Academic Performance and Outcomes in ADHD

00:00 Introduction
00:50 Childhood Academic Problems
00:46 Specific learning disabilities
07:05 Educational Outcomes by Adulthood
10:48 Managing the Educational Problems Posed by ADHD
The school setting is among the most frequently and severely impaired domain of major life activities for children and youth with ADHD. This brief video discusses the numerous difficulties children and teens with ADHD have in school and the myriad adverse academic outcomes that can plague them by adulthood. It also presents suggestions for how to address these problems. More information on addressing the problems ADHD poses in school can be found in my book, Managing ADHD in School, available at major book sellers and on my website, russellbarkley.org
Barkley, R. A. (2020). Managing ADHD in School. Eau Claire, WI: PESI.com.

[@yarntoast]

I was one of the dropouts but my child is on track to being a success story. He and I were diagnosed in the past few years. Within a few months of diagnosis and being prescribed stimulant medication he went from testing below grade level and rarely finishing his work to above grade level and “first done 60% of the time.” This year he is so successful at school his teacher said she wishes she could clone him. His success would not be possible if it weren’t for the work you and your peers have done since I was his age. Thank you.

[@foxybyproxy]

i dig your username, btw.

[@adamik2271]

I love that ❤

[@---Ben---]

Thank you. You're a great mom / dad. I really wish my parents had got me medical treatment. I really grieve at the lost years with a late diagnosis.

[@yarntoast]

@@---Ben--- my mom tried so hard to find help but it was the 80s and early 90s so no diagnostic criteria for me. It was all me not trying hard enough. When I was a one therapist told my mom I was controlling our sessions. I’m glad many today understand that kids do well when they can.

[@mikebelz5755]

this is heartwarming ❤

[@juliawold77]

Have you made videos on “twice exceptional” students?

[@purpasmart_4831]

My love for computers and programming was enough for me to push through and this past August I finally got my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, what helped me was taking it slow. My 4 year degree took me almost 7 years. But now that I got it it doesn't matter now.

[@stoneneils]

i was a coder with severe adhd..its easy because our code keeps track of where we are!! I had no problem..i would always forget what I was doing..where i was..so i just looked at the code. :) That isn't possible in other careers so good choice! You must use a notepad for variables, functions, tasks...you'll forget, trust me.

[@c0r5e]

Just to add same here but you and I made a huge mistake should’ve taken software engineering instead. Way less math and some complicated courses than CS

[@purpasmart_4831]

@@c0r5e I'm not the best at math but I'm really good at memorization for certain things, I find a algorithm with psuedo code online and implement it in the language working with, then I go back and use that as a reference point for future usage.

[@jadpole]

​@@stoneneils Working as a programmer and that was my experience as well. Coding is easy. Admin stuff and meetings is where I had trouble.

[@Piamtaylor]

I can’t thank you enough for the information you give us

[@andymellor9056]

Here in the UK, schools have Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCO's). The SENCO at the school my children went to did her best and was helpful. Ultimately, the headteacher paid lip service to inclusion, did not act against bullying of children who had needs, and didn't provide effective leadership.

[@---Ben---]

That is absolutely despicable.

[@Elspm]

I would be interested to see retrospective studies of the pre-University educational outcomes of those people who were diagnosed in adulthood to see how far these stats hold true in that population. Not sure how practicable such a study would be though. I wonder how far those who are picked up for diagnosis while in school are identified due to their academic performance & behaviour issues, and if there is hence a sampling error which misses those whose problems are more apparent in other spheres.

[@publius9350]

Yes, this seems like an obvious issue. If you are only looking for ADHD in those who are disruptive to class or poor students, obviously those who have ADHD will be more likely to have a poor educational record. This seems similar to the underdiagnosis of females when people would not even test females for ADHD. And honestly, it's the real world where the complications of ADHD are most problematic, except in that we are sorting and pre-labeling people far too quickly.

