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ADHD

This week I was pleased to sit down with ADHD expert, Elaine Taylor-Klaus of ImpactADHD.com.  As a parent of three children who each have experienced some measure of ADHD in their lives, and as a patient who subsequently discovered that she, too, was an ADHD patient.

CDC.gov lists these statistics about ADHD:

• Approximately 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011.
• The percentage of children with an ADHD diagnosis continues to increase, from 7.8% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2007 and to 11.0% in 2011.
• Rates of ADHD diagnosis increased an average of 3% per year from 1997 to 2006 [Read article] and an average of approximately 5% per year from 2003 to 2011.
• Boys (13.2%) were more likely than girls (5.6%) to have ever been diagnosed with ADHD.
• The average age of ADHD diagnosis was 7 years of age, but children reported by their parents as having more severe ADHD were diagnosed earlier.

With just over 1 in 10 children experiencing ADHD or one of its sub-types, it’s a significant disruptor of quality of life for many, many people.  We talked about how frustrating it can be for parents of hyper-active ADHD children and how she, herself, learned first-hand how challenging it can be to keep calm and avoid yelling to reign in their high energy kid(s).

Given her experiences in her own home, Elaine and a business partner, Diane Dempster, decided to start ImpactADHD.com.  The website serves as a resource for parents struggling to find answers for questions on how to better handle the stresses that comes with ADHD children.

The site provides recommendations for identifying suitable physicians and other professionals who can help with diagnosis and treatment.  Additionally, the organization provides a coaching approach to help parents learn other ways to communicate and how to deal with stress, among others.

ImpactADHD.com describes what they do this way, “ImpactADHD.com helps parents help their kids with ADHD and ADD, anywhere, anytime. ImpactADHD uses a combination of training, coaching and support resources, online and on the phone, to provide the “how to” that parents really need, whether they are new to the world of complex kids, or worn-out from years of management. By helping parents put strategies into action, and teaching them to make those strategies work best for their families, we guide parents to radically improve family life and empower their kids for independence and success.”

Special Guest:

Elaine Taylor-Klaus, CEO/Certified Coach, ImpactADHD           

• Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, The Coaches Training Institute
• Professional Certified Coach, International Coach Federation
• BA, College of Social Studies & Sociology, Wesleyan College
• Parent of 3 children who have experienced ADHD, along with herself, who was diagnosed as an adult
• Member, National Board of Directors, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.  CHADD.org