Mayo Clinic Press Kids recently released an engaging, medically backed, adorable picture book Bessie's Bees by George Kirk, a school librarian with ADHD, and Mayo Clinic pediatrician Khaled Mohammed, M.B., B.Ch. Bessie’s Bees is an entertaining and informative read that highlights a young child’s experience of ADHD through a fun, thoughtful, and relatable metaphor.
Bessie’s head is full of bees, and that is just fine. But when she goes to school for the first time, Bessie can’t see anyone else’s bees, so she hides her own. Before long, her bees are buzzing and bursting out of her head, causing quite the commotion! With help from her Granny, Bessie learns that her bees are part of what makes her special; by letting them out, and sharing them intentionally, Bessie can keep them busy and still feel like herself in the classroom.
With useful tips and myth-busting facts, Bessie’s Bees is a playful and practical resource to support families navigating ADHD.
I had a chance to learn more in this interview.
What are some key signs that families should be aware of that might indicate ADHD?
Well, if I were to say that small children with ADHD may:
be fidgety, full of energy and never want to settle to sleep
talk constantly at volume and never put toys away
find it hard to settle to one task and flit from one thing to another
have very big emotions and be prone to meltdowns
I’d have every pre-school parent in the world worried because I have just described your typical toddler!
The truth is ADHD behaviours are the behaviours of an average small child. That is why it is very rare for a pre-school child to receive a diagnosis. The difference is that an ADHD child will not move on from them. In fact, they can be more extreme as they grow older and often become more apparent when they enter a school system that needs them to increase their focus.
So, families should not worry unduly in the early years but remain supportive and observant. It might be a good idea to keep a journal, somewhere to jot down behaviours you see. You will create a record of memories, something you can share over family dinners in years to come. But should you begin to suspect ADHD, or any other neurological condition, you will have already collected some of the evidence needed to help with diagnosis.
What are some common myths that still persist about ADHD?
There are so many, but the three that really concern me are:
Children with ADHD are being ‘naughty’ or that they are just not trying hard enough.
In fact, an ADHD child may be putting in twice as much effort than their neurotypical peers, whilst managing half the intended outcome. So, it’s no wonder that being criticised for their perceived shortcomings can cause frustration.
That you must be ‘hyperactive’ to have ADHD.
This is why so many people are overlooked as their ‘hyperactivity’ is happening internally rather than externally. Having a hyperactive mind with thoughts that are buzzing all over can be exhausting but not as noticeable to the observer. This inattentive type of ADHD appears to happen more commonly in girls; it can often lead to them suffering anxiety type symptoms and so they are frequently misdiagnosed. In fact, girls are on average diagnosed 7 years later than boys.
We are all a little bit ADHD.
While I do agree we can all occasionally display aspects of ADHD behaviour, actual ADHD is a lifelong condition that effects the normal functioning of an individual on a daily basis. For a child to receive a diagnosis they must display at least 6 of the diagnostic criteria. So no, someone with ADHD is never ‘just a little bit ADHD’. They are ADHD all day, every day for the duration of their lives with all the highs and lows that brings.
Why is it important to support and encourage children with ADHD while being aware of how they experience the world?
This is so important. We know that children with ADHD hear many more negative comments about themselves than other children. Some studies estimate that this can be as many as 20 thousand more critical comments by the time they are 12.
Being told over and over that you are not good enough when you are trying harder than anyone around you takes its toll. ADHDers can become incredibly self-critical and go onto to suffer anxiety and depression as they grow into adulthood.
To help them build resilience when they are young make sure you focus on their little wins. Build in daily opportunities for them to succeed and be praised, but also fail and be encouraged to try again. Remember success and failure can both be celebrated but they may need some help developing strategies to overcome the inevitable disappointments that will bring.
Why are routines important when a child has ADHD and how can families work on establishing those routines?
Routines are good for all children. And for ADHD children that find it hard to concentrate on daily tasks, routines are GREAT!
The problem is, they will find it difficult to establish the routine. They will struggle to remember the order of it, get side tracked from it and head off on 15 simultaneous side quests.
Although it may be harder to build a routine it’s not impossible, especially if you use features of ADHD to your advantage. ADHD children’s brains respond best to regular dopamine rewards, and this can be achieved with visual or tactile stimulus.
For example, you could have a washing line with pictures of morning tasks pegged on. When they get up in the morning as they complete each task, they can unpeg it and post it in a finished box. The same effect could be a flip chart where they flip over the tasks as they finish them, or a tick chart where they tick or colour each task. You could even tailor it to their special interests. Each task could be attached a dinosaur and as they complete them, the dinos can get lined up.
Be aware though, that once a child has become very reliant on a routine if it ever gets broken it can cause them stress. So always ensure you plan occasional variations to help them learn how to manage those times. Give them plenty of notice of a change and a good reason why it’s needed, they’ll need reminding of it several times as it approaches.
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