[@Elspm]

@@publius9350 it does seem obvious, so I assume most researchers realistically would acknowledge this as a bias which may need to be offset. But doing so within the confines of research (and most research budgets) I imagine would be tricky.

[@publius9350]

@@Elspm I don't know, I've seen some big assumptions made before. Researchers are human like anyone else, and the sea changes in psychology and psychiatry over my lifetime have been drastic. When something is hard they will either ignore it, or finish with the typical "more research is needed," but that is a hand wave that can be lost over time - plus many studies have had issue with representative population recruitment. Issues with hormone effects, particularly for women seem to have been put on the back burner and numerous other things that would complicate this.

[@sfstucco]

@@publius9350 - agreed. I have dabbled in reading journal articles/research on ADHD, pre-frontal cortex, working memory, executive function for decades, and it took forever for them to start testing for or describing my experience - I was convinced for a long time that ADHD did not apply to me. - It’s also the case with other things (malfunctions) I know about my body… it takes forever for them to get around to studying connections or long-term effects of things. I know funding is part of it, but sometimes I think they just need to talk more to people with the problems who are also observant and have suggestions about what to study or what questions to ask.

[@publius9350]

@@sfstucco I wish I had a different opinion, but I have talked to the smartest people in the field and the standards are incredibly low for diagnosis in psychological care, and particularly ADHD. People now have so much access to information, and psychiatrists a decade or so ago had a lot less knowledge and a lot more positions based on theory that are largely disproven but they don't have to maintain knowledge for their license in a meaningful way. The entire field bases most of their decisions around the risk assessments on drugs that were made when the infamous Sackler family was making their first fortune with Valium. I don't understand the various risks for various drugs, but it seems weird that frequently abused and highly addictive benzodiazipines are a schedule IV medication, while the stimulant I occasionally forget to take is treated as equal to fentanyl.

[@davidgjam7600]

You put this video out on the first day of me going back to college. I know it won't be an easy road, but now that I'm diagnosed and in a lot of support systems, I feel like I have a chance at graduation. It's so discouraging in school to know that you're different from everyone and failing, and not having the vocabulary to articulate why.

[@publius9350]

You can do it! Be sure to do the various things that you know will help you. We work better when we work with other people (body doubling). We work better when we are motivating ourselves with dopamine (subjects that are exciting, and challenges can be exciting) rather than by criticizing ourselves for where we fail, and numerous other little tricks. James Carville is a crackerjack political genius, but it took him quite awhile to finish college due to ADHD. Others have suffered the long road and are glad they did. Find your place - not just a place, but *your place* and you'll be great. Come back to this comment in a few years and let us know!

[@davidgjam7600]

@@publius9350 Thanks for the encouragement. I'm gonna keep this comment in my notes :)

[@michellejackson8877]

I am an adult with Autism and ADHD who is going through a PhD program 😢 I'm in my dissertation phase and I cannot even tell you the suffering I experience due to all of the normal mountains we have to climb in an academic setting. In higher education you are on your own. I have found very few adults with ADHD and Autism in academics past bachelor's degree to even just consult with. Dark dark times for me. Very dark. Our academic system is a capitalist adventure and wth more of us daring to come out from under our favorite hiding places, we will be the new consumer whose demands will need to be met if universities plan on continuing to capitalize and monopolize higher education. The paradigm for what counts as quantifiable intelligence and how we learn and process what we have learned must change. Of course, that is if "they" want to remain in control of the colonizers creed for intelligence. I am an angry AuDHDER

[@carloscontreras3633]

An amazing lecture. You must be asking yourself how I know if you just posted. Well, I sped it up. I also guess you must know what I struggle with.

[@sfstucco]

>>> UNDERACHIEVER example here !!

[@andymellor9056]

I had a similar experience, though I did scrape by with a bare pass. The emotional toll was significant and long lasting. I did eventually do a Masters in my 40's. With week release from work and backing from my wife, I succeeded in that. Don't give up.

[@patriciajump9511]

I agree, the emotional toll is huge.

