On the other hand, ADHD can have benefits. Frank Coppola, a communication coach and specialist in ADHD once said, “I prefer to distinguish ADHD as attention abundance disorder. Everything is just so interesting . . . remarkably at the same time.” However, this overstimulation can also cause communication missteps.
Same Words = Same Story: ADHD
The good news about children with ADHD who misinterpret language is that they do not inherently lack the skills, rather it is the lack of practice that makes them misunderstand those around them. Therefore, much of the remediation deals with practicing language skills rather than introducing new ones.
Initial communication: If a child refuses to speak, come up with alternate forms of communication to use at the beginning (signing, pictures, writing). Eventually, he will feel comfortable enough to begin speaking. With practice, his interpretation skills will become improved and refined.
Repetition: In order to avoid miscommunication, having children repeat the language in their own words will allow you to actively catch their misinterpretations.
Social skills training: Helping those with ADHD understand and read social situations such as making introductions, casual conversations with friends will enable them to better understand social interactions.
As educators and parents, we can ensure that those around us don’t suffer from forgotten languages, but instead are heard and understood. We simply need to adjust and recalibrate our own language to match those around us.
