Michael Phelps' mom talks about ADHD
Categories: Health & safety, Medical conditions, Celeb parenting, Special needs
Unless you've been living in a cave for the last few weeks, you've probably at least heard of Michael Phelps. Even when other swimmers are winning, NBC likes to flash footage of the record-breaking Olympic star. But what people may not realize about 23-year-old swimmer is that he was diagnosed with ADHD as a child.
Debbie Phelps, Michael's mom (who you've probably seen cheering and swooning on TV), recently talked to EverydayHealth about Michael's initial ADHD diagnosis and how the family handled it as a team. Though Michael was on medication early on, he was able to be weaned off of it in middle school, in part because of his heavy participation in swimming. Debbie is a school principal, and she's also an active participant in the ADHD Moms Online Community. There, she has an article with tips for parents of ADHD children who are getting ready to start the school year, including:
Debbie Phelps, Michael's mom (who you've probably seen cheering and swooning on TV), recently talked to EverydayHealth about Michael's initial ADHD diagnosis and how the family handled it as a team. Though Michael was on medication early on, he was able to be weaned off of it in middle school, in part because of his heavy participation in swimming. Debbie is a school principal, and she's also an active participant in the ADHD Moms Online Community. There, she has an article with tips for parents of ADHD children who are getting ready to start the school year, including:
- Reach out to your child's teacher to create an environment for learning.
- Encourage and foster strong childhood friendships, both new and old.
- Talk to your healthcare professional before the school year starts to make any necessary medication adjustments.
- Create a predictable schedule at home, as well as a distraction-free environment for getting homework done.
- Research behavior modification techniques that will help your child outside the classroom.
- Focus on healthy snacks and good nutrition.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ablndmomnt 8-20-2008 @ 3:26PM
This article came at the best time for me! My daughter suffers from ADHD and takes daily meds. Today we spent 20 min trying to convince her to go to school and she would make friends and that she wasn't that different from the other kids. She is the only one in her class that takes meds at school and sometimes if she gets to silly the kids will start asking "Have you taken your meds today?" Its nice to know that other mothers out there struggle with this imbalance and that kids have role models such as Michael Phelps and Ty Pennington from Extreme Home Makeover to look up to. I can't wait to read her this story and let her know ANYTHING is possible!
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Karen 8-20-2008 @ 4:23PM
I am SO glad Michael Phelps' mom spoke out about Michael's ADHD. My son is a serious athlete with ADHD, and he is grinning ear to ear knowing that Michael Phelps had the same struggles he does at home, school, and with sports, and still was able to go so far. Up until this point, I believe my son saw ADHD as a detriment to his performance, where it can actually be an asset.
Thank you so much for the helpful article!
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