[@publius9350]

The worst part is all the people who likely either directly told you or simply suggested that you could just do it if you concentrated - which for us is like saying you could be a basketball star if you grew a few feet taller! Now you know - we just have to protect the next generation as this is far from understood even now.

[@sfstucco]

@@andymellor9056 -- LOL, I'm approaching retirement time, so the degree thing is in the past. But I appreciate the encouragement. And, goodness, congratulations on getting through and finding a supportive partner to help you return for your Master's ! That is a great foundation you built yourself to stand on. I hope your accomplishments continue to feed your sense of confidence and belief in your capabilities. (:

[@andymellor9056]

@sfstucco Thanks! Yeah, it really gave me a boost. I set my own business up 2 years later.

[@manilovetherogue]

can you do a video on what ADHD comorbid with CDS looks like?

[@yarntoast]

I’d love to know more too, based on Dr. Barkley’s previous video I think it may be comorbid for me. That and/or DCD would explain some things I struggle with.

[@manilovetherogue]

@@yarntoast i think i have them both too. and im interested in how they interact with each other, since they are the opposites in many situations. like can the impulsivity of ADHD be snuffed out by CDS

[@publius9350]

He has multiple videos on cognitive disengagement syndrome - I don't think he sees it as comorbid, but something else entirely, though I never quite understood (or paid much attention). Just look in his video library. That said, I'd love more videos directly talking about comorbidities. I am surprised people think they can diagnose other disorders without a good understanding of ADHD since it is comorbid with so many other conditions.

[@manilovetherogue]

​@@publius9350 i was more talking about an in depth look on what it looks like when the 2 disorders occur together, because it seems like that is something that can and does happen. he's mentioned it in his cds videos, but he never really went in depth on it

[@LordThorir]

Thank you for the video. Glad to see that the issue is being adressed in the US, gives me hope that we will adopt the practices here in Germany someday, instead of needing to explain to psychologists, that ADHD is real and dealing with psychiatrist who are trying to dodge ADHD patients. (and then in a far distant future maybe our school system will change too 🥲) I only got my diagnosis at age 30 after several attemts at university as well as different vocational trainings. Personally I found vocational trainings to be extremly understimulating after about 6 months, whereas university exams of any difficulty were almost impossible to manage, but the one thing I like about the German school system is our vocational schools. They split job training and general school education, the teachers are part "full teachers" and part former workers with teacher training. Maybe it just hit the sweet spot for me, maybe it's generally a great system to support people with ADHD, hopefully Germany will contribute to the reasearch one day.

[@sfstucco]

I’m sorry to know the difficulties you have with psychiatrists not taking ADHD seriously. If any are geographically close enough, universities with medical schools might have psychiatrists that will help you. And it’s interesting how the vocational education is set up, so thanks for that information. Good luck.

[@publius9350]

It's not really being addressed in the U.S. and I think we actually have a society that's much more unkind to those with executive function problems. You may have an easier time getting diagnosed here, but we have no public transportation and a sink or swim perspective on basics like health insurance and regressive taxes - lots of forms and paperwork. Don't forget that we also have the highest rate of incarceration in the world, and studies have shown that people in prison have higher rates of ADHD, for various reasons. It's only regarding medication that we are more liberal, and that's because people aren't allowed to be imperfect here. Even regarding diagnosis and medication, it's expensive and obstacle filled and doctors receive discipline for "overdiagnosis" but not missing diagnosis, and the number of hours of education given is comical.

[@nananoname3089]

​@@sfstucco😂 that seems to be helpful (I live close to such a university)... but that same uni (I'm in STEM) is granting less than average options for inclusion lol .. too arrogant and traditional I guess

[@sfstucco]

@@nananoname3089 -- could you explain what you mean when you say "options for inclusion" ?? Especially "inclusion."

