Stroop Test for ADHD

This is the Stroop Test for ADHD. Difficulty to perform this test is only an indication that someone might have ADHD. Please follow these instructions in order:


1. Read down the list of words in black print. Say them aloud. Time yourself.

2. Read down the list of colored words. Say aloud the color of the lettering, not the word itself. It's a little tricky but you can do it. Time yourself.

3. Re-read the list of colored words. This time say the word itself, not the color of the letters. Again, it's a little tricky.

Read these words aloud for step #1:

Red Blue Green Red Green Blue Red
Blue Green Red Yellow Blue Green Blue
Yellow Yellow Blue Red Red Blue Red
Green Red Green Green Yellow Red Yellow

Read these words/colors for steps #2 and #3:

Red Blue Green Red Green Blue Red
Blue Green Red Yellow Blue Green Blue
Yellow Yellow Blue Red Red Blue Red

Green Red Green Green Yellow Red Yellow

Most people find #2 and #3 take longer than #1 and a bit challenging but it can be done. A little frustration and some laughing is the usual result. ADHD people have quite a bit more difficulty in doing #2 and #3, much more so than non-ADHD people. A higher level of frustration and longer time to get through the colored words is experienced.


You might also be interested in:

ADHD Questionaire

ADHD - Basic Facts

Famous People with ADHD

Eczema Sufferers More Likely to Have ADHD

This news release really caught my attention. Here's a synopis:

The children in a German study of almost 2900 children and teenager founds that across the board, 5.2 percent of eczema patients had ADHD while only 3.4 percent of eczema-free youngsters did. A research letter will be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Young people with atopic eczema were found to be 54 percent more likely to have an ADHD diagnosis than those without it. About 20 percent of children in Western nations are found to have atopic eczema by age 6.

"Atopic eczema is highly prevalent in children and it is known to gravely affect the quality of life," Schmitt and Romanos wrote in an email. "Therefore the assumption that it might be related to or influence the presence of psychiatric problems is not far-fetched."

Before the finding can be official, the link needs to be confirmed by more research. There also exists that eczema-related itching or sleep disturbances may exacerbate ADHD symptoms in some children. It's also possible that atopic eczema and ADHD could share an underlying cause.

Special diets have been proposed for treating ADHD, but the role of diet and food sensitivity in the condition has been highly controversial. Some research has linked ADHD to allergic conditions such as hay fever. Jan Buitelaar, M.D., Ph.D., of Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center in The Netherlands has coauthored a 2008 paper suggesting that ADHD may be an allergic condition in some patients.

"There is data that allergic mechanisms could alter brain neurotransmission and brain functioning," Buitelaar said. He also pointed out that children could develop "disruptive and restless behavior" as a result of the itchiness and pain caused by the skin condition.

Treatment for ADHD should be a combination of medication for ADHD and environmental changes that promote positive behavioral changes.

Two out of five studies (unnamed in the original article) have found some evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may benefit ADHD patients.

Very interesting. Can't wait for some follow up studies.
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Causes of ADD / ADHD

According to the Mayo Clinic, more and more scientists are agreeing that changes in the brain may be a biggest cause of ADD / ADHD. They also agree that the environment may contribute to or worsen behavior.

Scientists have discovered some important differences in the brains of people with ADHD as compared to those without the disorder. They found that the brain chemicals called neurotransmitters don't work properly in people with ADHD. Also, there seems to be less activity in the areas of the brain that control activity and attention in people with ADHD. They also discovered that children with ADHD have up to 4 percent smaller brain volumes than do children without ADHD.

Most of us already know that ADHD tends to run in families. About 25 percent of children with ADHD have at least one relative with the disorder.

Women who smoke while pregnant have a higher risk of that particular baby having ADHD. Drug and alcohol abuse during pregnancy is suspected to reduce activity of the nerve cells that make neurotransmitters. Pregnant women who are exposed to the chemical, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), is also more likely to have children with symptoms of ADHD.

Preschool children exposed to lead and PCB's are at increased risk of developmental and behavioral problems. Exposure to lead, which is found mainly in the paint and pipes of older buildings, has been linked to disruptive and even violent behavior and to a short attention span. The paint can flake and eventually become tiny pieces, mixed in with the playground soil.

Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps and ADHD

As a toddler, little Michael Phelps was constantly talking, asking questions, and needing attention from other people. His preschool teachers complained that he was noisy during quiet time, wouldn't sit during circle time and bothered the other children.

During elementary school, Michael's teachers described him as "immature" and said he couldn't sit still, be quiet when required to, or stay focused on his classwork. Although he did well with physically active subjects like PE and science experiments, he did not like to read. His report card had D's, C's and B's.

Both of Phelps' sisters were swimmers. His mother decided to get him swimming, too, as an outlet for all that excess energy.

When Phelps was in 5th grade, his doctor (and fellow parent at Michael's sisters' swim meets) suggested he might have ADHD. He himself had witnessed Micheal running around at the meets "like a crazy person." Assessment forms were sent to the teachers and the results were no big surprise..."cant sit still, keep quiet or focus."

At age 9, Micheal started taking Ritalin which helped a little bit. His grades improved slightly but he continued to do minimal work, never going above and beyond.

By age 10 Michael was doing great in swimming. He ranked nationally for his age group in competitions. Swim meets offered Michael a way to focus on something he loved. ADHD children are very good at focusing on something they have a passion for. He started setting records.

After about 2 years of being on ADHD medication, Michael asked his mom if he could stop taking it because no one else took it and going to the school nurse for mid-days medication made him feel different than the other children. He promised his mother he could handle school without the medication.

Phelps graduated from Towson High School in Maryland and studied at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

For a listing of other famous people with ADHD, click on http://adhdandmore.blogspot.com/2009/01/famous-people-with-adhd.html#links

Ty Pennington and ADHD

By the time Ty Pennington hit elementary school, he was picking up desks and showing off to make the other children laugh, jumping off the roof at home and running into the street, unaware of cars. His teachers thought he was disruptive. His mother worried for his safety.

Pennington's mother, Yvonne, was studying to become a clinical psychologist and during some research for a psych class she came across studies on children who found focusing very challenging. She decided it was time to take her son to the doctor.

The doctor told Yvonne that her son had "minimal brain dysfuncion." She did not like this label and did not tell her son these words but she did do extensive research on minimal brain dysfunction. She learned about using a token system which rewards children for focusing and staying on task.

Ty was rewarded with drink coasters for a pre-set amount of time to stay focused. Once he saved up enough coasters/tokens he could trade them in for extra time doing something he enjoyed like building with his Erector Set, extra play time or TV time. Ty's teacher adopted this token system, too.

Slowly Ty's ability to stay on task improved but he still did the absolute minimum to get by.

Yvonne noticed that her son developed a strong passion for building. Gotta love that Erector Set! He even talked friends into helping him build a 3-story tree house in exchange for some of his comic books.

In high school Ty earned B's and C's but the lack of structure in college was unbearable. After his first year, Ty dropped out of Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

In the 1980's a new term emerged from the medical community - ADHD. Pennington's doctor prescribed stimulants which helped his ability to focus enough to retry college.

Ty graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta with honors.

Afterward graduation, Ty got odd jobs in construction, graphic design, modeling and acting. Then he landed a construction gig on the Learning Channel show, "Trading Spaces." Three years later he was offered the lead spot in a new show called "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

And the rest will be history!

For a list of other famous people with ADHD click on http://adhdandmore.blogspot.com/2009/01/famous-people-with-adhd.html#links

New ADHD Medication - Clonicel

There is a new medication on the horizon to treat hyperactivity in children. Addrenex Pharmaceuticals introduces Clonicel, which is a derivative of Clonide, with ADHD children in mind. It helps reduce hyperactivity in a slow release pill with no drowsy side effects.

For more on Clonicel, click on http://www.addrenex.com/lead_product.html

For a listing of other ADHD medications, please click on http://adhdandmore.blogspot.com/2009/01/adhd-medications.html#links
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Famous People with ADHD

Here's a list of famous people with ADHD and those who MIGHT have had it. Obviously people who lived a long time ago weren't officially diagnosed that way, but written history suggests they might have had ADHD. This list is a compilation of several other separate lists. Enjoy!
You are in good company!

