Comments on: ADHD and Mixed-Handedness, College Treatment

By: Mixed handed woman

Mixed handed woman — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:59:30 +0000

I write and draw with my left hand and I eat with my left hand. I throw and play most sports with my right hand. Basically I perform precise, micro functional activities with my left hand and larger, macro functional activities with my right hand. I am 39 years old and I have always known that I think and learn differently than just about everyone else I know. I am much more visual than most people and I tend to see things in a way that strikes most people as incredibly unique and funny. I have spent my life adapting to the rest of the worlds expectations. I’ve done quite well and I actually believe that I am more empathetic because of my differences. I think it’s interesting that the world is now trying to tell mixed handed people that we are “deficient” in some way. I bet if you checked some of the worlds greatest I inventors and creative monads you would find a great deal of mixed handedness. Oh, and we are quite a good looking bunch too but none of the research mentions this fact.

By: LS

LS — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:54:53 +0000

Dear Old Professor-
The problem is that most ADHD meds are highly controlled substances and thus can’t be refilled. So the patient is generally supposed to get a new prescription every month. If the patient goes to college more than an hour or so from home and the health center won’t renew the prescription, this puts the patient is a bad position. They have to find a psychiatrist or other doctor willing to prescribe the meds as soon as they arrive on campus, cut back on their medication so that they can make the prescription last longer, or figure something else out. For example having the doctor at home mail a prescription or write a prescription for more than the patient would need, but a lot of doctor’s won’t do that. It’s precarious situation.

Fortunately, my health center will renew prescriptions for ADHD meds, but won’t prescribe new ones.

By: LS

LS — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:50:10 +0000

I think it’s less that college counseling center’s don’t have the staff to provide medication (any doctor can do that in the US), it’s just that they are really reluctant to prescribe it. On most college campuses, Adderall is a commonly abused substance and also happens to be a preferred treatment for ADHD in adults. Thus, at least at my school, health and counseling services won’t diagnoses or prescribe ADHD meds, unless you have prescription from another doctor (only sometimes). They just don’t want to deal with students faking symptoms in order to the Adderall (or other drug). I just hope that if the center won’t prescribe it, they will refer the student to a psychiatrist who will (who has openings, takes their insurance,etc).

By: Nathaiel

Nathaiel — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:41:38 +0000

This is an interesting link to the causes of ADHD.
I skateboard and snowboard both with my left foot forward and my right foot forward.

My handwriting on my right hand is atrocious! When I use my left hand it comes out more uniform.

Being told to sit on your hand when it feels natural to use it is very stressful. This often happen years back.

I find that stress and discomfort can cause the symptoms of ADHD and I have written about it here http://www.adhdaction.com/causes-of-adhd.html.

I would say, use both hands and take it as an advantage.
Nathaniel,
ADHDaction.com

By: cmm

cmm — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:37:35 +0000

this is old news–as a primary schooler, 20 years ago, the few times i overheard my mum talking to my teachors. they and she– i dont recall who was telling whom, but i distinctly remember the convo–well, it was known that my disproportonately bad scores in spelling , amd my tendency towards distractions and spacings out were linked.

glad official research finally confirms conventonial wisdom.–the mixed hsanded girls and i assume boys also are more often face blind, if they want to get to properlly studying that.

By: Mom of Adder

Mom of Adder — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:07:24 +0000

Many students being treated by their physicians at home and are not attending college locally need to have a physician locally as the scrips for add meds must be signed and not faxed to the pharmacy. Also this must be done monthly. Makes it very difficult to refill medicines this way.

By: old professor

old professor — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:09:33 +0000

College students are over 18 yr old and are therefore adults, fully competent to decide their own fate and select a physician. typically they already have a primary care physician who knows their background. why would you expect a doc in a box like campus health care to provide services for such a person?

By: University of Alabama News » UA in the News: January 28, 2010

University of Alabama News » UA in the News: January 28, 2010 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:28:13 +0000

[...] ADHD and Mixed-Handedness, College Treatment Psychcentral.com – Jan. 27 …The survey of 124 college campus practices by Dr. Mark Thomas at the University of Alabama is the first part of Dr. Thomas’ efforts to create a set of treatment guidelines for the treatment of ADHD in young adults. He notes that while guidelines exist for children and for adults, this in-between age is not very well covered by existing guidelines. Many college students suffer from attention deficit disorder and their academic careers are negatively affected by it being untreated or undertreated. [...]