[@brittanypodhradsky1494]

I would love some information on kids who get overlooked because they exceeded at school.... no one even considered I had adhd because I got straight As (even though I was constantly talking in class, blurting out the answer, and had severe emotional dysregulation) I never lifted a figure in school and got strait As, I finally got diagnosed about half way through my bachelor of nursing degree and now am on my Masters.... but because I was "smart" my other behaviors got treated as behavioral issues with consequences that did not help me AT ALL, and in fact only made things worse by amplifying my anger, frustration, sadness, feeling like I was a loser because this wasn't known then!! That rejection sensitivity disorder is ingrained in me and even still as an adult this negatively impacts my life

[@stoneneils]

Russel just reminded me...the teache would move me from person to person trying to find someone who I did not find a way to engage in conversation!!! She never could..i was just too distracting without any impulse control...OUT THE DOOR lol. I had SO much fun in high school.

[@lettybeyts7654]

You should do a video on recommended accommodations for ADHD in a college/university setting. I have been wanting to do this because I can't finish a test in time, but I am very unsure how I would go about this, regardless of the instructions my university has given regarding accommodations.

[@user-sg7eu1yq8n]

Dr Barkley, can you make a video about homeschooling and ADHD based on your clinical experience or the literature? If you wrote or made videos about this subject, please point me to the material. Thanks!

[@takiyaazrin7562]

Great explanations!

[@foxofthesnow1500]

thank you for everything you do, its so wonderful to have someone help others understand what we go through everyday. People like you will help make the school system better for our children. people like me may have missed out on help during school but may our children have all the help we wish we had. thank you so much.

[@ilovetosmile]

Russ dropping another banger !! luv you bro !!!

[@lalir8224]

Dr.Barkley thank you so much

[@tobycueni3186]

Dr. Barkley, thank you so much for your research and work. It is incredibly helpful and appreciated.

[@dmkellett]

thanks again !! super content as usual

[@azurousrain]

Love your videos Russ! Just discovered your channel recently after watching your lectures before my diagnosis last year.

[@carloscontreras3633]

I hope you are getting the help you need, with the appropriate type of intervention.

[@johnsherfey3675]

I've tried all the non-addictive medication out there for ADHD, each one had too much of an adverse effect and all of them left me with a migraine and I had to leave the lights off and close the windows. I wont try anything close to methamphetamine, or any amphetamine due to too much family history of abuse when ever someone even got something close to it. I'm pretty much boned because of it. I hate it daily, but learning to live with yourself and the way you are is part of life. Coping and hoping not to make a mess of my own life is what I worry about the most so far, but I'm getting through it somewhat.

[@publius9350]

Treatment in a extended release format with a stimulant that is in a measured regular dosage is a lot different than what occurs in abuse. You can make your own decisions regarding this, and maybe they are justified, but remember that they are choices you are making. Family history of various addictions is common to ADHD because we are more prone to substance abuse because of our impulsivity, dopamine seeking behavior, and other issues.

[@johnsherfey3675]

​@@publius9350 I feel like this is the same people who would roll up in high school asking if I wanted to smoke weed. When I said no and explained why they responded with "you're not them, it doesn't mean it will turn out badly for you." When it's trace-able behavior through out both sides of my family of substance abuse (a variety of them) I would rather not take my chances.

[@publius9350]

@@johnsherfey3675 - I would say I'm the opposite, mainly because I'm of the position that not being medicated is something unsafe and dangerous enough that you have to weigh both dangers. For me, boring highway, emotionally distraught, I got distracted and lost control of my car and nearly died. I have no addiction effects from my stimulant - I actually have to struggle to remember to take it. I will also say, you should ask about Guanfacine, which has been studied for help in lessening addictive behavior and is an ADHD medication. I take Guanfacine and a stimulant, but if you are concerned, you can still get the benefits of Guanfacine without the stimulant as well. I cannot imagine Guanfacine has addiction issues, but check first.

