logo
menu

Home » Blog » The Difference Between an ADHD Brain and a Normal Brain


The Difference Between an ADHD Brain and a Normal Brain

Over the years, scientists have extensively studied the Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) brain. What they found is that a person with ADHD has a differently wired brain than a neurotypical or “normal” brain. By understanding how the ADHD brain is structured and functions differently than a neurotypical brain, parents of a child with ADHD can begin to understand more about the disorder and why their child is functioning the way that they are. 

1. Structure of The ADHD Brain

A child with ADHD may have struggles in the area of impulse control, attention and focus. These functions of the brain are regulated by the Frontal Lobes. Studies have shown that children with ADHD have smaller frontal lobes compared to their same aged peers that do not have the disorder. Furthermore, research has also found that individuals with ADHD may have different neural pathways than that of a neurotypical brain. In some cases, this would explain why children with ADHD may struggle with behavior and learning. 

2. Supporting an ADHD Brain

Although there is no known cure for ADHD, there are ways that parents can support their child with ADHD. If you begin to notice ADHD symptoms in your child, you may want to see a medical provider. A medical provider can diagnose ADHD and begin to help parents set up a plan for helping support a child with ADHD. Parents will also want to begin having conversations with their child’s teachers at school. Education can be tough for children with ADHD and schools can provide accommodations to help ease the mental load. Here are some more tips on how you can support a child with ADHD.

  • Set a routine- setting a routine can be an important building block for parents and children with ADHD. Routines can provide predictable and consistent expectations for the child. 
  • Limit screen time- Especially during times that the child is expected to stay focused. Allowing an environment that is over-stimulated with distractions will not put a child with ADHD in a position to be successful.
  • Provide tools to help limit distractions- Lightsailed Personal Reader can help limit distractions during a child’s reading time. There are a multitude of different settings to work with that can allow a child with ADHD to better focus and train their brain. 

Posted on 9.Sep.21 in ADHD

Money back

Our 90 day money back guarantee

30 Minutes a Day + 5 Days a Week + 3 Months = GUARANTEE your child’s independent reading level will improve.*

* Measured by Lexile® level after completing the Power Challenge and by then reading Power Texts on LightSail's Platform.

Why Children Love LightSail

Come see what parents of struggling readers have to say about LightSail.

We're here to help!

Find answers to frequently asked questions or contact us for more support.

You can email us at

[email protected]

How many parent accounts are included with a childs license?

Every family account includes 2 parent accounts

I am part of a homeschool group and we share teaching responsibilities. How can I access those accounts?

LightSail has created a Teacher/Coach role that can connect with multiple accounts. This is available as an add-on purchase. This account acts as additional parent with full teacher control to all connected accounts.

Is your platform only Faith-Based?

LightSail is available for both Faith-Based and Non Faith-Based families. A parent can choose to allow Faith-Based content or hide Faith-Based content including Library Collections and Lesson Plans. LightSail has created hundred of Faith-Based and non Faith-Based Library Collections, Bookmarks, Quotations, and Lesson Plans.

If I want to purchase a book with your E-Commerce store, do I have to buy a copy for each license I purchased?

No, when you purchase a book using our E-Commerce store you only need to purchase 1 copy for your entire family. Your purchase includes unlimited checkouts.

How does LightSail’s childsafe protection work?

At LightSail, a parent’s ability to oversee their child’s online experience and align it with their faith and values is of the utmost importance. To this end, LightSail contains an entire suite of parental control features and never-before-seen ChildSafe Content Controls giving parents ultimate peace of mind.

These content controls contain dozens of nuanced subcategories for potentially objectionable material based on both maturity and religious factors. Then, it shows parents if a book contains a reference to any of those subcategories and allows them to block or allow single titles or entire subcategories for each child individually. Our ChildSafe Content Controls offer unprecedented insight into and control over the content your children consume without the need to read every book in advance.

  • Block or allow individual pieces of content.
  • Block or allow entire subcategories of content.
  • Require a child to request parental approval before opening entire subcategories of content.
  • Block, allow, or require requesting parental approval for all Classics library content.
  • Block or require requesting parental approval for all unrated content.

Click here to learn more about all of our parental controls.

About Us

We are LightSail for struggling readers - a complete language arts platform built on the shoulders of LightSail Education, advancing the literacy skills of struggling readers through individualized, evidence-based strategies and content.

Contact us