Are Children & Teenagers with ADD & ADHD Immature?

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The answer to this question is a resounding YES. But it doesn’t mean that he or she is damaged or bad, it means that he or she is less mature. My experiences with clients and from personal experience has taught me that expectations have to be realistic with clients. Understanding that almost all of my clients come from a less-mature place helps the process.

Why does this happen? That is where the conversation will get a bit more complicated. It is my opinion that young people with ADD and ADHD work very hard to keep up with other peers. That being the case, there’s just too much that he or she has to do to be age appropriate across the board. The concept of working harder or grow up aren’t as easy for us ADD and ADHD folks as one would think. So keeping everything in perspective really helps the process.

My advice to any parent or interested party dealing with this concept is to be patient and understanding. Instead of assuming that a child or adolescent gets it, work under the assumption that he or she doesn’t quite connect the dots. Remember, you’re not lowering expectations but you’re helping the individual stay up with everyone else with a little more support.

My good friend and fellow ADD/ADHD CoachTara McGillicuddy invited me as a guest on ADD/ADHD Support Talk Radio discussing medication as an intervention for ADD and ADHD (click here). It is also available on iTunes as a Podcast (click here). Tara does many wonderful things and you should check out her website here.

For more information on my ADD, ADHD and Executive Functioning coaching, please visit www.adhdefcoach.com. In addition to working with clients in-person, I also work with clients all over the United States and World online, please visit www.onlineadhdcoach.com for more information. To learn more about my other services, please visit www.carrolleducationalgroup.com & www.iepexperts.com. I can be found on Twitter at ADHDGuru. You can also find me on Facebook, Google Plus and Tumblr. Feel free to email me at [email protected] or call 877.398.ADHD (2343) with any additional questions.

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