[@jwilson544]

​@johnsherfey3675 you should watch his videos on stimulant medications. The risk for them are far less severe than common recreational substances and are especially safe when used in a proper prescription regiment. Source: I'm from an addiction family and I'm on Vyvanse, and my sister is a sober meth addict and uses adderall

[@ALADDIN22091978]

I think for the highly intelligent and possibly people do not have ADHD severely, the workplace including for young adults maybe more challenging, but poor educational outcomes can cause problems throughout the lifespan. However , many qualifications, one has , neurodiversity especially unrecognised can cause problems in the workplace. There is much less acceptance and awareness in the workplace .

[@avidrucker]

I wonder if there is a Russ video on ADHD and the workplace

[@ALADDIN22091978]

@@avidrucker he has done a video on ADHD and employment

[@publius9350]

Handwriting develops later in boys than girls due to latter development of small muscle control. How do you determine whether the child is just late to develop or has ADHD? I know Allen Frances (lead on the DSM-IV, and opponent of the DSM-V changes) would usually critique ADHD for being more diagnosed in children that were the younger part of their grade class. I had horrible handwriting and a teacher gave up on my handwriting even though I was pulled from recess for extra cursive practice, but I was both one of the youngest people in my class and was recommended to be held back for "maturity issues" though my academics were beyond sufficient.

[@sarahp8402]

Teachers here in Germany, especially in our Gymnasiums (higher level schools) are so far from educated on ADHD it's ridiculous. I'm about to buy your book for managing ADHD at school our of my own pocket and give it to them. Thanks for all your good work!

[@celestechalmers939]

We live in Germany too and I couldn't agree more. Its breaking my heart to see how my child is breaking down through the education system here 💔

[@julietteelisabeth1734]

As someone with ADHD, dyslexia and processing disorders who is also academically gifted more also needs to be done for us too, instead of leaving us floundering because apparently we don't exist. The little help there is in the UK goes to those in the special needs classes whereas those who are academically gifted, still struggling with Working Memory issues (mine in 9th percentile, so utterly terrible), auditory processing disorder, visual processing, slow decoding are all ignored even though we don't achieve what we could if we were supported. Extra time in exams is the most support most of us get and they wonder why we're a little hot headed and frustrated especially when labelled 'lazy' because we don't live up to 'on paper' what comes out of our mouths. Which is emotionally damaging. I'm 98th percentile IQ wise and now on my second masters degree in a different field. I still only get extra time in exams for dyslexia. It's the only support I've ever had and I didn't start getting that until after I mucked up my A-levels the first time round and had to go back and have a second attempt...and then they realised I was seriously dyslexic. I've never had any support for ADHD. The majority of my academic career I have been left to cope on my own because bright children cannot possibly have anything wrong with them, obviously.

[@montegyro]

Its quite on the nose to say accuracy wasn't so much the issue as being productive. "Pleasure to have in class. Could apply themselves more" "Disruptive, and fails to follow along" "Frequently unprepared" "Responses in class are off topic or strange" "Fails to turn in assigments, but test scores are sometimes exceptional" "Truancy issues" "doesn't show their work"

[@stoneneils]

My grades were awful...C+ I was more than happy...but how could I have done better..I didn't listen, didn't do homework...got thrown out of class everyday for clowning around..then vandalized the bathrooms or hallways and got suspended..repeat ENDLESSLY until graduation. I even got thrown out of sleepaway camp!

[@drrodopszin]

It took me 8 years to finish my masters that is normally 5 years (mind you the average was 6.5 years, it was a tough university, lot of unnecessary math). Luckily I could free ride at my mom's house, so I could say if I get a job before my thesis I will never have a degree. I know a lot of people who never finished their education, so I was militant about finishing it.

