chapter because we will guide you through writing a brief plan for your childs future.

In summary, the steps for unlocking your childs potential include:

identifying your childs natural intelligences,

nurturing these areas through enrichment activities and experiences,

identifying your childs personal and extrinsic keys to success that need to be strengthened,

improving your childs weaker keys to success,

identifying and using the best treatments for ADHD,

seeking and receiving support from others, and

celebrating each small accomplishment.