Читать книгу New hope for ADHD in children and adults - Helena Bester - Страница 29

Children with ADHD are often rigid and do not like disruptions. Unexpected changes or unforeseeable events easily unsettle them and make them anxious.

One little eight-year-old’s entire day was disrupted because his grandfather had to collect him from school. Granny usually picked him up at a specific gate. But on this particular occasion Grandpa had to collect Greg, and from another gate because it was the only one he knew. Grandpa was also unable to be there before two o’clock. Careful arrangements were made, but Greg struggled to focus the entire day. When his teacher walked Greg to the pick-up point where he was supposed to wait for fifteen minutes, he started crying uncontrollably. He was confused and anxious. When there was no-one to fetch him at the gate, he ran to the usual gate, sat down and refused to listen to reason. He was afraid that Grandpa would come looking for him at the usual place and would drive off without him if he wasn’t there.

Another extreme case was that of ten-year-old Josh, a brilliant rugby player and cricketer who regularly went on sports camps. His parents would have to obtain the entire schedule from the organisers in advance so that they could take Josh to all the restaurants they would eat at. This would enable him to study the menu and decide what to order. Any unexpected deviation from the plan would cause Josh unbearable anxiety.