Expert: Christine D. DeLoatch, MA CCC-SLP - 2/28/2005

Question
Do you think that teachers understand what you go through with ADD?

-How did you treat your problem with ADD?

-Do you think ADD effects your learning?If so how?

-Please describe what goes on in your head with ADD.Be specific

Answer
Dear Dian,

Thanks for asking me your question.  I'm not sure why your are asking though.  Is this for a project or paper or for your personal information.  

If it is for a project of paper I would like to be included in the credits and see a copy.  

I always like to share my perspective.  

First things first.  Do I think teacher's understand  what people go through when they have ADD?  Mostly no.  In order to understand ADD fully you either have to have it or be pretty close friends or family with someone who has it.  ADD is like a wire that has lost a little of it's outside plastic isulation in spots.  It just leaves the mind more vuneralble to all types of stimulation, internal & external distractions.  So if your mind doesn't work like that, it is hard to conceive of what that might be like, let alone begin to see the 'train of though' in order to prevent the train wreck that is approaching.

Second question.  How 'did' I treat my problem.  Well, honestly, I continue to treat my condition through continuing self-education, and persistance as I improve structure in my life. I do use medication for the mood swings that are part of a secondary symptom of women with ADD, because it makes my marriage better - but otherwise I continue to struggle with things.

Question 3. Do I think ADD affects your learing & if so how?

We'll it definately affects learning.  The way it affects learing is because it makes you less available for learing.  If you are focused on the itchy tag in the back of your shirt, then you probably missed the explanation of the problem you got wrong on last night's homework.  Then you go off thinking, "I knew I shouldn't have put on this shirt anyway, it's not my favorite." Which could lead to "I knew it was going to be a bad day when I stubbed my toe on the bed post."  Which leads you to wondering if you remembered to make-up your bed in the first place" wich later gets you thinking about when was the last time you took the sheets off the bed and how much laundry you have to do before this weekend's out-of town trip that the seniors are going on, which brings you back to class and the bell is ringing and you missed the last 20 minutes of class.  You sigh, say you'll try harder or say 'Life it so hard,' pick up your books and scramble on to your next class, lunch or the bus.  

I gave you a senario in question 3 in order to better describe information for question 4.  There is no way literally to give you play-by-play of what happens in the ADD brain.  That's part of the problem.  By the time I wrote down what I thougt of first - I would already be thinking of thing 7 and I would've forgotten items 2-6 or gotten items 2-6 out of order which really would have bugged me; so after a while I would have jsut stopped writing your response and decided to do it 'later.'  So in order not to disappoint you I decided to give you a ficticious example so that I would get past my quirks and give you the information that you requested.

I hopes this gives some insight into a quirky brain.

Blessings,

Christine