Lessons Learned From Graduating OTA School With ADHD

Rebecca Moss, MA, COTA/L

It is humbling to come to terms with your own diagnosis on the path to becoming an occupational therapy assistant. I didn’t realize my brain worked differently until I was in my 30s. For the longest time, I thought I was a “bad kid”—inattentive, energetic, and impulsive, yet funny and dynamic. ADHD was not readily diagnosed in girls when I was an elementary school student in the 1990s. Sitting and completing schoolwork did not capture my attention, and I was anxious about how I would cope when I enrolled in the OTA program at Harcum College in 2016.

Having my pediatric OT professor, Christa Eck, say to me, “I think your brain is different and that’s okay and I am here to support you” provided a much different message than the hours I spent in detention as a kid. She saw right away that I would benefit from assistance to succeed in both college and as a practicing OTA, and she recommended seeking out accommodations and extra help. For OT/OTA students with ADHD and those supporting them, here are the most important lessons I learned along the way.

Tips for Succeeding in the Classroom

• Exercise before class for proprioceptive input.
• Take walks during breaks or get up to use the bathroom when you are having difficulty focusing.
• Doodle or write key words in the margins, and use different colored notebooks and note cards.
• Use a wiggle cushion, fidget cube, or weighted vest, as needed.
• If it helps to move around and listen, ask for audio books and permission to record lectures in order to listen to them on walks.
• Seek out a good psychologist to explore your sensory issues and possible interventions. There is no shame in needing different tools to succeed in your program.

Tips for Passing the NBCOT® Exam

• If you choose to apply for accommodations during the exam, you will be asked if you received accommodations in school. Be prepared to submit documentation of your disability from a physician.
• Give yourself plenty of time and a realistic schedule before applying for the NBCOT exam, as it is a longer process for those seeking accommodations.
• Consider using the following accommodations during the NBCOT exam:

-        Movement breaks taken at your discretion

-        Separate testing room

-        Extended time

-        White noise sound machine

-        Noise cancelling headphones

-        Adapted seating (e.g., wiggle cushion)

Tips for Working With Clients who Have ADHD

In the same way you can’t give up on yourself, you can’t give up on your clients. As a COTA working with children in an early intervention setting, I have come across many instances of teachers saying, “They just won’t sit still.” Many individuals with ADHD need proprioceptive or vestibular input. I wish I’d had an OT when I was younger to help me set up a sensory schedule. Advocate for your clients’ sensory needs. Let them know that it is okay to have those needs and that you will support them while they learn to regulate themselves. Here are some ideas to help clients with attention difficulties in your sessions:

• Set clear boundaries and rewards to work toward.
• Provide lots of breaks.
• Write out a clear structure of your session so it is easy for your client to see tasks accomplished as they progress.
• Use “first this, then that” statements (e.g., “First, we will complete 5 minutes of jumping on the trampoline, and then 2 minutes of wheel barrel walks”).
• Teach a variety of strategies and see what works for your client. For me, it turned out to be yoga, but other people may benefit from activities like kickboxing.

Remember that you are seeing behaviors, not who the person is at their core. With the right tools, strategies, and adult support, students with attention issues can successfully incorporate self-regulation strategies into their daily lives.

Last, but not Least, Don’t be so Hard on Yourself!

Being a successful student with a disability also means not comparing yourself to your “typical peers.” Sometimes, I felt as though I had to study twice as hard in order to learn the material. Remember that learning to be your own advocate helps you to advocate for your future clients. Differently abled brains are not limited, so be proud of your strengths and find what works for you!

Acknowledgements

This article is dedicated to my professors and the disabilities office at Harcum College. I would like to thank all of the adults along the way who saw more than my behaviors and believed in my potential, even if I couldn’t see it in myself at the time. To the professors at Harcum, Christa Eck, and Dr. Richard Cooper in the disabilities office, thank you for advocating on my behalf. To my patient fieldwork supervisors, Jamie Kutzura and Delaina Trans, thank you for seeing my good.

Rebecca Moss, MA, COTA/L, is a wife, mother, proud OTA, and disability advocate. Her interests include teaching/practicing yoga, working full time at the wonderful Inglis House, spending time with her family, sharing her faith, and empowering Harcum OTA students. Her life goals include obtaining her doctorate, expanding her family, taking OT and OTA fieldwork students, and doing her part to change the world.