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Monday 08:00 - 16:30 Tuesday 08:00 - 16:30 Wednesday 08:00 - 16:30 Thursday 08:00 - 16:30 Friday 08:00 - 15:30

https://guidelittleminds.com/, https://drflett.com/, https://courses.drflett.com/

Dr John Flett Paediatrician, 8 Village Road, The Assessment Centre, Kloof (2025)

28/11/2025

🥦 The ADHD Family Newsletter — Week 8
ADHD and Nutrition: Fueling Your Child’s Brain for Success

Just like a high-performance car needs premium fuel, your child’s ADHD brain runs best on the right nutrients. Food isn’t just energy — it’s chemistry. The balance of protein, fats, and complex carbohydrates directly affects dopamine and noradrenaline, the very neurotransmitters that shape attention, emotion, and impulse control.

Meet Sipho, a bright 10-year-old from Johannesburg. His mornings begin with ADHD medication that wipes out his appetite. By afternoon, the hunger floodgates open — biscuits, chips, and fizzy drinks. Dinner? Skipped. Sleep? Restless. Mornings? Chaotic. Once his family reframed food as brain medicine, everything began to shift — calmer behaviour, better focus, and smoother family rhythms.

🍳 Inside this week’s newsletter:
• How ADHD medication and appetite suppression interact
• Why protein is the brain’s most powerful focus food
• Simple, local meal ideas that work with medication schedules
• Low GI carbohydrates for steady energy and fewer meltdowns
• Managing rebound hunger and preventing binge eating
• Culturally adaptable ADHD-friendly foods for Durban families

💡 Dr Flett’s insight:
“Good nutrition doesn’t cure ADHD, but poor nutrition can make it dramatically worse. Every meal is a chance to stabilise your child’s focus, emotions, and behaviour.”

✨ New issue releases this Sunday!
Get the full Week 8 guide — ADHD and Nutrition: Fueling Your Child’s Brain for Success

👉 Read and subscribe: drflett.com
👥 Join our parent community: facebook.com/groups/guidelittleminds

27/11/2025

🌟 “She’s So Smart, But…” – Why Bright ADHD Kids Struggle in Ways That Don’t Make Sense

If you’ve ever thought, “She’s so bright, but she just can’t seem to…”, you’re not alone. Parents of intelligent ADHD children say this every day. How can a child who knows every detail about dinosaurs forget their lunchbox? How can a child who builds extraordinary Minecraft worlds fall apart over simple homework?

Here’s the truth: it’s not laziness or defiance. It’s the ADHD paradox.
Your child’s intelligence is real—deep, curious, incredible. But ADHD creates a barrier between what they know and what they can show. Think of a Ferrari engine with a steering wheel that sometimes disconnects. All that power, going nowhere.

🧠 Why Bright Kids With ADHD Struggle
Schools measure intelligence through sitting still, organising, remembering steps, and working steadily—exactly the skills ADHD disrupts. So the child who understands complex ideas gets marked down because they can’t “show their work,” stay on task, or finish on time.

Over time, these bright children begin to think something is wrong with them. They hear “You’re capable of more” so often that it becomes a wound. Many start believing they’re “stupid” even when they test in the gifted range.

🎨 What High Intelligence + ADHD Really Looks Like
• Solving problems in ways teachers don’t expect
• Deep knowledge in passions, surprising gaps in basics
• Brilliant ideas that arrive faster than they can write
• Creativity that doesn’t fit standard instructions
• Anxiety during timed work that lowers performance

This isn’t a lack of ability—it’s a mismatch between their brain and the systems around them.

💡 What Helps These Children Thrive
✔ Remove unnecessary barriers (copying, handwriting, long instructions)
✔ Advanced content presented in small, structured chunks
✔ External organisation systems (colour coding, timers, lists)
✔ Teachers who recognise that intelligence ≠ executive function
✔ Honest explanations that reduce shame (“Your brain understands deeply; it just needs support to organise.”)

