People think that ADHD means someone can’t focus. A parent might see some ADHD symptoms in their kid, but then they see that their kid can focus intently for hours on a video game or Lego building session.
So, because there’s a misconception that ADHD means an inability to focus, parents assume their kid can’t have ADHD. After all, they were so focused on the Legos, they didn’t even notice the plate of cookies next to them.
But the truth is that ADHD comes with something called HYPERFOCUS.
{Read About the Strengths of ADHD}
This means that someone with ADHD can get intently focused on something that interests them — sometimes for hours. They can drown out everything around them to pay attention only to that interesting thing. They may even forget to eat or go to the bathroom. (True story!)
It might be frustrating for parents, because they’ll think, “They did their English assignment just fine yesterday. Why aren’t they doing it today?”
The difference could be ADHD hyperfocus. Maybe yesterday’s assignment tapped into the child’s passions, and today’s doesn’t.
ADHD hyperfocus is super cool if your kid is interested in their homework assignment. They’ll give it their all, PLUS more. But it’s more of a liability if they’re interested in video games and they forget to do their homework or chores.
You can help your child understand this part of their brain, and they can learn to use it wisely over time.
But most importantly, discard the notion that ADHD means a lack of focus. It’s more that people with ADHD have trouble regulating their focus. Focus is possible, but it doesn’t come the way it does for neurotypical people.
The more you know, the more you can help.
