To be an Olympic athlete, we are often told, requires the highest degree of mental concentration and conditioning. After all, what else are we to believe separates us, those watching the primetime events on NBC, with the Olympians who are competing in the games? But, the story of Michael Phelps, and his prolific run to become the most decorated Olympian in history, calls into question the assumption that the world's top athletes are always at the pinnacle of brain health.
The world-champion swimmer was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at 9 years old, well before his feats in Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London were even a possibility.
But, rather than let this stop his pursuit of sport, Michael's mom Debbie Phelps says she developed a specific regimen that was aimed at helping her son succeed despite his ADHD. She credited her "three-pronged approach" to parenting in a recent interview with Yahoo!.
In this conversation, she said that by working together to tackle Michael's family, school and medical responsibilities and teaching him to use helpful strategies, she was able to help her son on his route to Olympic gold.
"We had to keep him structured," Debbie told the news source. "As long as he was on a schedule, he was great. We also used a task chart, where you had to get all these things accomplished before you were able to do other things."
Debbie also talked about her dedication to her son's diet. She told the news source that she made sure that when he got home from school, he was able to have a nutritious meal.
Parents with children who struggle with ADHD can also rely on helpful supplements for memory support. By ensuring their child has a steady diet of vitamins that improve memory, they can work to move past their challenges just like Michael did.