When you hear the term “ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder),” do you picture a child with endless energy who has a hard time in school? While that description can sometimes be true, there are also many kids who don’t fit common stereotypes – an important distinction being that 11.4% of kids in the USA are estimated to have ADHD.

At JF&CS, we are fortunate to have one of Atlanta’s leading medical experts on ADHD and similar neurological differences here at the Horwitz-Zusman Child & Family Center. Dr. Howard Schub is a neurologist who has specialized in ADHD and similar neurological differences since the mid-1980’s. He joined the Horwitz-Zusman Child & Family Center in 2022 and has been integral in helping us expand our offerings to the community.

“I am proud of the multidisciplinary approach we take here (at JF&CS),” said Dr. Schub. “It’s really unlike anywhere else, because we have skilled therapists, our parent coach and executive function coach all working together. We offer full psychological testing and medical services. We all work together and are a one-stop-shop.”

More About ADHD

ADHD is an umbrella term for the three possible types: Inattentive, Hyperactive/Impulsive, and Combined Type. The symptoms tend to evolve with age, says Dr. Schub.

“In the old days, they’d call it ‘bad behavior, undisciplined, daydreaming,” said Dr. Schub. “I don’t see it as a deficit; I see it as everyone learns differently and has a different brain. If you’re a kid who struggles to pay attention and can’t complete tasks, self-esteem begins to suffer and eventually some kids give up. Our goal is to make learning easier and help people to know their strengths and weaknesses so they can adapt to them.”

There is a common trajectory that most people follow when it comes to exhibiting symptoms of ADHD. “More often, with younger children from four years to about first grade there will be feedback that they’re hyperactive and impulsive,” says Dr. Schub. “As they get older, there’s less hyperactivity and we see more internal and external distractibility.” An example of internal distractibility is what we might refer to as ‘zoning out,’ where a child will be distracted by thinking of something else rather than listening to the teacher. External distractibility can look like hearing a bird outside the window that completely breaks a student’s concentration during a test, when the rest of the class seems unaffected.

As far as adults with ADHD, “most are pretty well functioning,” says Dr. Schub, “but they’re limited in certain ways- they tend to not be as organized and have more trouble with deadlines” than their neurotypical peers. Adults with ADHD are often still “very bright and accomplished people.”

Dr. Schub evaluates adults for ADHD at JF&CS as well, saying that “ADHD does highly run in families. Two-thirds of the adults I see are the parents of children I’ve evaluated for ADHD because they would all come in and say, ‘that was me when I was younger.’”

“We go to the effort here (at JF&CS) to take the time to get a proper diagnosis,” explained Dr. Schub. “We spend 1.5 hours on evaluation, and also administer a QbTest to gather objective data to measure attention. We don’t always medicate, because not everyone with ADHD needs medication – but if they do, I know the nuances of these medications and do a blinded on-off trial to make sure each client is matched with the best solution for him or her.”

Lesser-recognized Signs of ADHD

Dr. Schub emphasizes the importance of an accurate diagnosis and is careful to point out that the following symptoms don’t automatically mean a child has ADHD. If two or more of these symptoms are exhibited regularly at school and at home, it may indicate the need for further evaluation:

• Daydreaming
• Difficulty keeping hands to themselves
• Blurting out answers in the classroom
• Difficulty taking turns
• Trouble completing assignments in the allotted times- students might either take too long, or rush through assignments
• Fidgeting and constantly moving in seat
• Difficulty completing homework unless a parent or caregiver is sitting with them
• Difficulty completing morning routine/trouble going to bed and transitioning to bedtime

There is so much hope and support for kids and adults with ADHD. If you have questions about these symptoms and would like to pursue an evaluation for your child or yourself, please contact the Horwitz-Zusman Child & Family Center here.