[@nyarparablepsis872]

I forced my way through the education system. Over here in Central Europe where I grew up awareness of ADHD was nonexistent (I'm 40 now). I had huge difficulties with executive functioning, but was interested in most topics we learned and remembered the material almost verbatim. The one exception was maths. Everything else was a breeze. Went on to university, where the ADHD really started to show - I studied my autistic special interest (I have ASD as well), so that helped a lot with motivation. But the time blindness made things very very difficult. Nonetheless I managed to persevere, although it took me much longer to finish (with honours). After a short work break I returned to do my PhD. Which I am struggling with a lot - mostly with the planning. My topic allows me to learn a lot of different things, but sadly that's not all that's needed for writing a thesis. I now get help from a brand new help program for people with ADHD, ASD, and other mental health problems at my uni, and it is incredibly helpful. I'm also medicated now, which has made shifting between tasks so much easier! I used to be able to do 1 thing and 1 thing only for a day - and being able now to do several different things that need doing is like a revelatory breath of fresh air.

[@patriciajump9511]

I sympathize about the executive function and time blindness issue! (I also struggle with math - I think it is because my working memory is not large enough.)

[@publius9350]

Tell us more about the help program? I'm in a number of programs, but honestly, no progress for some time.

[@nyarparablepsis872]

@@publius9350 You get matched with 1-2 psychology grad students. Meetings with those 1/week. They help with stuff you struggle with, in my case trying to establish a writing schedule, help me externalise time and stuff I need to do, and anything else uni related I need help with. This semester they've also introduced online meetings that you can schedule with any of the volunteers, in case you need some extra help. It's a real game changer for me.

[@foxybyproxy]

validated but sad. at 52, just out of life's flow....can't find the thing, but won't stop searching or complaining. hehe.

[@themobbit9061]

Would you be able to do an analysis of the studies on lavender decreasing anxiety. It may be a good option for children if it actually works.

[@patriciajump9511]

Can ADHD cause you to develop a particular personality? I am pretty sure I must be an INTP mainly because of my ADHD. I am 73, was diagnosed at 50, and started meds at 50. Back in high school and college, though, without meds, I would test in the 98-99th percentile, and my class rank was always at or near the top, but I could not keep up in a social setting. I just went to my room and studied, because scholastics was the only area where I could excel and not embarrass myself. For work, I did not (could not) take time to socialize at work or after work because I had to concentrate so hard and plan and memorize and strategize so I could try to do the job properly. I just wonder if I am an INTP because of social embarrassment due to ADHD .... or if being an INTP was a saving grace for an ADHD person, because I use my alone time to plan and/or study how to act at work and when with others?

[@publius9350]

Personally I would say that Myers-Briggs is mostly junk science, but that we can develop a number of different ways due to trying to compensate for our individual issues. I am more of an ENTP than you (though E vs I is situational for me), but that's because I get bored without new people to stimulate me, and I actually lose a lot of friends because I am "too much.". Note, ADHD overlaps with a lot of things - autistic people get a lot of social burnout, but I also get burnout depending on how many new people I am interacting with and how out of place I feel. You are a unique individual and the disorder can help figure out some things, but the difference in presentations is part of the reason they at one point had multiple types of ADHD.

[@publius9350]

It does sound like for you though, that you used introversion as a compensation - others might use extraversion as a compensation - yes, my grades suck, but look at how well I do in sports or theater or any number of other places that people with ADHD have succeeded.

[@publius9350]

I, personally, always tested incredibly well while sitting comfortably in the middle of the class rank. If my parents expected more I probably would have been diagnosed, but I wasn't a young boy running about the classroom stabbing people with pencils (actual kid in my class), so why medicate a kid who treats class as a game where he must engage so as not to be bored?

[@stoneneils]

@@publius9350The first time I was suspended it was for my buddy stabbing a girl's BANANA lol..no joke..i held it down while he stabbed it..she cried...then when the teacher asked "Rina, what's wrong?" My friend yelled "She has diabetes!!" And she started bawling and ran out!!! lol it wasn't true..she wasn't overweight or anything .. he didn't even know what diabetes was!!! lol. Guess what..he became a police sargent!! Still a funny guy though..really really really funny.

