This is one of the most common questions asked of me by parents of teenagers who have ADHD.
"Should I let my teen drive when he turns 16? He seems so immature. But it would mean so very much to him."
Wait. Where did our wisdom as parents go? Should we let an immature 16 year old, with poor impulse control and poor judgment get behind the wheel of a 3000 pound vehicle and drive at 65 miles per hour through town? Ummm, no.
Since ADHD teens typically have emotional, physical, and developmental delays of from 3 to 6 years, compared to their peers, allowing a 16 year old with ADHD to drive your car is roughly the same as letting an 11 year old drive your car. You can expect to get the same results. What would you expect the results of an 11 year old driving your car around the city be? Tickets? Accidents? Yes!
And teenagers with ADHD have 400% more tickets and traffic accidents than do teens without ADHD. This is exactly the results that you would expect to get because of the developmental delays.
Hyperactive ADHD'er are stimulated by speeding. And speeding results in tickets and in accidents.
Inattentive ADHD'er tend to get lost, and tend to run out of gas often, and tend to not watch out for the "other guy." They will have more than their share of fender benders in parking lots. Be sure they always have a charged cell phone with them so that they can call you when they run out of gas, and are lost.
Try to wait until your ADHD teen is at least 18 before you let them drive, if you can. It is a SAFETY issue for them, and for others. To learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and your teen, visit us at the ADHD Information Library at http://www.ADD101.com.
Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.
ADD / ADHD Children : Being Your Childs Best Friend
Do you live with an ADD / ADHD child? If so-- my hat is off to you! ADD / ADHD children are brilliant, full of energy, smart as a whip (as grandma says), and tons of work. They are also the rising sun and the setting star: meaning much of life revolves around them in one way or another.
Amino Acids Adhd Supplements: They May Help
Different people have different theories regarding the cause or causes of ADHD. The current theories are that genetics play a big factor in the development of ADHD. This supports the argument for amino acid ADHD supplements.
ADHD Expert Releases Free Online ADD Test
ADHD expert Tellman Knudson is now providing special resources that provide others like himself diagnosed or affected with ADHD the real secrets, tools and techniques for becoming healthier, wealthier, and more successful.
Teacher Tips: Giving Tests to ADHD Students
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What Do We Mean by Attention Anyway?
When we talk about attention, we are talking about two different kinds of abilities: The ability to focus on a specific task put in front of us to do, such as school work, and the ability to pay attention in a more global sense to the world around us, to be able to pay attention to the buzz of the lights overhead, and the touch of the clothes on your skin, and the children playing outside of the classroom. These are two different kinds of attention.
Old Wives Tales and Other Things That Just Might Help with ADHD
Here are some tips that I have picked up from parents that I have met over my 15 years working with ADHD kids and their families. These are not clinically tested.
Will My Child Ever Out-grow His Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
If your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder then at some point you will be asking the question, "Will my child ever outgrow it?"
Well, there is good news, and not so good news, when it comes to the answer. Studies indicate that about half of those with ADHD will outgrow many of the symptoms of the disorder by the time he or she is in their 20's.
Symptoms And Treatments Of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Attention Deficit Disorder is a chronic neurological disorder, which is predominantly diagnosed in children. Statistics estimates that 2-5 % of the population is affected by ADD, considering the rare possibility for cases of Adult ADD. ADD is one of the disturbing pediatric disorders in the United States, since 5 million are affected by this disorder. Attention deficit disorder is the old name of the disease with characteristic symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, which is later renamed as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD HD). The disorder is classified into three distinct subtypes, ADHD predominantly combined type, ADHD predominantly inattentive type and ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type, on the b...
Introduction To Adhd In Young Child - How To Deal With ADHD Child
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also called ?Hyperkinetic Syndrome? in many areas of the world, and on average ADHD is found more commonly in young children than in adults.
Maximizing Your ADHD Childs Performance in School.
As a parent there are lots of things that you can do to help your child with ADHD succeed in school, with friends, and in life. Here are some tips for you that just may help you in your ongoing efforts to help your child.
Diagnose And Understand The Symptoms Of Attention Deficit Disorder
Millions of children throughout the United States suffer from attention deficit disorder in one form or another. Symptoms of this problem include impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, and inability to pay attention for long periods of time. You may also hear this chronic disorder referred to as ADD or ADHD. It can continue on into adulthood, causing problems with daily life, poor self esteem, trouble interaction, and bad performance in work or school.
Tips for High School Teachers with ADHD Students: Organizing Your Students
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Is It A Childhood Disorder?
Have you found yourself having a hard time concentrating on the tasks at hand? Perhaps you find yourself getting restless and starting to get involved in physical exercises or becoming a more outgoing person. If these are things that are happening in your life, then you may actually be dealing with a problem that is called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a problem that is usually found in young children, especially children that are under the age of seven.
Tips for High School Teachers with ADHD Students: Increasing Time Focused to a Task
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com.
Autism and ADHD Linked to Child Vaccines
In a study review conducted by David A. Geier, B.