All Aboard ADHD

How are ADHD and hypermobility connected? And what does that mean for our kids’ bodies, brains and behaviour?
In this episode, Claire is joined by Dr Jessica Eccles, Consultant Psychiatrist, Associate Professor in Brain–Body Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and award‑winning researcher. Drawing on over 17 years of research, Jessica unpacks:
🤸‍♀️What hypermobility really is: exploring hypermobility as a clue to connective tissue differences affecting joints, gut, blood vessels, lungs, skin & more. 
👀Clues for parents to spot hypermobility early: such as sitting in “the W position”, sway‑back knees, frequent ankle sprains, “clicky hips” & long thin fingers or toes.
😵‍💫Pain, dizziness, POTS & standing in queues: how loose connective tissue affects blood flow, and can cause light‑headedness or palpitations, causing struggles with things like school assemblies, queues & hot showers.
🧬The prevalence of hypermobility in women with ADHD and autism (nearly 70%!) : the fascinating research linking hypermobility with many other conditions, including ADHD, autism and Tourette’s, dizziness, inflammation, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and long Covid.
🌡️The surprising links between hypermobility, emotion regulation, interoception & alexithymia: exploring the connections between the nervous system, difficulty naming feelings (alexithymia), poor interoception (e.g. not noticing hunger) & how this relates to meltdowns & impulsivity.
🏫School, support & reasonable adjustments: why school can be extra hard due to pain, fatigue and dizziness, plus practical ideas to support children.
🌟From “falling apart” to pattern recognition & strengths: helping families see one connected picture instead of “15 separate problems”, and recognising the strengths it brings, such as creativity & unique ways of thinking.
If your child has ADHD and also struggles with tummy troubles, joint pain, clumsiness, dizziness, fatigue, or “mystery” symptoms, this episode may completely reframe how you understand them. It offers a powerful, science‑backed lens on the brain–body connection that could change how you advocate for, and support your child.
Resources & Links
Dr Jesscia Eccles Linktree: https://linktr.ee/bendybrain

Bendy Brain YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BendyBrainDrJessicaEccles 

-Dr Jessica Eccles interview with her mum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3SCSdMMfIo 
-Anxiety and emotional regulation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szH-jEr6SNA&list=PLYbWSKEtwW7cv-IH55EXbI8PtZJ5RlN3H&index=6 
EDS GP Toolkit (for talking with your GP about hypermobility): https://gptoolkit.ehlers-danlos.org/ 

EDS School Toolkit (school‑based support ideas): https://theschooltoolkit.org/ 

SEDS Connective – charity on hypermobility & neurodivergence (Jane Green): https://www.sedsconnective.org/ 

Neurodivergent characteristics predicting emotional regulation problems linked to proprioception: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39005028/ 

Chronic pain and fatigue paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33479064/ 

BBC History of ADHD episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028997

Jane Green - Alphabet Soup: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7kPEeuOMgB/ 

Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/ 

Types of EDS - EDS3 / EDHST /  JHS / BJHS: https://www.ehlers-danlos.org/what-is-eds/information-on-eds/types-of-eds/ 

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/postural-tachycardia-syndrome/ 

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs/ 

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

How can neurodivergent adults, especially those with ADHD and/or autism, build trust and maintain authentic friendships, in a way that works with their brains instead of against them?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Caroline Maguire, award‑winning author, ADHD coach, and neurodivergent adult herself. Building on her first book Why Will No One Play With Me?, Caroline’s new book Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults, offers a practical playbook for adults who have always felt “bad at friendship” and are ready to try again on their own terms. Claire and Caroline discuss:
🤔 Why adult friendship still feels hard - the impact of childhood social struggles, lack of practice, together with “a new day” of diagnosis and self-understanding.
🧠 What’s actually going on in our brains - the layered challenge of executive function, developmental delay (“stage not age”), plus how this shapes confidence and connection.
🧩 Past experiences, rejection, and self-worth - how old wounds, people pleasing, and low confidence can push friendship to the bottom of the list.
🎭 Masking vs adapting - the difference between suppressing traits vs choosing temporary adjustments; plus the links to anxiety, depression, and people pleasing.
🌡 Levels of friendship and rushing intimacy - exploring the idea of different friends for different things, the 60‑hour guideline, and why acquaintances aren’t necessarily friends
🍦 Trust, oversharing, and the ice‑cream scoop model - building trust through track record, sharing information about ourselves in “scoops” rather than tubs, and how to spot both red and green flags.
🧭 Caroline’s formula for friendship - shared experiences + nurturing + reciprocity + time; and how to troubleshoot when progress stalls.
🔁 Maintaining friendships with ADHD brains - the challenge of "out of sight, out of mind", plus how to use systems, reminders, and honest communication about capacity.
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m just not good at friendship,” this episode gives you the language, validation, and concrete tools (not vague advice) to gently rebuild your confidence and create lasting, fulfilling friendships.
Further resources & links
Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults by Caroline Maguire

