ADHD and Working Memory

Published on Mar 30, 2015

http://www.digcoaching.com. Jeff Copper is an ADHD coach and host of Attention Talk Video which is part of the Attention Talk Network, http://www.attentiontalknetwork.com.

Those with ADHD struggle with working memory, holding multiple thoughts in mind while organizing and sequencing them. In this video, ADHD coach Jeff Copper (http://www.digcoaching.com) has a simple working memory exercise that will enable you to witness your working memory and understand why those with ADHD need to externalize things to minimize the need to use working memory.

Attention Talk Video (http://www.attentiontalkvideo.com) is a part of the Attention Talk Network, which includes Attention Talk Radio... Your ADHD Information Station! (http://www.attentiontalkradio.com), Attention Talk News... Your ADHD News Source! (http://www.attentiontalknews.com), and Attention Talk Video... Your ADHD Talk Show Station! Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/attentiontalk.... 

Attention Talk Video is the leading video resource providing educational information and support for those with or impacted by Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Educational information is intended to help our targeted audience made up of adults and children to manage their symptoms to enable them to function at work, in school, at home, or in relationships. If you are frustrated, overwhelmed, or stuck or if you procrastinate, are not organized, or struggle with time management, consider subscribing to Attention Talk Video at http://www.attentiontalkvideo.com.

Thank you for watching. New videos are released weekly, so subscribe and tell your friends about us.

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ADD Attention Deficit Disorder Understanding ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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ADD Attention Deficit Disorder Understanding ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADD Attention Deficit Disorder Understanding ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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ADHD Accommodations in the Workplace ADHD Productivity & Time, Managing ADHD Symptoms

Do you tell or not?

This question crosses the minds of many people with ADHD. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer, which makes the process of deciding what to do stressful and a bit confusing. Pete and I dove into this topic in our most recent podcast.  

It’s should be discussed because the more we talk about it, the more awareness we can bring to ADHD and hopefully take out some of the stigma of what ADHD is and what it isn’t. 

If you are thinking about sharing your ADHD diagnosis, here are a few things to consider:

1) Who needs to know?

2) Why do they need to know?

3) Do you need any particular accommodations? 

4) Have you tried to overcome the challenge with your own ADHD strategies?

5) Can you ask your employer for accommodations without calling it that or have to mention your ADHD? For example, "I work best if I can take a 10 minute break every hour."  Or, "I am better able to focus when I can take notes."

Sometimes it’s not always clear what you might need, you just know you're overwhelmed and need something.

If that's the case, here are a few suggestions for workplace accommodations: 

• Request a workspace in a quiet area
• Telecommute
• Ask for a flexible start time
• Take short breaks throughout the day
• Have weekly meetings with your supervisor 
• Record meetings 
• Request assistance with breaking down large projects
• Ask for written instructions instead of verbal
• Use timers/alarms 
• Get a large clock for your office space 
• Utilize a white noise machine 

The good news is, I often hear more success stories about how understanding and accepting employers are rather than the other way around. As Pete mentioned in the Podcast, your willingness to share could inspire others and you never know, you may just find yourself with a new friend at work who knows exactly what you are going through! 

What has your experience been with telling your employer about ADHD?

What kind of accommodations have helped you succeed in your job?

We would love to hear from you and share your ideas! 

Please comment below or call at 503-664-4ADD! 

Until Next Time, 

Nikki  

COMMON CHEMICALS LINKED WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT

What are phthalates?
Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are synthetic chemicals used to make plastics soft and flexible. Phthalates are used in hundreds of consumer products and humans are exposed to them daily though air, water, and food. Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is the name for the most common phthalate. It can be found in products made with plastic such as tablecloths, floor tiles, shower curtains, garden hoses, swimming pool liners, raincoats, shoes, and car upholstery. Based on animal studies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified DEHP as a “probable human carcinogen¹.” Such studies have shown that DEHP exposure affects development and reproduction.

