One thing many parents and teachers may find themselves doing with a Fast Braiin child is trying to only treat an action or a “symptom.” What they fail to realize is that the child’s outward action is simply an indication of something else going on within the child. These children all realize that there is something different about the way their brain works as compared to others. One description given by an ADHD speaker is that their brain is like a city where none of the stoplights or traffic cops are working. Quite often, they may feel that the ideas and thoughts in ther brains are all out of control, and they don’t know what to do with them. The real – and underlying – issue then becomes anxiety, and the child may begin to act in inappropriate ways. These actions may be as simple as tapping on a desk or clicking a pen, or they may even react angrily or aggressively to a classmate or sibling.

What are some actions you see from your child that may indicate a deeper problem? Are there things you have done that worked to help them not be as anxious or stressed? Has your child ever been able to describe to you how ADHD makes them feel?

Girls are often thought to be less prone to ADHD/ADD. This is because the symptoms appear differently in girls as supposed to boys. Boys with Fast Braiin™ are often extroverted and very loud, fidgety and active. Girls with Fast Braiin™ are on the other hand often quite, more organized and a little spacey. This is the reason Fast Braiin™ in girls often go undetected, but they too have difficulty paying attention, are easily distracted and forgetful.

How does Fast Braiin™ play out in your or your child’s life? Is it more of an inattentive type or hyperactive? Does the above explanation make sense in relation to your life with Fast Braiin™?

“The three great essentials to achieving anything worthwhile are; first, hard work, second, stick-to-it-iveness, and third, common sense.”
- Thomas Edison

To stay productive it is important for all of us to get the right fuel. There are many dietary changes that can be made and may be helpful to your Fast Braiin™ child. Omega-3s are thought to help individuals with Fast Braiin™ to focus. Omega-3s are available in both fish oil and flaxseed oil. If you choose to supplement with fish oil make sure that the brand has been tested for mercury content. Have you tried fish oil? Has it helped?

To read an interesting article on the connection between Fish Oil and Fast Braiin™ go to:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/health/healthspecial2/15fishoil.html

Have a good week!

“The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do” – Walter Bagehot

This time of year involves a lot of stress for both children and parents. The lazy summer days have come to an end and children are faced with the reality of responsibility that comes with schoolwork. This is especially challenging for children with Fast Braiin™. They have to “re-wire” their focus from play to the school day.

In order to successfully transition we need to pay close attention to the kids’ life outside of school and make sure that we create an environment that facilitates learning. Below are some routines and tips that you may find helpful to get your child/children on track.

1. Get enough sleep! In order for a child to focus during the day he/she needs enough sleep and good quality sleep. Going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning will make both falling asleep and waking up easier. Make sure that the room is cool and remove TV’s and computers, turn out the lights or use nightlights. Create a bedtime routine and make sure to start that routine at the same time every night. This may be a struggle in the beginning, but once the routine is in place it will make it worthwhile.
2. Create a designated study area. Make sure that the area is free from clutter and that all the supplies necessary is available (pens, crayons, pencils, notepads, paper, ruler, calculator, sufficient light etc). Make up homework rules specifying homework time (preferably in the afternoon and not before bedtime). Try putting on some soft instrumental music and see if that helps your child focus.
3. Identify a place for book bags and lunch bags. Clean out and organize the book bag every day. Make sure to have a homework folder in the book bag.
4. Make sure that all meals are nutritious and limit sugar intake. Introduce a number of healthy options to your child and ask him/her to choose what he/she wants in the lunch bag. Include fruit, veggies, whole grains and protein.
5. Stay Positive! Instill calm and joy in your child by being encouraging. Remind your child to have fun and enjoy the school day.

We are thrilled that you decided to join us. We will be discussing and exploring the fascinating world of ADHD or what we like to call FAST BRAIIN™. Please join in on the conversation and stay up to date by visiting us on a regular basis. Hopefully you will pick up some helpful information on the way or maybe you are the kind of person who is eager to share helpful solutions with the Fast Braiin™ cyber world.

In this first blog we want to raise one of the major concerns facing Fast Braiins™, namely ORGANIZATION! We want to spur a discussion regarding organizational skills and encourage you to post problems that you may have experienced personally or see that your child is struggling with. Further, please share positive solutions with your fellow bloggers. You may have found helpful tools or shortcuts (because Fast Braiins™ love short cuts!) that helps you getting organized. We are interested in hearing all of your creative solutions.

Here are some of our solutions

1. Always write down assignments in a notebook or calendar devoted for that specific purpose. It is important to keep all the to do lists in one place.

2. Keeping all papers in one place. A subject folder is an excellent organizer. Devoting a couple of minutes every night organizing papers for the next day helps getting the day started off right.

3. Planning for the week ahead. A big wall calendar can be very useful to stay on top of important deadlines. Write down the day-by-day schedule in the beginning of the week and place the calendar in an eye-catching spot.

4. Create a well- lit, spacious and clear workspace. Make sure that this space is devoted to doing work that demands concentration. You want to create a routine where this space is associated with concentration and organization. It is ok to listen to instrumental music in the background if that helps you concentrate.

Now, let’s make this list longer by adding your ideas and suggestions!