Ansel Adams — Photographer
Ann Bancroft —Actress
Alexander Graham Bell — Telephone Inventor
Harry Andersen — Actor
Hans Christian Anderson — Author
Beethoven — Composer
Harry Belafonte —Actor, Singer
Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington —WWII Flying Ace (Black Sheep Squadron Leader)
Terry Bradshaw —Football Quarterback
George Burns — Actor
Sir Richard Francis Burton — Explorer, Linguist, Scholar, Writer
Admiral Richard Byrd — Aviator (Was retired from the navy as, "Unfit for service")
Thomas Carlyle — Scottish historian, critic, and sociological writer
Andrew Carnegie - American Industrialist
Jim Carrey — American Comedian
Lewis Carroll — Author (Alice in Wonderland)
Prince Charles — Future King of England?
Cher — Actress and Singer
Agatha Christie — Author
Sir Winston Churchill — English Statesman (Failed the sixth grade)
Bill Cosby — American Actor, Comedian
Tom Cruise — Actor, Couch Jumper
Harvey Cushing M.D. — Greatest Neurosurgeon of the 20th Century
Salvador Dali —Spanish Surrealist Artist
Leonardo da Vinci — Italian Inventor, Artist
John Denver — American Musician
Walt Disney — American Cartoonist, Film Producer, Theme Park Innovator (A newspaper editor fired him because he had "No good ideas".)
Kirk Douglas — American Actor
Thomas Edison — Inventor (His teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything)
Albert Einstein — Physicist (Einstein was four years old before he could speak,and seven before he could read)
Dwight D. Eisenhower — U. S. President, Military General
Michael Faraday — British Physicist, Chemist
F. Scott Fitzgerald — Author
Malcolm Forbes —Forbes Magazine Founder & Publisher
Henry Ford — Automobile Innovator, invented the Production Line
Benjamin Franklin —American Colonial Politician, Elder Statesman, Inventor
Galileo (Galilei) — Italian Mathematician, Astronomer
Danny Glover — American Actor
Tracey Gold — American Actress
Whoopi Goldberg — Comedienne, Actress
Georg Frideric Handel —German Composer
Valerie Hardin — Gothic Poet, Artist, Children's Author
Mariette Hartley — Actress
William Randolph Hearst — Newspaper Magnate
Ernest Hemingway — Author
Mariel Hemingway — Actress
Milton Hershey — Hershey's Chocolate Magnate, American Philanthropist
Dustin Hoffman — Actor
Bruce Jenner — Olympic Athlete
Luci Baines Johnson - Daughter of USA President Lyndon B. Johnson
"Magic" Johnson — American Basketball Player, Film Personality, Business Man
Samuel Johnson — Author
Michael Jordan — American Basketball Player
John F. Kennedy — U. S. President
Robert F. Kennedy — U.S. Attorney General, Brother of JFK
Jason Kidd — Professional Basketball Player
John Lennon —Musician
Frederick Carlton (Carl) Lewis —American Olympic Athelete.
Meriwether Lewis - explorer (Lewis & Clark) 
Abraham Lincoln —U.S. President during American Civil War (Entered The Black Hawk War as a Captain and came out a Private)
Greg Louganis — Olympic Athelete (Diving)
James Clerk Maxwell — British Physicist
Steve McQueen — American ActorWolfgang 
Amadeus Mozart — German Child Prodigy Composer, Violinist, Pianist
Napoleon Bonaparte —Emperor of France
Nasser (Gamal Abdel-Nasser) Egyptian Leader
Sir Issac Newton - English Scientist, Mathematician (Did poorly in grade school)
Nostradamus —Physician, Prophet
Ozzy Osbourne —English Rock Musician, said he was ADHD on TV
Louis Pasteur — Scientist, developed "Pasturization" (Rated as mediocre in chemistry when he attended the Royal College)
General George Patton — American Military
Pablo Picasso — Spanish Cubist Artist
Edgar Allan Poe — English Author, Poet, Master of the Macabre
Rachmaninov — Russian Composer
Eddie Rickenbacker — WWI Flying Ace
John D. Rockefeller —Founder, Standard Oil Company
Nelson Rockefeller — U.S. Vice President
August Rodin — Artist, Sculptor
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt — American First Lady
Pete Rose —American Baseball Player
Babe Ruth — American Baseball Player
Nolan Ryan — American Baseball Player
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat — Egyptian President, Nobel Peace Prize Winner in 1976
George C. Scott — American Actor
George Bernard Shaw —Author
Will Smith — American Actor, Rapper, Entertainer
Tom Smothers — Actor, Singer, Entertainer
Socrates — Greek Philosopher
Suzanne Somers — Actress, Pinup Girl
Steven Spielberg — American Filmmaker
Sylvester Stallone — American Actor
Jackie Stewart — Car Racing, Grand Prix Hall of Famer
James Stewart — American Actor
Henry David Thoreau —Author, Poet
(Lev Nikolayevich) Leo Tolstoy — Russian Author (Flunked out of college)
Alberto Tomba — Alpine Ski Champion
Vincent van Gogh — Dutch Artist who settled in France, Impressionism
Russell Varian — Inventor
Jules Verne — Author (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea)
Werner von Braun — German Rocket Scientist (Flunked 9th grade algebra)
Lindsay Wagner — American Actress (Bionic Woman), Spokesperson
Gen. William C. Westmoreland — Military (Vietnam Era)
Robin Williams — Prolific American Comedian, Actor,
Woodrow Wilson — U. S. President
Henry Winkler —American Actor (Fonzie)
Stevie Wonder — American Musician
F. W. Woolworth — Department Store Innovator (While working in a dry goods store at 21, his employers wouldn't let him wait on a customer because he "Didn't have enough sense.")
Frank Lloyd Wright — American Architect
Orville Wright —Airplane Developer
Wilber Wright — Airplane Developer
William Wrigley, Jr. — Chewing Gum MakerWilliam Butler Yeats — Irish Author


