More than five per cent of school children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, but there are few programs that offer children and parents support with it.
A Moncton woman, who was diagnosed as an adult is hoping to change that.
She says she wants to help kids understand how their brains work, and how to manage some of the things they deal with everyday.
Director of Riverbend Community School Rebecca Halliday says ADHD children and parents are often misunderstood, “A lot of shame comes around having ADHD for kids and for adults. I want to try and help them feel not so shameful around some of things that happen with their ADHD. So if I focus on their strengths and things that they are good at, that will strengthen their confidence.”
Halliday is planning to start a program, made of of ADHD kids, and will also offer support to parents. She wants to help them to understand, that they’re not alone, “Instead of having a kid go to school and feel misunderstood all day long, I think that doing a course like this, will help them understand why they are behaving the way they are and why certain things are really hard for them. It will also help for the parents to understand their child.”
Halliday says it’s important that parents get support as well, “I have a really great vantage point because there are some things that might not make sense to a parent that their child does. I can explain what it really means and why their child is really doing it. I can help them support their child at home.”
Her hope if to have groups of three or four, because it is important for kids with ADHD to meet others who have also been diagnosed. That allows them to have someone to relate to.
She stresses this is a program for kids who want to change, and who feel like they can be committed. It is not a program for children who aren’t ready for that process yet.
There has been great response to to program already, because there are few like it in the Moncton region.
Halliday says, “Parents want to share their stories, and know that they are not alone. I have heard some incredible stories from parents whose kids are now teens and they couldn’t get the help they needed when they were younger. “
Halliday currently runs a school for children with learning disabilities. She says many of them have been diagnosed with ADHD.
If you would like more information on the program, visit HERE or email Rebecca@riverbendschool.ca
