Rough Start

#ADHD #shortstory #healing #miracle #defyingodds #testimony

(In the process of updating somethings.)

A woman took barbiturates, cocaine, and alcohol during her pregnancy. When this baby was born, she was addicted to these drugs. It took eight weeks to get them out of her system, and she was constantly on a sleep apnea monitor because she would forget to breathe.

The doctors did many tests on this child and informed the foster parents (now adoptive parents) that she would probably never be able to talk normally….. learn….or be like the other children. They also said she would be 5’8. (Spoiler alert: God was not done with her yet, and by His grace, none of what the doctor said came true! The doctors also lied about her height. She is still upset today and hopes to have a random growth spurt someday soon.)

ANYWAYS, BACK TO THE STORY!! At age 8, with the observation and help of her first-grade teacher, she was referred to a doctor who could then diagnose her with severe ADHD with a combined presentation.

It was never her choice to have a neurological disorder. She was called lazy, interruptive, hyper, an attention seeker, disrespectful, inconsiderate, unwanted, too perfectionistic, disobedient, loud, messy, and so many other things. She was different and never made friends that would stay for very long. Nothing came easy for her, and yet she still pushed through.

It was not without difficulty, but that child has graduated from high school, gone to a community college, received her Associate of Arts Degree, and has transferred to a Univerity to get her bachelor's degree.

(Update: it is now June 17th and this girl has graduated with a Bachelors in General Studies from Southeastern University!)

Her story is not finished yet. God wants to use her and others in so many other ways to bring Him glory, but

"Statistically, that child and many other children have entered a world that has already set them up for failure from the start."

ADHD is not just an excuse, a character flaw, or even willful disobedience. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder like many autism spectrum disorders, intellectual developmental disorders, specific learning disorders (ex: dyslexia, dyscalculia), motor disorders, or communication disorders.

There is no cure for ADHD, and it is not something that can always be outgrown.

Taking medication does not eradicate the effects of ADHD, but it does help in everyday life circumstances. This disorder will not go away through regular discipline, nor can it be healed by a better diet and/or exercise, but some strategies can help offset the effects of the condition.

ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.)

What is it?

According to Mayo Clinic, it is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior.

Children with ADHD may also struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships, and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their ADHD symptoms. But they can learn strategies to be successful.

While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcomes.

Theory

It is believed to be a neurodevelopmental disorder with multiple contributing factors, including smaller brain volume, white- and gray-matter alterations (Jadidian, Hurley, & Taber, 2015), and alterations in the neurotransmitter dopamine (Sadock et al., 2015). There appears to be a strong genetic and familial component, with an estimated heritability of approximately 74% (Faraone & Larsson, 2019). Social and biological adversity (interpersonal and biological challenges) are possible factors; fetal distress, prematurity, exposure to neurotoxins toxins such as lead, and maternal substance abuse, particularly in the prenatal and early postnatal period when brain development is rapid, are implicated, as are conflict and distress within one’s family (Sadock et al., 2015)." - Chyllia D Fosbre

"Adult ADHD is associated with a wide variety of interpersonal and social problems, including relational discord and reduced academic and vocational performance. It can limit or disrupt a person’s ability to function in any realm and can negatively affect health habits." - Chyllia D Fosbre

DSM-5

Diagnosis Criteria for ADHD

For children, 6 or more symptoms of inattention must be present up to the age of 17, must have been present for at least 6 months, and are inappropriate for the developmental level.

ADHD predominantly inattentive presentation

• Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes

• Has difficulty sustaining attention

• Does not appear to listen

• Struggles to follow through with instructions

• Has difficulty with organization

• Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort

• Loses things

• Is easily distracted

• Is forgetful in daily activities

For children, 6 or more symptoms of hyperactive-impulsivity must be present up to the age of 17, must have been present for at least 6 months, and are inappropriate for the developmental level.

ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation

• Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair

• Has difficulty remaining seated

• Runs about or climbs excessively in children; extreme restlessness in adults

• Difficulty engaging in activities quietly

• Acts as if driven by a motor; adults will often feel inside as if they are driven by a motor

• Talks excessively

• Blurts out answers before questions have been completed

• Difficulty waiting or taking turns

• Interrupts or intrudes upon others

ADHD combined presentation

• The individual meets the criteria for both inattention and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD presentations.

In addition, the following conditions must be met:

• Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present before age 12 years.

• Several symptoms are present in two or more settings, (such as at home, school, or work; with friends or relatives; or in other activities).

• There is clear evidence that the symptoms interfere with, or reduce the quality of, social, school, or work functioning.

• The symptoms are not better explained by another mental disorder (such as a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, dissociative disorder, or personality disorder). The symptoms do not happen only during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder.

ADHD in Children

The clinical evaluations of ADHD should be comprehensive and multidimensional and capture its impact on the home, school, and social functioning. The assessment may include the following:

• parent and child interviews

• a biopsychosocial assessment interview including family history

• parent and teacher completed child behavior rating scales

• parent self-report measures

• direct behavioral observations of the child in natural and clinical settings

• clinic-based psychological tests

• review of prior school and medical records

• individually administered intelligence testing, educational achievement testing, or screening for learning disabilities if there are academic challenges

• a standard pediatric examination or neurodevelopmental screening to rule out any unusual medical conditions that might produce ADHD-like symptoms

• additional assessment procedures, including vision and hearing screening, as well as formal speech and language assessment

CHADD

ADHD in Adults

Those who seek an evaluation for ADHD experience significant problems in one or more areas of living. The following are some of the most common problems:

• Inconsistent performance in jobs or careers; losing or quitting jobs frequently

• History of academic and/or career underachievement

• Poor ability to manage day-to-day responsibilities, such as completing household chores, maintenance tasks, paying bills, or organizing things

• Relationship problems due to not completing tasks

• Forgetting important things or getting upset easily over minor things

• Chronic stress and worry due to failure to accomplish goals and meet responsibilities

• Chronic and intense feelings of frustration, guilt, or blame

• etc...

CHADD

Why write about that girl in the story or ADHD?

If you haven't already guessed, that girl is me, and I've learned over the past six months that your "personal mission" has to do with people who are a lot like you. So, I had to ask myself: "Who are the people a lot like me, and how can I reach them for the Kingdom?"

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, "and to the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak, I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might, by all means, save some."

That is one of the many reasons I have created this website. I am a writer, and I would like to encourage those struggling as I do and draw people to Jesus. Also, I've always been ashamed of my problems and constantly worry that I'll be treated differently or thought of in a negative light. My mindset has drastically changed in the past few years and now I try to remember that I should only care about what God says about me.

Psalm 139:13-14 says, “You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.”