Here are links you might enjoy:

Famous ADHD Quotes

Ty Pennington's ADHD Story

Michael Phelps, Olmpic Gold Medalist's ADHD Story
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ADHD Medications

Medication can help children and adults with ADHD overcome their difficulties in focusing and concentrating. The doctor might have the patient try different medications until the right one is found - one that works and is tolerated well. The patient must stay under the prescribing doctor's care the entire time he or she is on ADHD medication.

The most prescribed medications are classified as "stimulants" which work by affecting the chemicals responsible for signals in the brain. The level of neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine) in the brain are increased. This increase can help one settle down and focus.

To see a listing of medications approved by the FDA for the treatment of ADHD, click on http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ADHD/default.htm which also has links to label information and side effect warnings.

"Off Label Medication" is a phrase that describes a drug that's okayed by the FDA for a certain treatment but the prescribing doctor is using it for something else. It has NOT been approved by the FDA the way the doctor wants to use it. Off-Label medications that are sometimes used to treat ADHD include Symmetrel, Survector/Maneon, Didrex, Wellbutrin, Clonidine, Provigil/Alertec/Sparlon, Cylert, Edronax and Selegiline. Many of these have detrimental side effects, not found to be effective, or haven't been properly studied yet in the USA.

No medication is without side effects. Every person's response is different. If one medication is not tolerated well, then it can be stopped under the doctor's guidance, and a new one started up. There are many facts and myths about ADHD medications:

• Some people think tics might develop or existing ones get worse. There is no increase that is considered by the medical community to be "statistically significant."


• Some people have heard that ADHD medications stunt a child's growth. In reality, growth might slow down but the child catches back up during those typical growth spurt years. Everyone reaches the size they were supposed to reach. In the long run, no one ended up being unusually short or small.


• There is the side effect of weight loss or not gaining weight. This is probably due to a decreased appetite, caused by certain medications. Like height, the weight will eventually reach what is "normal" for the child. Make sure the patient eats very healthy during their stay on ADHD medication.


• There is a controversy over whether or not there have been adverse effects on the heart while on some ADHD medications. Research has found that those who suffered cardiovascular problems had previous, perhaps unknown, heart conditions but the connection between the problems and medications were never scientifically proven. Now, to be on the safe side, doctors order ECG's, EKG's and/or ultrasounds to rule out heart conditions before starting their patients. Blood pressure and pulse should be regularly checked by the prescribing physician.