Why Will No One Play With Me? by Caroline Maguire

Follow Caroline on Instagram: @authorcarolinem

Learn more about Caroline and Social Skills: https://carolinemaguireauthor.com/

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

What does it feel like to raise and advocate for a child with ADHD and autism, in systems that weren’t designed for them?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Susie Verrill, Parenting and Lifestyle Influencer, writer, and mum of three. Susie shares her experience of raising a son with an AuDHD profile: from the early signs she noticed in preschool and the school’s dismissive response, to navigating the long NHS diagnostic process, adapting family life, and parenting in a way that works for her child, even when it doesn’t match other people’s expectations.
They discuss:
🧩 Early Signs and Gut Instinct: emotional dysregulation in preschool, strong family “radar” for neurodiversity, and why the fact that “he has friends and makes eye contact” was enough for teachers to overlook him.
🏫 School Resistance and SENCO Support: the disappointment of being shut down by teachers, the harmful “just boy behaviour” narratives, and the turning point when Susie pushed for proper SENCO involvement.
🩺 Diagnosis Through the NHS: the long wait, “throwing everything at it” with practical supports, then how the diagnosis brought relief and validation, rather than shame.
⚡ ADHD in Daily Life: craving novelty, extremes of focus and distractibility, sleep struggles, social energy, and the familiar “I’m bored” crash after big days out.
🏡 Parenting Differently: using screens as regulation, having flexible expectations around clothes, manners and mealtimes, plus embracing a loud, chaotic, and loving home.
💛 Strengths and Hope: Susie shares her love for her son’s clear boundaries, blunt politeness, humour, physical energy, curiosity, and her belief that “there is space in the world” for him exactly as he is.
If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child and feeling dismissed, judged or unsure if you’re “doing it right,” this warm and honest conversation will leave you feeling less alone, more validated, and more confident to trust your instincts and build a life that fits your child’s brain.
Further resources and links:
Find Susie on Instagram @susiejverrill

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

Is it "just menopause", or has your ADHD brain reached a tipping point?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Sharon Worth, Menopause and ADHD Coach, plus co-author of the book Meno-Wars: Battling the Menopause with ADHD. Sharon shares her own powerful journey of being diagnosed with ADHD at 49 and autism at 51, after the hormonal shifts of perimenopause made her lifelong "mask" finally slip.
For many women, the transition into midlife isn’t just about hot flushes; it can also be the stage where ADHD symptoms, which may have been managed or masked for decades, suddenly feel far more overwhelming. Sharon and Claire explore why this happens, the role hormones play, and how women can navigate this complex “tipping point” with greater clarity, understanding and far less shame.
They discuss:
🧪 The Oestrogen-Dopamine Connection: the biological link between hormones and brain chemistry, where falling oestrogen levels can disrupt dopamine regulation, making ADHD symptoms more noticeable
🎭 The Collapse of the Mask: why perimenopause often acts as a "tipping point" where the coping mechanisms women have used for years to mask their struggles, no longer work
📉 The Diagnostic Challenge: navigating a medical system that often attributes ADHD symptoms to “just the menopause”
💊 The Medication Puzzle: why ADHD medication and HRT may need re-evaluating in midlife, as symptoms change during perimenopause
🏥 Self-Advocacy at GP Appointments: practical advice for women on how to prepare for doctor’s appointments, including using tracking tools and symptom lists
🩷 Strategies for the ‘Meno Wars’: lifestyle, rest and exercise strategies to help manage midlife overwhelm, alongside adjusting expectations around productivity and capacity
✨ Finding Self-Compassion: moving from feeling like you’re “falling apart” to understanding the changes in your brain and body, while learning how acceptance and support can ease this stage of life
This conversation is a vital roadmap for any woman feeling lost in the fog of midlife. It is a reminder that you aren't "broken", it’s a reminder that you are navigating a significant neurological and hormonal shift that requires a new set of tools, greater understanding and a lot of self-kindness.
🎧 Listen to Sharon's “My ADHD Story - Battling Perimenopause" to understand why things feel harder, and how to find your way back to yourself.
Further resources and links:
Find out more about Sharon’s work here: https://sharonworthcoaching.com/