[@s.m.4948]

You have shared most of this is information elsewhere, but it's always hard to hear. Coming from a highly-educated family, my offspring will feel out of place without at least a couple of degrees. And it's painful to see a child who consistently scores very well on IQ/ standardised tests, unable to let that intelligence shine in an academic setting. No one wants to be, say, the only plumber in a family of engineers or the person who easily grasps concepts that elude others while watching them fly past her in school. Medication is helping DC, but not enough to make school or homework anything but painfully onerous. Yes, I know; metaphorically speaking, we just need to adjust our expectations and enjoy our time in Holland but it's not easy when the rest of the family lives in Italy, and that's where kids who aren't half as bright but who are more neurotypical are able to reside.

[@nananoname3089]

I'm struggling iiinsanely with university ... but I noticed that it's not even my ability to pay attention or do the work to get into the subjects......... it's the exams and deadlines and lack of structure that is about to make me give up. It's so frustrating when I can read up on theoretical mechanics when smth sparked my interest (even though I don't like physics really) in my free time... but then I'm unable to study for a biochem exam on metabolism which is SO INSANELY INTERESTING TO ME but bc I need to stuff it into my head until a certain date my brain is like lol ABSOLUTELY not. 🥲🥲🥲 why do I need a stamp on a paper to ''be'' someone and get work in the field

[@78KellyS78]

I’m so confused what to do to help my 10 year old, has adhd but also has high comprehension and reading abilities, but has Dysgraphia too, so hard to show what he knows. I’ve no idea how the next stage of schooling will pan out, he finds it all so stressful! Not sure what to do to support him better and use his comprehension abilities better somehow

[@---Ben---]

Is he being treated medically? That's step one.

[@skurtkobin5860]

Hi everybody i am 27 years old i recently got diagnosed with adhd It was like the missing piece from the puzzle i got kicked off school when i was young I also have focusing problems professional problems Managing money problems but Unfortunately here in Algeria North Africa we don't have ADHD medications i have been struggling with adhd all my life and I still struggle with it until now my Psychiatrist give me Mood regulator but it Doesn't make any difference Because I have suicidal thoughts I don't know what to do i prey God every day ( Excuse my english I am not a native speaker)

[@stoneneils]

Do you have Sudafed where you live? I soak the ones with pseudoephedrine and take 20mg..about 1/5th what is left after soaking.its orangey...it works great.

[@skurtkobin5860]

@@stoneneils thank u for your help

[@catharineisabeldefreitasvi7484]

Thank you so much Dr. Barkley for your valuable content. My kid has ADHD (he is 9.6 years old), and maybe this is a very silly question, I have heard in many of your lectures that we need to modify the environment to provide them "prosthetically" with these functions that they don't have naturally (working memory, time blindness, etc.) and that this is something that needs to be done in a long-term; but, is there any evidence that these functions can also be boosted (or improved) somehow (e.g., through reading [more complex books rather than short texts], playing musical instruments, playing memory games, swimming, tae kwon do, etc)? Not to get rid of the "prosthetic" environment, but just to make children a little bit "less impaired" or to train the "executive functions" muscle (if that makes any sense)? (I am sorry I am not a native English speaker so I may not be using the correct words). Thank you in advance, I hope you can read and answer this comment :)

[@russellbarkleyphd2023]

I have yet to see any training programs that produce lasting improvements in EF following treatment or that generalize from the training sessions to real life. Of course you can reduce the impairments from these deficits through various accommodations or prosthetic environments as I call them but I don’t see EF as a muscle to be trained but as a capacity to be accommodations. The good news is that these EF capacities continue to improve with development even if not at the rate they do in typical children. So they are better at 16 than at 8 for example, and continue to improve until the late 20s or so.

[@catharineisabeldefreitasvi7484]

@@russellbarkleyphd2023 Thank you so much for your time to answer 🤍 Noted, and thanks for the hope of improving 🙂

[@myriamstajkowski3958]

​@@russellbarkleyphd2023 What does that mean for adults who are diagnosed later in life? If a 50 yr old recently diagnosed woman were to start university study would it be a waste of time and money? Is there a lag in how long it takes them to learn compared to neurotypical brains? How does brain neuroplasticity factor into ADHD in the adult population? Also, I've read several journal articles on MCT oil being good for brain connectivity and ADHD. Should we be taking MCT oil supplements too?

