Updated June 10, 2015.

Definition:

ADHD Aware is a nonprofit organization run by and for people with ADHD. The group's mission is "to empower children, adults and families affected by ADHD, educate those who impact us, and enlighten all people as to the courage and competence of our singular community."

ADHD Aware provides dynamic programming responsive to the diverse populations affected by ADHD and, through outreach and direct engagement, seeks to increase public and professional understanding regarding the diagnosis and effective treatment for ADHD and to decrease social stigmas associated with it.

Empower Educate Enlighten

Sometimes there is a sense of isolation felt by children with ADHD. They often share about feeling "different" from their peers - feeling a sense of aloneness and uncertainty about making friends and connecting with others. It is not only children, however, that may feel this isolation. Parents and families impacted by ADHD often experience these same emotions.

Natalie Knochenhauer, founder and Executive Director of ADHD Aware, is an adult with ADHD and the mother of four children with ADHD. She refers to ADHD as an invisible disability -- "Time and time again, we're judged either by our children's impulsivity and our perceived inability to 'gain control' or our own executive functioning difficulties and our perceived inability to 'just get organized.'" ADHD Aware aims to help ease these feelings, expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life for both children and adults living with ADHD.

History of ADHD Aware

It all began with a simple request from daughter to mother.

Knochenhauer's daughter, Mia, asked for her mother's help in forming a special club for girls with ADHD. Together they created the Go Girls Club which provides education, strategies and support for elementary-age girls with ADHD. A boys' club, Go Guys Club, soon followed as did Chaos & Kisses, a retreat for parents raising children with ADHD designed to support, inform and empower caregivers addressing ADHD in their families.

ADHD Aware also includes a community forum on their website where children, parents and other adults with ADHD can connect and provide support to one another. Additionally, the group organizes an annual national conference for kids with ADHD. This conference brings together children with ADHD from clubs all over the country for leadership, advocacy and empowerment training...and lots of fun!

ADHD Aware also strives to provide positive adult role models. "I believe one of the most powerful gifts we can give kids with ADHD is a connection with a successful adult with ADHD," says Knochenhauer - a former executive and attorney before dedicating herself full time to the ADHD community. In the clubs, forums, conferences and ADHD Aware workshops -where girls, boys, and adults with ADHD grow together - the isolation of this "invisible" disability, as well as the social stigma, is decreased.

If you'd like to learn more about ADHD Aware, help support their mission, or start a Go Girls Club or a Go Guys Club in your area, check out the ADHD Aware website or send an email to info@adhdaware.org

Additional Reading:
6 Things You Need to Know If Your Child Has Just Been Diagnosed With ADHD