✨ When ADHD is properly treated, parents often say medication “made them smarter.” It didn’t—it simply revealed the intelligence that was always there.

🌈 Your child isn’t ‘smart but’. They’re smart AND.
Smart and differently wired.
Smart and needing support.
Smart and completely capable of success.

⸻

If this sounds like your child, I specialise in assessing and supporting bright ADHD and twice-exceptional children.

📍 The Assessment Centre, 8 Village Road, Kloof
📞 031 1000 474
💻 Zoom consults across South Africa

Understanding your child’s paradox is the first step to helping them thrive.

26/11/2025

🌟 Why Traditional Discipline Fails Your ADHD Child
(And What Actually Works)
It’s 3am and you’re awake again, replaying the battles of the day. The reward charts that lasted three days… the timeouts… the consequences that did nothing… the phone calls from school. And somewhere in your tired heart you wonder, “Am I failing my child?”
You’re not failing. But the strategies might be.
Here’s the game-changer:
Children with ADHD don’t have a knowledge problem — they have a performance problem.
They know what to do. Their brain just struggles to do it in the moment.
ADHD disrupts impulse control, working memory, emotional regulation, and planning. Most children with ADHD operate with a 30% developmental delay in executive functioning. So when we use discipline strategies designed for neurotypical children, they simply cannot respond in the same way.
This doesn’t mean lowering expectations — it means using strategies that match how their brain works.
💡 What
Does
Work? Five Evidence-Based Strategies
1️⃣ Immediate, short feedback loops – ADHD brains learn from now, not “later.”
2️⃣ Visual structure – routines, charts, and cues take pressure off working memory.
3️⃣ One-step instructions – short, doable actions reduce overwhelm.
4️⃣ Praise the micro-wins – confidence fuels motivation.
5️⃣ Co-regulation – your calm brain helps regulate their overloaded one.
✨ Quick Tip: Try the “When–Then” strategy:
“When your shoes are on, then we can choose a snack for the car.”
It’s simple, clear, and removes the power struggle.
If you’re ready for tailored ADHD support, I’m here to help.
📞 031 1000 474
📧 support@drjohnflett.com
🌐 drflett.com | courses.drflett.com | guidelittleminds.com
🔔 Subscribe for weekly ADHD insights at drflett.com

25/11/2025

🌱 The February Conversation That Started It All
Every parent knows this meeting:
“Mrs Naidoo, Arjun is bright, but he’s struggling to focus. Have you considered an assessment?”
You leave that meeting hopeful—it’ll get better. But between work, school projects, and life, months slip by.

💭 Why We Wait
1. “Maybe It’s Just a Phase.”
We tell ourselves they’ll grow out of it. Yet while we wait, they’re missing learning time every week—lost hours that add up to full months by year-end.
2. The Stigma That Silences.
“What will people think?” whispers louder than our child’s distress. In every community—from Umhlanga to Umlazi—fear of gossip and judgement still holds many families back.
3. The Medication Myth.
“I don’t want my child drugged.” I hear it every week. Yet assessment doesn’t mean medication—and when medication is used, it’s safe, reversible, and life-changing for many children.
4. The Overwhelm.
Between load-shedding, work, and school chaos, booking that appointment feels impossible.

⚡ What Changes in November
Report cards spell out “Promotion at risk.”

Teachers become firm: “We need an assessment before 2025.”

Children start breaking down—refusing school, crying every Sunday.

Parents finally realise: waiting isn’t helping.

💔 The Hidden Cost of Waiting
Every delay widens learning gaps, damages confidence, and grows anxiety.
Eight-year-old Thabo told me, “I try so hard, Dr Flett, but my brain won’t listen. I think I’m dumb.”
He wasn’t lazy—just untreated.

