Jenna Knight presented on ADHD, discussing what it is and is not, common symptoms in children, adolescents and adults, co-existing conditions, challenges, positive aspects, treatment options, strategies, resources and statistics. ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. It affects about 9% of children and 4.4% of adults in the US. Treatment involves education, medication, coaching and therapy tailored to individual needs.

1. The Many Faces
of ADHD
Jenna Knight
ADHD Coach/Advocate
October 16, 2012

2. About Presenter
• Jenna Knight, ADHD Coach & founder of Never Defeated Coaching.
• Coach Training
o Coachville:
• Introduced to the coaching dynamics
• Underlying skills and strategies coaches need to make a positive difference in the
lives of individuals with ADHD.
o In the process of taking further coaching training through the ADD Coaching
Academy.
• Affiliations:
o ADHD Coaching Organization
o Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
o Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
• Other Activities:
o Served as the chair of the Massachusetts Statewide Rehabilitation Council Learning
Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (LD/ADHD) Task Force.
• Task Force worked with the M.R.C. on the unidentified and unaddressed
employment needs of consumers

3. ADHD: What It is & Is
Not
What is ADHD?
•ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
•ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder that manifests as a persistent pattern of
inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity in two or more settings, that is more
frequently displayed and is more serve than is typically seen in other people at a
comparable level
•The three core symptoms are
o Inattention – Unable to pay attention and/or
o Hyperactivity – Being more active than usual and/or
o Impulsivity – Acting suddenly without control
•Only a trained health care provider can accurately diagnose ADHD

4. ADHD: What It is & Is Not
What ADHD Is Not
•ADHD is not caused by anything you have done and is not caused by bad
parenting
•ADHD is not a measure of how smart a person is
•ADHD is not a lack of willpower or desire

5. ADHD Symptoms
Children – (Ages 6-12)
•Easily distracted
•Homework poorly organized, contains errors and often not completed
•Often disruptive in class, blurts out answers before the answer is completed
•Fails to wait turn in games
•Often out of seat
Adolescents (Ages 13-17)
•Displays inner restlessness
•Schoolwork disorganized, shows poor follow through
•Fails to work independently
•Has difficulties in school setting with peers

6. ADHD Symptoms
Adults
•Inattention/concentration problem
•Disorganized and fails to plan ahead
•Difficulty initiating and completing projects/tasks
•Shifts activities prematurely
•Midjudges available time
•Forgetful, looses things
•Has difficulty at work with concentration, focus, etc.
•Problems with social interactions

7. What causes ADHD
The exact origin of ADHD is unknown, but researchers believe the disorder may
be caused by one or more of the following factors
1.Genetics
2.Brain Chemistry
3.Environment

8. The Brain & ADHD

9. ADHD & Co-existing
Conditions
Common Conditions that often co-exist with ADHD
•Oppositional Defiant Disorder
•Learning Disabilities
•Anxiety
•Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
•Depression
•Drug Abuse
•Bipolar Disorder
•Sleep Problems
•Tourette's Syndrome

10. Treatment
Treatment for ADHD is multifaceted. ADHD treatment should be
tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with ADHD
•Education
•Medication
•Coaching
•Therapy

11. How Common is ADHD?
Children
•The prevalence of ADHD among U.S. school aged children (aged 3-17) is up to 9%
(up to 5 million children)
•ADHD is more common in boys (13.2%) than girls (5.6%) and is more common in
non Hispanic White and African American children than Hispanic children.
•Diagnoses rates varied by geographical region
•Higher rates are found in the Southeastern United States with North Carolina and
Louisiana having the highest rates
•Lower rates were generally found in the Western and Southwestern United States
with Nevada and New Mexico having the lowest rates
Adults
•A recent National Institute Mental Health survey found that an estimated 4.4% of
adults ages 18-44% in the United States
•Adult ADHD is more common in adult males (64.1%) than females (35.9%)
•Adult ADHD is more common by race in Caucasians (73.5%), African Americans
(6.2%), Hispanic (15%) and other (5.3%)