• There have been a few cases of psychiatric side effects for patients. The patient and family must watch for changes in thinking or depression. The doctor will also interview the patient at each follow-up visit.


• Some ADHD drugs have resulted in dependance, usually caused by long-term overdose. Always only take what the doctor prescribes and never give, share or sell ADHD medication to someone else.


• There is also the misinformation that children who take ADHD medication will grow up to be drug addicts. Studies have actually proved the opposite - when a patient follows the prescription, he or she succeeds and does well in school, gaining a healty self-esteem. ADHD suffers who don't take medication suffer from failure and ridicule as they grow up, often turning to drugs and alcohol as ways to block out the pains of the real world.

Before starting medication for ADHD, try changing the home, work and school environment to avoid distractions, allow mental breaks, give extra time for tasks, and squeeze in quick breaks for physical movement first. If those measures don't help enough and medication is being considered, do your research and follow your doctor's prescription.

My daughter is on the smallest dose of Adderall. Her EKG was abnormal so we got an ultrasound -ends up there was a glitch in the EKG. Nothing was wrong with her heart. We have noticed zero side effects. The doctor takes her blood pressure and pulse at every follow-up visit and asks questions about depression to make sure all is going okay.

Good luck to you!

THE FEINGOLD DIET for ADHD

The Feingold Diet is not a cure-all or stand-alone answer but it can help, perhaps combined with testing for food allergies, arranging a success-oriented environment and /or ADHD medications.

It's the artificial ingredients and chemicals that you should avoid. Here is a list of items to avoid in your food, medicine, toothpaste and drinks.

The Feingold Program eliminates these additives:
Artificial (synthetic) coloring
Artificial (synthetic) flavoring
Aspartame (Nutrasweet, an artificial sweetener)
Artificial (synthetic) preservatives BHA, BHT, TBHQ

A word about sugar:
Sugar is not necessarily to be omitted from your diet. Cane sugar is the best type tolerated by children. Most people also handle beet sugar pretty well. If you see a sugar that doesn't say what kind it is, assume it is beet sugar. Some folks don't handle corn syrup very well because it contains high levels of sulfite (an additive used in production). It's hard to go without sugar if you like to eat desserts, so try cane sugar as your first "add back in" item after a month of cleansing. If it causes a problem, detox a month and then try beet sugar.

For cooking for the family at home, it's easiest to put everyone on the diet. (unless you don't mind being a waitress and taking multiple orders). This also keeps the the ADHD person from feeling different or ostracized.

Start out the Feingold diet by elimating everything on the no-no list completely for a month or two. It's a back-to-basics way of eating. Buy fresh or frozen fruits and veggies. Cook your own unprocessed meats. If possible, stay this way for life - it's healthier for you anyway. If you feel the need to eat something that you've been avoiding, try it (and nothing else from the list) after the detox period for one month and see if there's any change.

Post a list in your kitchen of what fruits, veggies and meats the family likes. You can slowly add to the list any avoided items after a successful 1 month trial. Use this list as your shopping list and meal planner.

Good Luck!

FIRST REPORT CARD

This is my daughter's 1st year of school while on Adderall. She's in 6th grade. We invested as many hours as the past on homework and studying for tests. But the outcome is much improved!

A in Math...(got C's last year. She knew how to do everything, just careless errors and not reading instructions) Thank you, Mr. Matthews!

A in Science... (same as math last year). Thank you, Mrs. Lodanosky!

B in Social Studies/History....(got D's last year. So much info to remember, hard to get it into her brain. Also confused facts, people and places). Thank you, Mrs. Sailer!

"3" in Language Arts (3 is "proficient", 4 is "advanced")...(got 1's last year with teacher adding negative comments. Had difficulty meeting deadlines, sometimes refused to write) Thank you, Mrs. Lodanosky!

My Daughter's Reward -

Slumber party and trip out for ice cream (3 friends)
Daddy got her a new game for her Nintendo DS
Mommy did an embarrassing Happy Dance

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6th GRADE IS GOING WELL...

It's almost the end of the first marking period and my daughter is doing great. Her average score in each subject dances around 90%. But it's still alot of hard work. We're just getting better scores than last year for the same amount of work.

