This is a reader's response to the high school student with ADHD who wrote in last week.

Dear Student,

Like you, as a high school student I struggled with spelling, focusing on the topic at hand, etc. I was very embarrassed by these difficulties, and often felt stupid and unhappy. I refused to fall behind in either my school work or my extracurricular activities, so I often stayed up all night with many cups of coffee, studying all night and working much harder than anyone else to stay ahead. Finally, during my senior year, I was diagnosed with ADHD. I too did not want to take Ritalin. I was convinced to try it, and it really made a difference. Ritalin may not be a good solution for everyone, but it could be for you, and you won't know until you try it. I managed to graduate at the top of my class, and now I'm a second year engineer at Columbia University, making Dean's list. Things should only get easier for you now that you have a confirmed diagnosis. Keep trying and don't let anyone convince you that you aren't smart.

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Dear Alice and Reader,

As a mum to a nine-year-old who has ADHD, I have found that reading books from Dr. Christopher Green (Understanding ADHD: The Definitive Guide to Attention Deficit ? co-authored by Kit Chee) and the like have helped myself to better understand this disability... I also must say that it is not easy to cope with this but once you can understand it you may be able to cope a little better.

mum of adhd child