What is already known about phthalates?
Previous research has shown children with higher levels of DEHP byproducts in their urine have worse inattention and hyperactivity².  It is also known that children who are critically ill when they are very young have considerable deficits in executive functions, motor coordination, and attention. However, it was previously unknown whether exposure to phthalates in hospitals plays a role in these neurocognitive deficits. In the hospital, DEHP can be found in and can leach from medical devices such as catheters, blood bags, breathing tubes, and feeding tubes.

Recent findings
New research shows that exposure to DEHP in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) is associated with attention deficits in children. Researchers from Belgium measured levels of DEHP byproducts in the blood of 449 children aged 0-16 while they were staying in a pediatric intensive care unit. The majority of the patients were in for heart surgery for congenital heart defects. Four years later, the children’s neurocognitive development was tested and compared to healthy children.

The researchers found that all medical devices and/or their accessories inserted into the body actively leached DEHP. Critically ill children had very high levels of DEHP byproducts throughout their stay in the intensive care unit. In contrast, healthy children had virtually undetectable DEHP byproducts in their blood. Specifically, critically ill children’s blood DEHP levels were 111 times higher upon PICU admission and eight times higher on the last PICU day compared to healthy children.

A high exposure to DEHP was strongly associated with attention deficit and impaired motor coordination four years later. In fact, PICU phthalate exposure explained half of the attention deficit in post-PICU patients.

Shockingly, the researchers noted, “The potentially harmful threshold could be reached even with minimal indwelling instrumentation of the children and thus, with the currently used material, appears unavoidable³.”

References.

1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). Technology Transfer Network – Air Toxics Web Site. https://www3.epa.gov/airtoxics/hlthef/eth-phth.html
2. Kim, B., Cho, S., Kim, Y., Shin, M., Yoo, H., Kim, J., & … Hong, Y. (2009). Phthalates Exposure and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in School-Age Children. Biological Psychiatry, 66(Autism: Molecular Genetics and Neurodevelopment), 958-963.3. Verstraete, S., Vanhorebeek, I., Covaci, A., Guiza, F., Malarvannan, G., Jorens, P. G., & Van den Berghe, G. (2016). Circulating phthalates during critical illness in children are associated with long-term attention deficit: a study of a development and a validation cohort. Intensive Care Medicine, (3), 379.

James Greenblatt, MD & Bill Gottlieb, CHC

Finally Focused

Enjoy Your Thanksgiving While Coping With ADHD

Top Tips for Thanksgiving With ADHD

Anything that changes your typical daily routine can aggravate your ADHD symptoms. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and you may be concerned about dealing with this holiday. Whether you or your child lives with ADHD, there are a few simple yet effective strategies you can use to help keep symptoms in check.

If Your Child Has ADHD

The most important thing to do is to keep routine and structure in your child’s life, despite the excitement of Thanksgiving festivities. A large survey found that 98% of parents of ADHD children found having a structure in their child’s life (at emotional, behavioral and social levels) to be beneficial, yet only 13% said they kept a routine all year.

Family get togethers, shopping in crowded places and trips to new places are all common during Thanksgiving, and these changes can affect a child with ADHD, who already has troubles adapting to new situations and socializing. Therefore, try to maintain your child’s routine during the holiday, including the medication and behavioral sessions with the therapist.

There will be inevitable changes in the environment during Thanksgiving, but you can make them easier on your child. Tell him or her in advance about the holiday and the plans you make. Remind him again just a few days before and throughout the holiday. You can use a calendar or organizer that he or she can check regularly.

If you are traveling and staying over with friends or family, makes sure you bring something familiar like a pillow, a blanket or a toy that will give your child a feeling of familiarity, and will help him sleep better and relax while being in a new place.

If you have to take your child shopping, make sure you avoid peak hours. You can also choose to get your groceries and other items from smaller, less busy stores –  it will be easier to find a parking spot and the store will be less crowded.

Alternatively, order your groceries online and have them delivered, which allows you to avoid that dreaded shopping trip altogether.

If You Have ADHD

Many of the tips described above will be helpful for adults with ADHD, too. Keeping a routine is essential for you as well. Having a calendar and planning Thanksgiving well in advance will come in handy and help you to not feel overwhelmed or stressed by last minute things. It’s best to make a “to do” list “first, then simplify it and focus only on the essential items.