For Social Studies my daughter and I review a few pages every night - vocab words, names of people and places, who did what etc. I also have her practice writing out words that might be used in the answers for an upcoming test's essay questions. This all adds probably an extra half hour each night to the homework but it's worth it.

My daughter started taking Adderall in September. She got an EKG and ECG before taking the meds to rule out unknown heart problems. She's so much better able to do one-on-one studying with me during homework without being distracted by the cat walking by or random thought popping into her head. She's reading test questions much better, following directions better, and making fewer "dumb mistakes" or BF's on tests.

The way 6th grade is set up is also a big improvement over how things were done last year. This year the 6th grade teachers share teaching subjects to all of the 6th grade children. Getting up after each subject and changing rooms is great for the ADHD kids. Another thing that is great is that homework for one subject only is written down at the end of it. Just one sentence or phrase to write. This is so much better than asking the children to write down 5 things at the end of the day when they are hurrying to pack their backpacks and listening for their bus numbers to be called.

I am a happy mom. My daughter's self-esteem is improving and I see her blossoming.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL & TEACHER CAN DO...

Seat the child in a quiet area with few distractions, preferably up front and close to the teacher. Avoid open doors and windows where children on the playground might be distracting.

Providing an area where the child can move around to release excess energy.

Scheduling difficult subjects in the morning.

Mixing classroom lectures with brief periods of physical activity, such as washing the blackboard or going to the bathroom.

Keeping assignments brief.

Allowing the child to participate often. Ask the child questions, even if their hand isn't raised. Ask the child to help out writing something on the board, handing out papers, collecting papers. This gives the child a break from their chair as well as makes them feel more a part of the class.

Giving the child extra time to answer questions or complete tests and other assignments.

Providing the student with a simple outline and notes for lectures.

Providing practice tests or quizzes to do at home.

Allowing the student to use a calculator.

Preparing the student for transitions or changes in routines, such as field trips or changes from one activity to another. Give the 5-minute warning that things are about to end or change.

Encouraging the student to check in with the case manager regularly.

Giving immediate feedback and rewards for desired behavior or for achievement.

Making sure homework assignments are clear and that the student has all the materials needed.

Providing an extra set of books to keep at home.

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MY DAUGHTER'S STORY-

When my daughter finished kindergarten her teacher told me she was "young" and worried that she might have trouble getting tasks completed in 1st grade, even eating lunch in time. As the years went on my daughter continued to be "young" and did indeed have difficulty meeting deadlines and time limits with her assignments.

In 4th grade her school started handing out letter grades and report cards. I helped her study for tests and quite honestly she sometimes seemed like an airhead. I'd tell her a fact, then immediately ask her a question to which the fact was the answer and she'd guess something else. It was frustrating. I had frustrations with the 4th grade teacher (didn't bother to make sure homework was written down or books were brought home). Almost every afternoon I had to rush back to school in the afternoon to get books.

5th grade was painful! My daughter confused this information with that. Most of the facts were in her head, but they were a jumbled mess, not organized at all. She was also very forgetful / scatterwitted. Unfortunately the teacher was very authoritarian and strict. He was also an unfair grader, refusing to give my daughter partial credit on answers even though he did so for other students. Yes - I called other mom's to see how their children's papers and tests were graded. The teacher refused all of my requests under the cop out, canned excuse of "We the 5th grade teachers feel children of this age need to be more responsible..." He even told the school counselor no on her requests in my daughter's behalf! My daughter received low grades on her report card and yet she scored high on state tests in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade, not to mention the school's counselor telling me my daughter's IQ was in the 130's. That year ended with a long email to someone of higher authority in the school district.

MY daughter has been tested by several experts and now sees a psychologist twice a month (for anxiety) and psychiatrist (anxiety & ADD) once a month. She started Adderall just before 6th grade- I noticed a difference right away with the meds at home. Most of the forgetful stuff is gone and she's on top of things.

Sixth grade was great! All teachers were cooperative and helpful. My daughter received two-thirds A's and one-third B's on her quarterly report cards. We celebrated every quarter with a trip out for ice cream and a slumber party.