Ep #144: ADHD and trauma

The symptoms of ADHD and trauma are very similar. Frequently kids who have been diagnosed with ADHD also experience trauma.

Symptoms of both ADHD and trauma include:

• Inability to focus
• Lack of social connections
• Poor memory
• Emotional dysregulation
• Interrupted sleep
• Impulsivity
• Restlessness

Trauma can come from death, loss, bullying, experiencing a natural disaster or traumatic event, or physical, mental, or sexual abuse.

When a person is dealing with trauma, they often have difficulty processing what happened, so their mind and body live in a constant state of fight or flight as they continually relive what happened, which is exhausting and scary for children.

If your child has experienced trauma, we recommend seeking professional help in addressing the cause of the trauma.

When a child is in flight or fight mode, parents can use the behavior skill of Observe and Describe to help refocus on what is happening in the present.

Using Observe and Describe tells your child, “I’m here. I see you. I know you’re struggling. You’re safe. We can get through this together.”

Parents can find the skill of Observe and Describe at SmarterParenting.com

For show notes and transcript of this episode visit: https://www.smarterparenting.com/adhd-parenting-podcast/

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