Coping with adult ADHD or ADHD in children can sometimes feel challenging, but fear not; we’re here to share our favourite coping ADHD tips with the help of different techniques and sensory tools for ADHD. This informative guide covers what ADHD is, ADHD symptoms in both children and adults and how to cope with ADHD using sensory tools and alternative techniques.
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a group of symptoms that typically are presented as impulsiveness, hyperactivity and a lack of attentiveness. These symptoms tend to be picked up at a young age and are often highlighted when a child has a change of circumstances, such as when they begin school.
ADHD is one of the most common behavioural issues in children in the UK, with around 3-5% estimated to have the condition. There is no known specific cause for ADHD, nor is there a single test for it. ADHD can be diagnosed around a standard set of guidelines by doctors with the help of information gathered from parents, carers and their school.
The main symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children are:
1. Inattentiveness
2. Hyperactivity
3. Impulsiveness
These three ADHD symptoms have a key set of traits. To help you recognise ADHD in your loved ones, let’s discuss what these traits are.
The key traits for inattentiveness include:
• Being easily distracted with a short attention spanThe key traits for hyperactivity and impulsiveness include:
• Struggling to sit still – notably in a calm or quiet environment
• Constantly fidgeting
• An inability to be able to concentrate and focus on tasks
• Excessive talking and physical movement
• Struggling to wait their turn
• Interrupting conversations
• Acting without thinking which can lead to ending up in dangerous situations
Alongside these main traits and symptoms, there are some other conditions which can be related to ADHD, such as:
• Anxiety – which can be shown through physical behaviour and nervousness
• Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) – displaying disruptive behaviour against authority figures
• Poor conduct and anti-social behaviour
• Depression
• Learning difficulties such as dyslexia
Due to a lack of research, it’s usually harder to define ADHD in adults as symptoms and traits are considered more subtle in adults.
Some of the key symptoms of ADHD in adults include:
It’s thought that as ADHD is developmental, then it must appear in childhood for it to be present in adulthood. ADHD presents differently in adults to how it presents in children and teenagers. Hyperactivity tends to be less prevalent in adults, whereas issues with inattentiveness tend to get worse due to the pressures of adult life. It’s known that those who have the disorder in childhood can show signs in adulthood; however, a low percentage of adults show full symptoms.
For the most part, therapy and medication are used to alleviate the condition and allow those with it to function in day to day life better. Medication isn’t a permanent cure for ADHD but can definitely make people concentrate better and be calmer, as well as opening the door for improved learning. Professionals can implement various therapies to help get to the underlying problems and help sufferers handle their situation better. Alongside therapy and medication, sensory tools can support both children and adults with ADHD in their day to day lives.
Fibre optics are one of our favourite sensory tools for ADHD as they’re brilliant for tactile and visual stimulation. Similar to bubble tubes, fibre optics assist in creating a calming environment, and the fibre optics are safe to be touched, which makes them great fun to be played with.
Sound walls are excellent sensory tools for ADHD as the sensory wall panels help those with ADHD to concentrate and draw their attention to creating different sounds and music.
Sensory rooms have a positive effect on those with ADHD as the vibrations, focused lighting, aromatherapy, and sound control can dramatically assist with attention skills. These tools act as filters for children with ADHD as sensory rooms can be a safe space for the individual to engage calmly and succeed. A multi-sensory room helps to filter out extraneous sensory information which helps the individual to organise and modulate their thinking better, as well as their speech and orientation.
To reduce spells of impulsiveness and hyperactivity and to help increase attentiveness, we recommend the following four sensory tools for those with ADHD.
1. Bubble tubes
2. Fibre optics
3. Sound walls
4. Sensory rooms
A calming sensory room can help with areas where those with ADHD struggle, which can lead to improving skills needed throughout education and daily skills. A sensory room at home or school can help to improve the quality of life for individuals as the calming lights, bubble tubes, aromas and sounds can help the user to relax and then engage and focus on their surroundings.
We hope you’ve found these ADHD tips for coping with adult and childhood ADHD useful. For more information on how sensory products can assist with different abilities, read our informative blog post which describes what a sensory room is how it can help.