Avoiding crowded places and sitting in traffic for long hours is also a good idea. Make sure you don’t drive if you’ve had anything to drink, remembering that your medications may interfere with alcohol.

What can you do if while visiting family members or friends and you feel irritable, or an impulse to say something you may regret? Take a few deep breaths before deciding to talk. Take breaks and rest if you feel overwhelmed at the party.

Above all, don’t stress out. You’re spending time with relatives and friends who care about you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

By: Dr. Brindusa (Brenda) Vanta

Resource:

ADDitude Mag (Daily TIps: Surviving the Holidays)

http://adhd.newlifeoutlook.com/thanksgiving-with-adhd/

The effects of magnesium physiological supplementation on hyperactivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Positive response to magnesium oral loading test.

• Department of Family Medicine, Pomeranian Medical Academy, Szczecin, Poland.

Abstract

Children with ADHD are 'a group at risk' as far as their further emotional and social development and educational possibilities are concerned, and the consequences of the lack of an appropriate therapy appears to be serious. Some of these children do not respond to prevailing therapy methods. It is reported that dietetic factors can play a significant role in the etiology of ADHD syndrome, and magnesium deficiency can help in revealing hyperactivity in children. The aim of our work was to assess the influence of magnesium supplementation on hyperactivity in patients with ADHD. The examination comprised 50 hyperactive children, aged 7-12 years, who fulfilled DSM IV criteria for ADHD syndrome, with recognized deficiency of magnesium in the blood (blood serum and red blood cells) and in hair using atomic absorption spectroscopy. In the period of 6 months those examined regularly took magnesium preparations in a dose of about 200 mg/day. 30 of those examined with ADHD showed coexisting disorders specific to developmental age, and 20 of them showed disruptive behaviour. The control group consisted of 25 children with ADHD and magnesium deficiency, who were treated in a standard way, without magnesium preparations. 15 members of this group showed coexisting disorders specific for developmental age, and 10 members showed disruptive behaviour. Hyperactivity was assessed with the aid of psychometric scales: the Conners Rating Scale for Parents and Teachers, Wender's Scale of Behavior and the Quotient of Development to Freedom from Distractibility. In the group of children given 6 months of magnesium supplementation, independently of other mental disorders coexisting with hyperactivity, an increase in magnesium contents in hair and a significant decrease of hyperactivity of those examined has been achieved, compared to their clinical state before supplementation and compared to the control group which had not been treated with magnesium.

PMID:

 

9368236

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9368236

Neurofeedback help for ADHD in a child Winters Wellness Center - Chiropractic Redefined Winters Wellness Center - Chiropractic Redefined

Published on Nov 9, 2016

I first heard about neurofeedback with Dr. Winters from a recommendation from my son's guidance counselor. He had shown indications of having ADHD from an early age and I suspected that he needed to be diagnosed. I didn't want to go the medication route. I talked to my guidance counselor about doing ADHD screening on him and he did meet the symptom counts for an ADHD combined type. This would be both inattentive and hyperactive, impulsive type behaviors at school. I told her that I didn't want to do medication and we talked about doing a behavior form chart to help him with his behavior at school. She mentioned that another student had had some success from going to Dr. Winters for neurofeedback. She didn't have a lot of other information but she sent me to the website. I watched the testimonial videos that were on their and then contacted the office. A.J. came twice a week for twelve weeks and we noticed a significant difference in the decrease in his behaviors. Whenever he was retested, he only showed to meet the symptom counts for ADHD inattentive barely. The first time his teacher indicated that he met all nine ADHD counts and in the second test he had only best 6 of the counts. He no longer met the symptom count for hyperactive and impulsive type behavior. I also saw a difference in his behavior at home too. He followed directions more and was able to pay closer attention. He needed a lot less redirection because he had less impulsivity. For anyone who is not wanting to do medication and wants a more natural way to combat those behaviors, I would definitely recommend neurofeedback therapy.

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