💪 Turning Worry into Action
Reframe the assessment: it’s not a label—it’s a user manual for your child’s brain.
Start small: one email, one phone call, one form completed.
Face the fear: ADHD isn’t a verdict—it’s an explanation.
Involve your village: talk to teachers, other parents, support groups.
Remember the why: every step forward builds confidence and peace at home.

🌟 The November Window
If you’re reading this, it’s not too late—but it is time.
📌 Book the assessment (even if it’s for January)
📌 Ask the teacher for a written report
📌 Gather report cards and samples
📌 Complete questionnaires early
📌 Talk openly to your child—“We’re finding out how your brain learns best.”

❤️ A Message of Hope
One family told me, “We’ve wasted so much time.”
Three weeks later, their daughter’s teacher said, “It’s like meeting the real Sarah for the first time.”
Earlier is always better—but today is better than tomorrow.

If this sounds like your family’s story, take this as your sign.
Contact The Assessment Centre – 031 1000 474
📧 support@drjohnflett.com
🌐 drflett.com | guidelittleminds.com | courses.drflett.com
Understanding your child’s brain isn’t admitting failure—it’s choosing hope. 💙

24/11/2025

Understanding Nail-Biting in Children with ADHD: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know

👋 Hello Parents and Teachers!

Ever wondered why some children with ADHD bite their nails? It's more than just a habit – it’s a common behavior linked to their condition. Let’s dive into why this happens and what we can do to help our kids.

🔍 Why Do They Bite?

Impulsivity: Kids with ADHD often act on impulse, and nail-biting is a quick way to satisfy an immediate urge.
Anxiety and Stress: Nail-biting can be a coping mechanism for kids feeling anxious or stressed, helping them self-soothe.
Sensory Feedback: Sometimes, they seek extra sensory input, and nail-biting provides that comforting sensation.
Habit Formation: Once started, it can quickly become a tough habit to break.
Dopamine-Seeking: ADHD brains crave dopamine, and the act of biting nails can give a quick dopamine hit, offering a momentary sense of relief and pleasure.
✨ What Can We Do?

Keep Their Hands Busy: Provide stress balls or fidget toys.
Create a Calm Environment: Encourage calming activities like reading or drawing.
Teach Coping Mechanisms: Help them learn deep breathing exercises or ways to express their feelings.
Positive Reinforcement: Praise and reward them when they avoid nail-biting.
Set a Good Example: Make sure older siblings and adults are not engaging in similar behaviors.
💡 Remember: Understanding the reasons behind nail-biting can help us support our children better. Let’s work together to create a supportive and understanding environment.

📢 Share this post to spread awareness and help other parents and teachers! Have any tips or experiences to share? Drop them in the comments below!

Join our facebook group and watch the video https://www.facebook.com/groups/guidelittleminds/
see full length post https://courses.drflett.com/understanding-why-children-with-adhd-bite-their-nails/

23/11/2025

🌙 The ADHD Family Newsletter — Week 7
ADHD and Sleep: Why Rest Is Essential for Your Child’s Success

If ADHD is like running a marathon with a backpack full of rocks, then poor sleep is like running that same marathon after staying up all night. Sleep isn’t optional for ADHD brains — it’s medicine.

This week, we look at the often-overlooked foundation of success: rest.
Tired ADHD brains can’t regulate emotions, focus, or learn effectively — yet many children live in a constant state of sleep debt.

Meet Kamau, an eight-year-old from Cape Town who turns bedtime into an Olympic event. By night, his brain won’t stop buzzing; by morning, he’s irritable, forgetful, and on edge. His story shows what happens when ADHD and sleep deprivation collide — and how everything changed once his family began treating sleep as part of his ADHD care plan.

