I Have ADHD
Lots of people in this world have ADHD. For one, I have it. I am 10 years old and I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 8. I am in 4th grade now. In 3rd grade, I started to take medication for ADHD. Kids with ADHD are everywhere!
When I was first diagnosed with ADHD I was nervous because I didn’t understand what it meant. Now I know it is just the way my brain works and I need a little extra help to be able to focus and make good decisions.
ADHD symptoms in kids: What I do
I tend to interrupt people, grab stuff from people, and poke them. My teachers would yell at me in school for not listening and for distracting my classmates by talking to them during class. This gets me in trouble all the time! On the weekend, I am always hitting my sisters and fooling around with them (but not in a good way). Sometimes I start fights with them. I can’t hold it back!
ADHD medication for children: I take it!
I take medication to stay focused in school and not talk a lot in math. I take medication in the morning and after lunch too. It’s ok to take medication for ADHD. It helps a lot of people to stay focused and not talk when we are not supposed to.
Medication for ADHD helps me to be able to think and concentrate. For me, ADHD made it hard to pay attention in math, reading, and to stay on task.
Kids with ADHD: I used to think I didn’t know how to read
I used to think I didn’t know how to read, but really, I was reading too fast. I wasn’t paying attention to the book because I was skipping too many words. When the teacher asked a question I didn’t know the answer because I couldn’t understand what I was reading. I just didn’t get it.
In 2nd grade, I had extra reading help to make me a stronger reader. I thought it was a little embarrassing for me to be the only one in my class that needed reading help. I went to a different classroom with a reading teacher. He was nice and funny and taught me to be a stronger reader! It was fun!
When I was getting help from the reading teacher, he had a special ruler that only let me see the words I was reading. This helped me focus on what I was reading and I would not skip lines.
Here is the ruler I used to help me. Maybe this ruler can help you read better too! [amazon_link asins=’B00CQATF08′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’drmelissawelb-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’434675cf-1f17-11e8-913c-61d70b69ad06′]
If I don’t have my ruler with me I still use my finger to keep on track when I am reading a chapter book.
I’m actually a good reader!
Now that I take medication it helps me focus better on the words in the book. I realized I am actually a good reader! I pay more attention to the book I am reading and can mostly remember what is going on in the book. My focus is a lot better even though I still mess up time to time on some of the words or add in extra words that aren’t there.
I even like reading now and before I hated it. I read at night before bed because it helps me to settle down. My favorite books are comic books. I love reading them! These are my favorite series: [amazon_link asins=’1338045644,0545766389,0545326990,1612623964′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’drmelissawelb-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ba7b5fef-22e6-11e8-baa1-b135a517d7db’]
If you are diagnosed with ADHD:
If you are diagnosed with ADHD DON’T WORRY!!! Getting treatment will help you like it did for me. Lots of people have ADHD. You are not the only one who has it!
Looking for ADHD resources or to read more about ADHD?
Check out these posts:
The Top 10 Books About ADHD by Dr. Melissa Welby
4 Myths About ADHD in Adults by Dr. Melissa Welby
Behavioral Medications and Kids: What you need to know by Dr. Nerissa Bauer
Final Thoughts on ADHD Medications by Dr. Kristen Stuppy
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This is awesome! So helpful for kids! And the kiddo is right-don’t worry-there are grownups to help you! Loved it!
Fabulous and awesome to hear from the actual person with a condition! Very enlightening!
Thank you for sharing your story. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to your experiences. By speaking up you can help them feel better about themselves and get the treatments they need. Thank you!!!
Awesome blog! Three out of 4 of my kids have add and two take medication which has changed their world. They are wonderful, creative, intelligent kids whose brains think a little differently. I tell them this all the time. Thank you for sharing. It helps my children to know that they are not alone.
This is fantastic! How brave if you to write. I’m a grownup with ADD and I have 2 children with it too. It’s hard sometimes but you’re learning how to work with the way your brain works. I wish I had learned that when I was younger. Good job!
Beautifully written! I look forward to reading more posts.
My youngest has ADHD and he really doesn’t like to admit it. It’s very refreshing to read this! I’m going to show it to him and hopefully it’ll make him feel better about his own medicine that he takes.
Thank you for sharing your experience with ADHD! I think it will help not only other kids but also their parents, and hopefully get them the help they need.
Thank you for writing this! Lots of kids would love to read this. You are a very talented writer.
Thanks for posting. I will share with my 10 year old daughter who also has ADHD and feels really bad about having to take medication even though she knows it helps her in school.
Love it
Wow! That’s a great article. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience. My son has ADHD too and is 11. I am going to show it to him too. Glad you are doing so wel.
Great article! Helpful to hear from your experience as one with the condition. Keep up your writing! You are awesome!
Beautifully written and so inspiring! Your journey will help others!
Thank you for sharing your experience! Keep writing! You’re good at it!
What a refreshing and brave account of what it’s like to live with ADHD. Looking forward to more stories. Will read this together with my 7 yo son. ❤️
This is great! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m a doctor and really appreciate you sharing your wise words. My 6yo daughter was diagnosed with ADHD about 6 months ago. I think it’s scary for her and I’m trying to learn how to be a better mom and help her in the ways she needs. I hope she can have your perspective and understanding of how to manage it as she gets older. I plan to share your writing with her when she gets a little older – I think it will help. Thank you for being brave and sharing your insight. You write beautifully. I hope you keep doing it!
Thank you for sharing your story! You did a great job of explaining what it’s like to have ADHD. I think this will help other kids understand that they don’t have to worry if they need to take medication for ADHD.
Thanks for being so brave and sharing your experience! Our 9 year-old daughter was diagnosed with ADHD last year and your story sounds very similar to hers. I’m going to share your blog post with her tomorrow. I think that she would love to hear about other kids who have shared a similar journey. It’s not an easy road, but I’m so proud of you for sharing to hopefully help others on their course. Keep up the good work!
So great to hear your perspective! I have a lot of patients that I know could benefit from reading this and I loved the way you described your experience! I hope you keep writing!
Wonderful article! Thank you for writing it!
What a great post to let other kids with ADHD know they are not alone. Sharing your story is a wonderful thing to do. Keep at it!
You are quite amazing and very brave for sharing your experiences with ADHD. I have ADHD as well, and I understand your struggles, as well as how great it feels to get it under control! I hope you continue to write and share your story with others, this is very inspiring! Love it, and thank you for sharing!
This is a wonderful and important perspective being shared, so glad this 10 year old is comfortable sharing her mental health experiences. Great read!
I love this blog!!
This is such a great article written by this 10 year old.
I agree!
This is awesome! My daughter is 11 and has ADHD too. She was diagnosed at age 5 (but we have known since she was 3!). She has taken medication since she was 5 and it has helped a lot. We also have the freedom to adjust the medication (with her doctor) as she grows and gets older and her needs change. She is a super-reader! She is also really smart, creative, full of energy, totally unique, and sweet. We look at ADHD as a super power and something that makes her special. Nobody can hyper-focus like her! Thanks for sharing your story!