Overcoming the Eisav Complex: Raising Orthodox ADHD Kids, with Dr. Simcha Chesner and Dr. Sara Markowitz (196)

Orthodox Conundrum

35 years ago, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was essentially unknown among the general public; today, it is spoken about all the time. We’ve learned that some behaviors that were once considered signs that a child didn’t care about school or achievement, or simply lacked normal self control, are actually indicators of a difference in the way the mind works - and instead of criticizing the people whose minds work this way, we need to find ways to help them succeed. Indeed, when understood properly, ADHD can even be a superpower where some people think differently and more creatively than some others.

Despite the advances in knowledge and societal understanding, there is still so much that people don’t know - and so many ways that people who have ADHD can fall through the cracks. For Orthodox kids with ADHD, who are supposed to sit quietly in shul, concentrate on Torah learning, avoid leaving the Shabbos table, and more, our religious commitments can end up feeling like a kind of torture.

To address the unique needs of Orthodox people who have ADHD, Dr. Simcha Chesner and Dr. Sara Markowitz wrote a new book entitled Kosher ADHD, and Scott spoke with them about the challenges people with ADHD face, and some of the methods that they recommend in order to help them overcome these challenges.

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