Interviews
We conducted a few interviews with parents of those/individuals who experience ADHD. We hope that by sharing these interviews, this would shed further insight regarding how people with ADHD/those around them might feel
Mr Ashokan
Father of a sixteen-year-old daughter with ADHD, Secretary of SPARK
How can we make a difference?
As youths tend to resist authority during their "rebellious phase", organisations have little impact when it comes to youths with ADHD. On the other hand, peer pressure has a large impact on them.
It is important for peers of ADHD students to empathise with them, make the effort to collaborate with them, and make them feel connected to other students.
Otherwise, students with ADHD may lose connection with the rest of the school, feel alienated, and grativate towards other outcasts, which creates an endless loop.
How accurately do you think the media portrays ADHD?
The media will never be able to accurately portray ADHD because it’s too complex. It is easier to portray autism, down syndrome and bipolar disorder.
The media would try to simplify ADHD so that it is easier for people to understand it. Unless we have a personal interaction with a person that has ADHD, we may not be able to fully understand ADHD.
Do you think COVID-19 has affected your daughter?
Yes. Home-based learning is difficult for those with ADHD as there is no more structure and routine. They also cannot go out and have activities to keep their minds occupied. Excessive online learning lacks stimulation as it is hard to be engaging over a screen, causing them to focus their attention elsewhere. A possible solution to this is to try to make the online classes more interesting.
Ms Vivien
Diagnosed with ADHD, teaches children with special needs
Is there more that can be done to help children with special needs in mainstream schools?
Teachers should recognise that the children are not asking for shortcuts, they’re asking for ways to make their life better.
Teachers should give the children specific instructions. For example, if the children have difficulty copying from the screen as they cannot focus on both their paper and the screen, the teachers could remind them of their task to keep them focused.
There are a lot of different ways of giving them information, for instance: demonstrations, writing instructions down, and giving pictures.
What are the biggest things about ADHD that have impacted your day-to-day life?
Inattention and executive functioning. For example, when I was doing worksheets in school, I was asked to circle the smallest number in the row. Because I interpreted the instructions differently, I circled the questions instead of the answer options.
When teachers scold students for not following instructions, it is hurtful because they think that they’re doing it correctly.
What are your hobbies?
Reading, as well as finding out how people think - I find this very intriguing. However reading is not a common hobby. In fact, many people with ADHD resent reading.