Advent Home
Calhoun, TN

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Advent Home Challenges
Misunderstanding Of
ADHD Teen Boys

As Founder/Director of a boarding school that helps ADHD teen boys, I get frequent calls about how to relate to ADHD students. However, many callers have false perceptions about them, such as:

• ADHD teen boys are mentally deficient. FALSE-usually, they are bright and artistically creative.


• ADHD students are hyperactive, disruptive in school. Although HD means Hyperactivity Disorder, some are passive. Others are outwardly calm, but unfocused, and not every ADHD student disturbs the classroom.


• ADHD students are slow learners. Some are extremely bright, but easily distracted. They learn best in school when teaching is individualized.


• ADHD students cannot function with regular students-FALSE. At our Advent Home School, we put students together and personalize their instruction.


• ADHD behavior is not reversible. FALSE-using the distinctive methods of our Maturation TherapyR Program, we have found that the behaviors associated with ADHD are reversible. What are those methods? We provide a minimum distraction environment, healthy diet, outdoor gardening and exercise, practical life skills and work ethics, group discussion, placement and follow-up, parent training, Christian principles, and counseling. Through these services, many of our ADHD students reduce or get off medications, improve their school grades, learn to manager anger, begin communicating openly, and improve relations with family members. Almost all finish middle school or high school; and some attend college or join the Armed Forces.

ADHD teens are often misdiagnosed, misunderstood and mistreated, but like all children, they need a great deal of understanding, patience and kindness. For 28 years, our Program has demonstrated there is help for ADHD teen boys. Let's develop a new understanding of the ADHD teen.

Respectfully,
Blondel E. Senior, Ph.D.

Advent Home Learning Center, in Calhoun, TN, serves 12-17 year-old at-risk boys with ADHD, academic, emotional and behavior problems, also young men, 18-23, who need to finish high school, earn their GEDR diploma, and prepare for college or a career. It was established in 1985.