Like the Sherpas of the Himalayas, our team will help you carry the weight up the seemingly overwhelming “mountain” that is the college admissions and life planning process.
If your child is struggling to pay attention in school, our team at Teensherpa, specializing in teen life coaching, can help. Our teen life coaching program will determine the best career path for your child, as shown by two measures: the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Inventory (MBTI).
If your child has difficulty with focusing and concentrating, it could possibly be ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity). Our neuropsychology specialist, Dr. Patti Weiss, PHD, can help!
What are the signs of ADD and ADHD?
With the proper teen life coaching, your child will be able to handle many of the symptoms of ADD and ADHD
For mild and moderate attention deficit disorder, the symptoms are problems with concentration, attention, and memory. There may also be problems with sitting still for long periods of time in class and difficulties with focusing on different subjects at school. Luckily, teen life coaching can help your student overcome some of these daily challenges.
What is the difference between ADD and ADHD?
Though the symptoms may be similar, it is good to know the difference to best assist your child
There are two types of biological attention deficit disorders. Attention Deficit Disorder is mainly characterized by inattentiveness while Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder includes inattentiveness with difficulty physically sitting still for extended periods.
How does one get tested for ADD and ADHD?
By completing a simple test, you can gain important insight on your child’s behavior and will be better able to come up with a strategy to help him!
Usually one goes to a psychologist or neuropsychologist for an assessment. This usually consists of two sessions. The best test for ADD and ADHD is known as the TOVA-8/TOVA-9, which is completed on a laptop. We then follow up by a general cognitive measure, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition which is applicable for students ages 16 and up. If your student is diagnosed with ADD OR ADHD Teensherpa can help your student receive extra time for the ACT or the SAT so that your student can have the time she needs to feel at ease with these tests.
What does treatment for ADD and ADHD look like?
If your child does have difficulty concentrating, Teensherpa can help!
Though the symptoms are different, the treatment for both ADD and ADHD are similar. There are numerous medications that can be very helpful and a medical doctor will be able to determine if your student would benefit from medication or not. In addition to medication, study skills and other methods can help find solutions for your teen. Let’s explore some of the methods that are helpful to students that have a hard time concentrating:
Meditation and Mindfulness:
Meditation and mindfulness can be very helpful for students who have trouble concentrating in school. Meditation can also reduce high blood pressure, reduce cortisol — the flight or fight hormone that stresses all systems of our body, reduce headaches, and reduce the likelihood of ulcers. There are types of meditation that take only 5-10 minutes a day. There is also an app called Headspace that your student can listen to at night before going to sleep. In addition, your student can use an amber book light if reading before sleep to minimize harsh bright light.
Neurofeedback:
Neurofeedback is a great tool to get a better understanding of how your student’s brain functions. The process is non-invasive and has the ability to gather data and even alter brain waves. Neurofeedback is another method of relaxing and calming oneself and reducing stress. This can help greatly in increasing one’s ability to concentrate, focus, and pay attention.
Exercise:
Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, releases endorphins in the brain which helps one feel happier and more relaxed. Exercise also helps with concentration, focus and energy.
Learning Difficulties Addressed:
Teensherpa experts can help your student identify an eventual learning difficulty or disability and Teensherpa can also provide a sounding board for your student’s anxiety or frustrations. Some of these anxieties are especially prevalent when your student begins to apply to colleges.
If your child is diagnosed with ADHD or ADD, our specialist Patti Weiss can help her get extra time for the ACT or SAT test.
In addition, with our strong interest inventory and Myers Briggs assessments, our team will coach your student by determining the best classes for your student to take at their high school and during the summer.
What if my child does not have ADD or ADHD, but still can’t focus?
Options for college bound students looking to expand their focus
Many students have difficulties getting excited about school and don’t know what subjects really interest them. Teensherpa specializes in helping students find their area of focus.
At Teensherpa, we can assess your student through the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Test (MBTI) assessments. These tests determine your student’s personality type and areas of strength, thus determining which career would be the best fit. Once we complete these quick assessments, our academic coaches will set your student on a clear career path and guide her to the right college that aligns with her academic strengths, interests and passions.
Our teen life coaching services will create a strong extracurricular program to boost your student’s academic and extracurricular profile. With the right classes and extracurriculars, Teensherpa will start your student on the path to acceptance at the best college that will match their skill set and areas of interest.
Contact Teen Sherpa for a free 30 minutes assessment of your child’s needs and life goals.
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