ADHD Blog

Twice exceptional (2e) kids have a learning difficulties or attention problems but are also highly gifted in at least one area. The term “twice exceptional” is most often used to describe kids with exceptional academic abilities, but many 2e kids also have musical or artistic gifts. While all kids have strengths and weaknesses, twice exceptional kids have these in the extreme. For example, a 2e child may score in the 99^th percentile on a test of verbal language abilities but only in the 10^th percentile on a measure of processing speed. Or they may have highly advanced conceptual math abilities but struggle to produce written work that is legible and meets basic grade-level requirements.

Many kids with ADHD struggle to block out background noise, have a hard time staying focused when someone is talking to them, or forget the details of a conversation. In fact, difficulty staying focused and blocking out distractions are hallmark symptoms of ADHD. But did you know that they are also primary symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder or APD? APD isn’t as well-known as ADHD, and it isn’t included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of psychiatric disorders. However, it is widely recognized that many kids with ADHD or learning differences also struggle with auditory processing problems. APD can co-occur with ADHD or it can exist on its own. When ADHD and APD occur together, a child’s difficulties with concentration and memory are magnified.

Summertime typically provides a much-needed break from the academic and social pressures of school for kids with ADHD. Elementary school kids can spend their summers involved in activities that play to their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. They have an opportunity to focus on making new “summer friends,” forming friendships that aren’t complicated by school anxiety and stress. In an ideal world, teenagers with ADHD also have the chance to take a real summer break from high school pressures. However, as competition for college admissions and career success grows, many high school students are increasingly encouraged to maximize their summer breaks by participating in experiences that will bolster their chances of getting into their preferred college. This often means seeking out competitive internships and participating in multiple sports or intense extracurricular activities, sometimes while also holding down a part-time job. Taking a break from the social pressure of high school is also more challenging with social media playing such a prominent role in teenage social life. Teens continue to feel the pressure to keep up with their classmates, often comparing themselves to their peers and scanning Instagram posts to make sure they’re not missing out on (or being left out of) events and activities.  

All kids with ADHD have difficulty blocking out distractions and regulating their behavior in stimulating environments. Some kids with ADHD may also experience sensory processing problems that exacerbate these symptoms. Sensory processing problems and sensory processing disorder are not formally recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM-5), but sensory processing symptoms are widely recognized by clinicians and educators as part of the clinical picture for many kids with ADHD (as well as kids with anxiety or autism spectrum disorders).

Parents of kids with ADHD are constantly faced with an array of treatment options including medication, various behavioral interventions, and dietary recommendations. In recent years there has been a lot of buzz about the use of a gluten-free diet to treat a wide range of physical and cognitive problems, including ADHD. In posts and comments online, some parents describe huge improvements in their child's ADHD symptoms after eliminating gluten from their diet. And some pediatricians and nutritionists recommend a gluten free diet as part of a child's ADHD treatment plan.

All kids feel anxious sometimes, but many kids with ADHD experience anxiety more frequently and more severely than kids without ADHD. In fact, studies suggest that 30-40% of kids with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder. When kids struggle with anxiety on top of ADHD, it can make it harder for them to succeed at school and develop the social skills that they need to cultivate strong and lasting connections with their classmates and friends. The stimulant medications used to treat ADHD symptoms can also exacerbate anxiety, making these otherwise effective medications difficult to tolerate.