We now know that ADHD is highly genetic. In fact, if you have ADHD, there’s approximately a 50% chance your child/children will have it, too.

There are three subtypes of ADHD:

1. Hyperactive/impulsive
2. Inattentive
3. Combined type

So what happens when mom has inattentive ADHD and junior is hyperactive and impulsive?

In my case, I have the inattentive sub-type and my daughter is hyperactive and impulsive. Let me give you an example of how these two subtypes under one roof can collide:

Mackenzie doesn’t close a door; she slams it. When she’s happy, she doesn’t laugh; she shrieks. When she talks, the volume of her voice often rips through my brain like a knife. When she’s hungry, she wants to eat.. NOW. Conversely, when she asks me a question and I need time to process her rapid-fire words, she’s already out of the room, feeling nothing but contempt for my slow cognitive tempo.

It’s like watching a hurricane sweep over a sleeping willow tree.

One way to help me cope is to use hand signals. When Mackenzie’s voice begins to rise, I signal her to lower it. When she’s racing through the room, I use a stop sign or time out hand signal. If I’m in desperate need of quiet and solitude, I’ll tell her I’m taking a time out in my home office and will be ready to interact again in 10 or 15 minutes. It’s often a matter of seeing it coming and having a plan before the overwhelm sets in.

I wonder if you have the same issue at your house and how you handle this mismatch of temperament and the resulting sensory overload.