[@meganruddock7574]

What to do if stimulants cause ticks and intuiv (no stimulant) made my son depressed after 2 years? My psychiatrist said there are no alternatives😮

[@bagindaraja9452]

So, how can people with ADHD improve their reading skills if treating their ADHD won't help?

[@insidiatori9148]

It feels like the educational statistics for adhd are ten times worse in the US compared to Netherlands. So happy I’m not born in the US.

[@obgfoster]

I have a tendency to skip letters when writing. I know the correct spelling, but the brain races ahead by one letter.

[@robertduluth8994]

School really was the trauma’s playground

[@insidiatori9148]

Does playing chess daily improve adhd deficits?

[@GreenSharpieScience]

Nope unfortunately, but it will improve chess skills which is great

[@publius9350]

I have seen studies that say it can help. I would consider chess the opposite of social media - one dampens ADHD problems and the other exacerbates them, but neither cure or cause.

[@jonr6680]

Beyond neurodivergence, I wonder how different kids' outlooks would be if the industrial era of mass education was scrutinized. School is basically a factory farm for people, so anyone who doesn't easily submit to the processing they are subjected to is going to have a bad time. The politics of this is also stark, the production of workers to fill the factories, offices etc. Not free will, not the ability to think for themselves. Definitely not self-actualisation, (although the grading systems are touted as being 'fair'). And typically education lags behind society and especially technology, so by the time you get out of the machine, you have to learn how to survive in the real world all over again!! Even some states, schools, etc have deranged secret or blatant interference by political parties, religious groups, and other nefarious vested interests. E.g. with 'books' indoctrinating positions on climate change, evolution etc. School is not a fun or even productive place in many cases - even for normies.

[@publius9350]

Look at the school system in Finland. It is often noted to be the best in the world, but is very different.

[@stoneneils]

Maybe not primary school but to say high school is not a fun place is literally the opposite of what i experienced. We had fun from home-room class until the final bell...we were CRAZY guys...not very academic..public school...by grade 10/11 it was dope smoking with girls all day long listening to zeppelin.

[@jonr6680]

@@stoneneils We can only respect the choices our younger selves made, can't change it now... Glad you had a good time, different worlds I guess. I do remember one or two party nights but that wasn't actually IN the school!

[@Andy-vh3ns]

Wow, that kind-of triggered me a bit, as it was a walk down memory lane of my time in school. Thanks for all the great work you do Dr. Barkley.

[@joel-yd1rv]

Does doing fairly well in school mean you don’t have ADHD?

[@syrif96]

I blew through public school with a 95 average all the way through grade 12 advanced classes, deans list 1st year university. I was diagnosed this pas summer @ 26 years old with a moderate combined presentation. Stats are just stats, they don't reflect 100% of people.

[@trewdat361]

High Intelligence people with ADHD can complete high school but will likely suffer when homework becomes more important and when time management becomes more important. If you suffer from the symptoms of ADHD consistently then it doesn't matter if you're doing good in school or not.

[@Alex-js5lg]

Doing well in school is something that can actually mask ADHD. You don't need to know how to manage time, prioritize, study consistently, etc if you can pump out an "A" essay in 6 hours the night before it's due then crush the exam because you already knew the material.

[@ALADDIN22091978]

Not necessarily, a few can do well in school , especially very mild ADHD, highly educated, managed .

[@ALADDIN22091978]

@@trewdat361I am highly educated, I got a degree in the U.K, in 3 years, postgraduate diploma in the 1 year without diagnoses. When I got my diagnosis of dyspraxia, my IQ was rated around 125. The psychiatrist who diagnosed me with ADHD, said my ADHD was missed , because I was well behaved in school, intelligent and driven .