12. Challenges with ADHD
Children/Adolescents
•Children with ADHD were more likely to have major injuries (59%) vs. children
without ADHD (49%)
•Young people with ADHD are at greater risk of involvement in motor vehicle
crashes, drinking and driving and traffic violations
Parents
•Parents of children with a history of ADHD report almost 3 times as many peer
problems as those of without a history of ADHD (21.1% vs. 7.3%)
•Parents report that children with a history of ADHD are 10 times more likely to
have difficulties that interfere with friendships (20.6% vs.2.0%)
Adults
•Research shows that adults with ADHD are 2 - 4 times more likely to be
terminated from their job
•Workers with ADHD were more likely to have at least one sick day in the past
month compared to workers without ADHD

13. Challenges with ADHD
continued
Costs
•According to new research, ADHD cost the U.S. economy between
$143 billion and $266 billion in 2010, or roughly $2,000 per
household.
o Lost work productivity (62 percent)
o Expenditures related to health care (26 percent)
o Education (10 percent)
o Criminal justice system (2 percent).

14. Positive Aspects of ADHD
• Sensitive • Down to Earth
• Compassionate • Loyal
• Empathetic • Great Sense of Humor
• Charming personality • Spontaneous
• Open- Minded • Energetic
• Trusting • Difficult to Fool
• Intuitive • Humble

15. Strategies for Managing
ADHD for the ADHD’er
• Ask for repeated instructions
• Break large assignments or job tasks into small, simple tasks.
• Set a deadline for each task and reward yourself as you complete each one.
• Each day, make a list of what you need to do. Plan the best order for doing
each task. Then make a schedule for doing them. Use a calendar or daily
planner to keep yourself on track.

16. Strategies for Managing
ADHD for the ADHD’er
• Work in a quiet area. Do one thing at a time. Give yourself short breaks.
• Write things you need to remember in a notebook with dividers. Keep the
book with you all of the time.
• Post notes to yourself to help remind yourself of things you need to do.
Tape notes -wherever you're likely to need the reminder.
• Create a routine.
• Exercise, eat a balanced diet, and get enough sleep.

17. Strategies for Managing
ADHD for Parents
• Adjust your disciplinary methods
• Adjust family routines and lifestyles to be more predictable and consistent
both for yourself and for your child
• Distinguish between the things your child does that are annoying but harmless
and are just part of who they are
• Make a concerted effort to not get overly involved in the child with ADHD
leading to interacting less with the other children in the household
• Plan ahead when possible
• Seek social support from people who are experiencing similar problems

18. Resources
Children & Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
www.chadd.org
Attention Deficit Disorder Association
www.add.org
National Resource Center on ADHD
www.help4adhd.org
ADDitude Maganize
www.additudemag.com

19. Bibliography
Understanding ADHD: A Guide to Help Answer Your Questions
http://www.adhdandyou.com/documents/understanding-adhd-adult.pdf
ADHD: What Do Symptoms Look Like At Different Ages?
http://www.adhdandyou.com/adhd-patients/symptoms-of-adhd/signs.aspx
ADHD in Children
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_signs_symptoms.htm
ADD/ADHD Parenting Tips
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_parenting_strategies.htm
Adult ADD/ADHD
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm
ADHD Statistics
http://www.addrc.org/adhd-statistics

20. Bibliography
Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Data and Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.hmtl
ADHD Awareness Week: The Many Faces of ADHD: ADHD in the U.S. Population
http://www.adhdawarenessweek.org/content/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ADHD-in-
the-US-Population-FINAL-English.pdf

21. Contact Information
Jenna Knight
ADHD Coach/Advocate
Cell – 508-663-9732
jenna@neverdefeatedcoaching.net
www.neverdefeatedcoaching.net
www.facebook.com/nvrdefeatedcoaching
www.twitter.com/adhdcoach1854