Reading and ADHD

[Blimey]

I have some questions about reading and ADHD and would be grateful if you could share your experiences of it!:

- As a child, did you spend a long time reading?

I'm considering getting a diagnosis for ADHD because I have a lot of the symptoms in *adulthood*. I can't really remember my childhood very well though (and getting evidence from parents/teachers is not an option) but I definitely remember reading *a lot* as a child. Is this a large snag in my ADHD theory? (as in, if I read a lot as a child, do I definitely not have ADHD?)

- [As an adult], anyone get headaches and/or start feeling very tired after a short period of time reading?

I'm not sure if this is an ADHD symptom and would be grateful if someone could confirm. The funny thing is, as an adult, reading is very very difficult for me. Most of the time, can't read beyond 15 minutes at a time without feeling tired or getting a headache.

[Slo-mo a-go-go]

I read like a speedfreak as a kid, oliver twist in 2 two days in fifth grade. In fourth grade I was taken to a doc bc I was having headaches, it was bc I was reading so much.

but yes as an adult I struggle too with reading. never could read a lick of what i was susposed to outside of class despite alot of effort.

don't know how it's possible but it is!

[spunkysmum]

Originally Posted by Blimey

I have some questions about reading and ADHD and would be grateful if you could share your experiences of it!:

- As a child, did you spend a long time reading?

I'm considering getting a diagnosis for ADHD because I have a lot of the symptoms in *adulthood*. I can't really remember my childhood very well though (and getting evidence from parents/teachers is not an option) but I definitely remember reading *a lot* as a child. Is this a large snag in my ADHD theory? (as in, if I read a lot as a child, do I definitely not have ADHD?)

I hope it's not a snag, because I read a lot, too. It wasn't uncommon for me to bring home a stack of 10 books from the library (10 was the limit or I'm sure it would have been more) and read through at least half the stack in one day/night.

- [As an adult], anyone get headaches and/or start feeling very tired after a short period of time reading?

I'm not sure if this is an ADHD symptom and would be grateful if someone could confirm. The funny thing is, as an adult, reading is very very difficult for me. Most of the time, can't read beyond 15 minutes at a time without feeling tired or getting a headache.

I'm not sure that I have headaches or sleepiness, but I do notice that for some reason I just don't read as much as I used to. It's not very common at all anymore for me to read a book in a matter of one or two sittings...and it used to be. Oddly, it almost seems like this backing off of reading co-incided with my starting on Adderall. But I don't know what the explanation for that would be.

[Flip_Horrorshow]

Same here with Slo-Mo. As a child I read all the time. But now, when I start reading a book, I just get very bored. Like 5 minutes in and all entertainment in reading is gone.

[CheekyMonkey]

I was an okay reader and have always read. However, I actually enjoy and understand books a lot more after practicing visualization skills. Previous to that I did not visualize what I read and that made comprehension and enjoyment very difficult.

[alan1]

As a child and as an adult I read A LOT. But my ability to focus in a sustained way depended on what I was reading. Fluff was always easy. I could read the Hardy Boys for hours. Real literature was harder. Technical stuff, even things I really liked but which required intense concentration, sometimes allowed for only a few minutes reading at a time. That has not changed.

[Celesteeel]

I identify almost identically with Alan1's reply. My mom's response when I told her I'd been diagnosed with ADHD was that I couldn't have it because I got so focused on books when I was a kid that I couldn't hear her talking to me. I haven't told her about hyper-focus yet

[fracturedstory]

I real a lot but I didn't understand much of what I read. I had to read over lines. I was in a lot of remedial English classes and I always struggled to comprehend what I was reading.

I used to get headaches and stinging eyes when I read, as well as wavy lines on the page. So I got prescription lenses and now the only problem I get from reading is falling asleep after one chapter. It depends though, sometimes I can hyper focus and last for maybe two or three chapters. Whoa. I'm a machine, I know.

And there are times when I can't focus on reading. 95% of the time. 98, 99...

When I'm not on medication I barely read, unless I really want to or it's something easy to read. Physics of the Impossible without my medication would be the worst decision ever. When I started reading In Search of the Multiverse I could barely understand anything. Then I got on meds and I read it in a couple of months.

[Ipsofacto]

I thought about this when I was completing the ADD diagnosis forms several weeks ago. It seemed to me when I looked back at learning to read, that it was a sudden thing. One day I was struggling, the next I was devouring books. I think this might be an example of the conceptual learning style I know I have. Things don't make sense until I have the whole picture. This seems so for the process of reading, and also for understanding the content. I also think this is why technical books are such a pain.

[Conman]

reading is something i excel at. my brother wishes he could read for pleasure like i do (he's readin my copy of On The Road now with me though). since summer started (for me it was mid-may) ive read 8 books and almost done with my 9th. the longest books were 670 pages, 400something pages, and 300something pages so far. i dont think i can tally up how many books ive read in my life (even without comic books).

[spunkysmum]

I do suspect there may be some correlation between the fact that when I read avariciously as a kid we had neither TV nor the internet, and the fact that I don't read a lot now and DO have TV and internet.

[AbsentMindProf]

I've always read a lot.

[Vector]

As a kid my reading skill was quite bad. I have tried with great effort to improve the skill but unforunately little or no substantial improment. I have trouble with grasping the idea of paragraphs and sections because a) while reading I don't remember what I have just read -- terrible working memory, b) poor concentration. Even reading subjects that I am hugely interested in I have trouble to sustain concentration. After reading a couple of pages (about 6 pages) I am no longer able to continue.

The best way for me to learn is by using sources that use concise explainations. That why I like math, physics and chemistry, the textbooks and teacher explain the material in a very concise way, which for me is easier to understand.

[stef]

I've always loved to read and I still do! I devoured books when I was younger.
but my job takes up so much of my energy.. I never used to read much in the evenings anyway; now that I have an Ipad well there goes my evening! (personally I don't want to download books, that's like the one thing left that's NOT electronic...)

and now I have the stupid work blackberry in the train in the morning, so much for that; and usually I just read these free newspapers they distribute (at the train station etc) at lunchtime.

[T-Rex65]

I read constantly when I was young. Like many of you, I was so absorbed in whatever I was reading that the house could have burned down around me and I wouldn't have noticed. Now I struggle to read anything longer than a typical forum post. It makes me very sad. I miss reading.