«I benefit from my ADHD in my teaching»
16-year-old Hanna has ADHD, just like her younger sister. Together with her parents, she provides insights into her everyday life - from challenges at school and dealing with the diagnosis to her success in her training as a gardener.
Hanna, 16, lives with her sister Alina, 12, her brother Mattia, 10, and their parents in the canton of Zug. Jacqueline, 41, is an ADHD coach and medical practice assistant, Lukas, 49, is a GP in a group practice.
Hanna: «At school, I had a lot of blocks right from the start and would say «This question is stupid» to teachers or «The multiplication tables don't make sense» - which was seen as a provocation. I was also reluctant to do group work and preferred to watch the ink run out of my pen during exams. It wasn't much better with homework.»
Lukas: «Yes, homework was a daily struggle. At first, we parents thought we simply had to be more consistent. ADHD wasn't an issue at first because you got on well - you just didn't seem to want to. It wasn't until third grade, after several assessments, that we got the diagnosis.»
Jacqueline: «It was a relief for me. For many years I had felt helpless when trying to integrate the child into the school system. Now we knew what the problem was. At the same time, I felt miserable because I realised what kind of pressure Hanna had been under all this time, because her behaviour was not intentional, but the result of ADHD.»
Lukas: «We tried out various strategies to make learning easier for Hanna - splitting up tasks, integrating more movement. And she started taking an ADHD medication - which improved the situation.»
Hanna: «I last much longer with medication. I can't concentrate for as long without it - even if I try hard. But since I've been doing an apprenticeship as a gardener specialising in tree care, I've been able to reduce the dose quite a bit - because I spend a lot of time outdoors and I'm also very interested in the whole thing.»
At the public school, Hanna blossomed like a flower and we realised what she was made of.
Luke
Jacqueline: «At primary school, Hanna usually coped well with a lot of support, despite her difficulties. But when it was time for her to move from primary school in the village to a large school in the city, we knew we needed a different solution.»
Lukas: «We found a public school in the neighbouring canton that offers ideal conditions for children with ADHD: The classes are very small and a lot of emphasis is placed on interpersonal relationships. Hanna blossomed like a flower and we realised what she was capable of. Meanwhile, Alina, our younger daughter, is also benefiting from this school. She has a completely different form of ADHD. Alina is very dreamy and found school difficult right from the start.»
Jacqueline: «However, the effort is huge, we pay every cent ourselves. Ultimately, unfortunately, it's often a question of finances, resources and also the parents' German language skills as to whether children with ADHD receive the best possible support. I've noticed this more and more since I started working as an ADHD coach.»
Hanna: «I benefit from my ADHD in my teaching today. Memorising complicated plant names is very easy for me. Because it interests me, I only have to look at the names twice. My teacher is fascinated by how much I can memorise.»