💤 Inside this week’s newsletter:
• Why ADHD brains struggle with sleep (and what you can do about it)
• How poor sleep worsens attention, emotions, and behaviour
• The surprising role of exercise, food, and routine in bedtime success
• When to consider melatonin — and how to use it safely
• The “sleep transformation timeline” every family can follow

✨ New issue releases this Sunday!
Get the full Week 7 course — ADHD and Sleep: Why Rest Is Essential for Your Child’s Success

👉 Join our ADHD community for all seven weeks:
🌐 drflett.com
👥 facebook.com/groups/guidelittleminds

20/11/2025

"Is Your Child's Development on Track? The Silent Signs of Autism You Shouldn't Ignore—Read This to Make a Life-Changing Difference!"

Complete Article https://courses.drflett.com/is-your-childs-development-on-track-the-subtle-signs-of-autism-you-shouldnt-ignore-especially-in-girls/
As a paediatrician, I’ve witnessed the extraordinary impact early intervention can have on children with autism. Did you know that autism can often be identified in children even before the age of three? Recognising the signs early can completely transform a child’s developmental journey.
This post is not only to raise awareness but also to express deep gratitude to the unsung heroes—teachers, parents, speech therapists, and occupational therapists—who are often the first to notice these early signs and take the courageous step to advocate for a child’s needs.
👶 Does Your Child Show Any of These Signs?
It’s natural to think, “All children develop at their own pace,” but there are specific behaviours that warrant a closer look:
Speech Delays: Your child isn’t babbling, using simple words like “mama” or “dada,” or forming sentences at the expected ages.
Lack of Social Interaction: Limited eye contact, not responding to their name, or showing little interest in people, including family members or peers.
Repetitive Actions: Hand flapping, spinning, or fixating on specific objects or routines.
Unusual Sensory Reactions: Overreacting or underreacting to sensory stimuli, such as sounds, textures, or lights.
Play Struggles: Difficulty with pretend play or using toys in a typical way.

📞 What Should Parents Do Next?

I’m here to help. Reach out to me, Dr. John Flett, at 031 1000 474 or email support@drjohnflett.com for a consultation or guidance. Together, we can help your child unlock their potential and thrive.
🌟 Share this post—it might just be the lifeline a family needs to start their journey.

19/11/2025

Big thanks to

Pubby Behari, Vino Baijnath

for all of your support! Congrats for being top fans on a streak 🔥!

19/11/2025

Is It Really ADHD? 🧠 10 Surprising Reasons Your Child Might Be Struggling to Focus
Dear Parents & Teachers,
Noticing your child zoning out during schoolwork? Before you jump to ADHD, consider this: many factors can affect focus—and only one of them is ADHD.
👉 Here are 10 eye-opening reasons your child may be losing concentration:
A change in environment (like learning at the kitchen table!)

Confusion about the task

Lack of challenge = boredom

Too many distractions (hello, screen time 😅)

Low motivation

Learning style mismatch

Poor sleep or nutrition

Disorganisation

Underlying anxiety

A possible learning difficulty (like ADHD, dyslexia, or auditory processing issues)

✨ Quick Tip: Help your child stay engaged by breaking tasks into bite-sized chunks, using visual aids, or simply checking in to ask how they feel about their work. These small shifts can make a big difference.
Every child is unique—and so is their path to learning. If focus issues persist, a tailored assessment can uncover what’s really going on.
💬 Need expert guidance?
Dr John Flett offers comprehensive assessments, personalised plans, and ongoing support to help your child thrive—whether they have ADHD or something else entirely.
📞 Call: 031 1000 474
📧 Email: support@drjohnflett.com
🌐 Visit: drflett.com | guidelittleminds.com | courses.drflett.com
📰 Subscribe to the newsletter at drflett.com for expert tips straight to your inbox.

18/11/2025

Is AI Secretly Sabotaging Your Child’s Learning? 🤖📚
The Homework Trap Every Durban Parent Needs to Know
Your child’s homework looks perfect—yet exam marks keep slipping. From Westville to Umhlanga, parents are asking the same question: what’s really happening behind that closed bedroom door?
AI homework helpers like ChatGPT and Photomath make life easier… but for many ADHD children, they’re quietly replacing real learning with copy-and-paste understanding. The brain feels relieved, but it never gets the workout it needs to remember or apply knowledge.
🧠 Why ADHD Brains Are at Risk
ADHD makes starting hard tasks overwhelming. AI gives instant answers—no struggle, no learning. But that “productive struggle” is the very thing that wires new knowledge. Without it, test time feels like a blank page.
🚨 Red Flags
• Homework perfect, test scores poor
• No working shown—just final answers
• “I just knew it” when asked to explain
• Tutor confused by gaps the homework hides
💬 How to Fix It
1️⃣ Solve-First Rule: Try every problem before checking AI.
2️⃣ Explain-Back Test: If they can’t teach it, they don’t know it.
3️⃣ Show the Mess: Real thinking looks messy—and that’s good.
4️⃣ Praise effort, not perfection.
AI isn’t the enemy—it’s the how that matters. Used wisely, it can build insight; used as a shortcut, it steals learning.
If your child’s results don’t match their homework, it may be time to reassess ADHD management, learning support, and study habits.
📞 Dr John Flett – Paediatrician & ADHD Specialist
📍 8 Village Rd, Kloof | 📞 031 1000 474
✉️ support@drjohnflett.com
🌐 drflett.com | courses.drflett.com | guidelittleminds.com

17/11/2025

My ADHD Brain
My brain is like a puppy—it just wants to play, It bounces and wiggles through every single day. You ask me to focus, I promise I'll try, But a bird just flew past and—oh look! Butterfly!
I'm not being rude when I interrupt your talk, It's just that my thoughts refuse to sit still or walk. They sprint and they cartwheel, they leap and they shout, If I don't say them NOW, they might wiggle right out!
You think that I'm lazy when homework takes hours, But starting is hard—like climbing tall towers. My brain says "Let's do it!" my body says "Wait..." It's not that I won't, it's just getting through that gate.
I lose things, forget stuff, my room's quite a sight, Not because I don't care—I just can't hold it tight. Instructions float past me like clouds in the sky, I heard what you said... but it somehow sailed by.
When I fidget and wriggle, I'm not trying to vex, My body needs moving—it's part of my specs! If I could sit still like you want me to do, I promise, dear grown-up, I'd do that for you.
I notice EVERYTHING—sounds, colours, and more, That humming, that ticking, that crack in the door. The world is so loud when you have ears like mine, I'm not being distracted—I'm just hyper-tuned fine!
But here's what I wish every grown-up could see: I'm not broken or bad—I'm just differently me. My brain's like a Ferrari stuck in first gear, With your understanding, I'll shift—never fear!
I'm creative and funny, I think outside boxes, My energy's mighty (like twenty small foxes!). When something's exciting, I'll hyperfocus through, I just need your patience to help me break through.
So when I forget things or bounce off the wall, Remember I'm trying—I'm giving my all. Your kindness and patience mean more than you know, With you by my side, just watch how I'll grow!

Understanding Your Child's ADHD Changes Everything
This poem captures what so many children with ADHD wish their parents, teachers, and family could understand. They're not being difficult—they're navigating a world that feels overwhelming, whilst managing a brain that works brilliantly but differently.
Dr Flett specialises in helping families truly understand ADHD, transforming frustration into insight and confusion into clarity. When parents understand how their child's brain works, everything shifts—from daily battles to genuine breakthroughs.
📞 031 1000 474
📧 support@drjohnflett.com
🌐 drflett.com | guidelittleminds.com | courses.drflett.com
Subscribe at drflett.com for weekly insights that help you see your child's ADHD through new eyes.

Dr John Flett Paediatrician

28/11/2025

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Monday	08:00 - 16:30
Tuesday	08:00 - 16:30
Wednesday	08:00 - 16:30
Thursday	08:00 - 16:30
Friday	08:00 - 15:30