Read Meno-Wars: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meno-Wars-Battling-menopause-ADHD-comorbidities/dp/1919340602/

Read The Menopause Brain https://www.amazon.co.uk/Menopause-Brain-Empowering-Knowledge-Confidence/dp/1838957499/ 

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.

What does OCD look like in children and how can we spot when it overlaps with ADHD?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Professor Per Hove Thomsen, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and one of the world's leading experts on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in young people. Together, they explore what OCD actually is, how it affects family life, and why it sometimes occurs alongside ADHD. They discuss:
💭 The 'Sticky Brain' of OCD, where distressing thoughts repeat uncontrollably despite an awareness they are absurd or irrational. 
🧠 How the term “OCD” is often misused casually - moving beyond the casual use of the term to understand how true obsessions and compulsions work, and how they differ from normal childhood rituals.
🙉 The “Pull-Yourself-Together” Myth: why people with OCD can't simply choose to stop listening to their thoughts. How the shameful, frightening, or taboo nature of these thoughts can make it hard for children to open up and can often cause families to keep the condition hidden.
🔍︎How to spot early signs of OCD in children, for example behaviour changes such as taking longer the bathroom washing their hands, or experiencing difficulty joining family meals due to food-related fears.
🤔Understanding OCD as “A Disorder of Doubt” - how a child’s inner experience of insecurity and fear drives their cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
🤝 The Surprising Overlap: exploring how 20% to 25% of people with OCD also meet the criteria for ADHD. Professor Thomsen explains how exhausting it is for children caught between rigid OCD patterns and the impulsive chaos of ADHD.
🌪️The Snowballing Brain: how the racing thoughts of an ADHD brain can interact with intrusive thoughts, causing fears to build up rapidly like a snowball getting bigger and bigger.
💬 Parental Support: How parents can encourage their children to share, and how to accept their children’s thoughts as symptoms of OCD, rather than actual desires, in order to reduce the “drama” and provide a safe space for their child to share.
This conversation is an educational and empathetic deep dive into a co-occurring condition that many parents have questions about, offering clarity and validation for families supporting complex minds.
Further resources and links:

Find out more about Prof Per Hove Thomsen’s work here: https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/per.hove.thomsen@clin.au.dk/ 
Read Remission and Relapse Across Three Years in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Following Evidence-Based Treatment: https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(23)02238-4/fulltext
Read Family Accommodation in Pediatric Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Investigating Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in the NordLOTS Study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10578-023-01602-0
Read Standard individual cognitive-behavioral therapy for children and adolescents with pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368370693_Standard_individual_cognitive-behavioral_therapy_for_children_and_adolescents_with_pediatric_obsessive-compulsive_disorder
Read the book: https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/edited-volume/9780323857574/handbook-of-lifespan-cognitive-behavioral-therapy

Read the Chapter: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/edited-volume/abs/pii/B9780323857574000237

Visit the Elsevier Online Shop: https://shop.elsevier.com/books/handbook-of-lifespan-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/martin/978-0-323-85757-4

ADHD coaching and resources from Claire: https://allaboardadhd.com

Follow Claire on Instagram & TikTok: @allaboardADHD

The views shared in this episode are those of the guest, based on their professional expertise and personal experience. This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, or psychological advice. Please consult a qualified professional for personalised support relevant to your individual circumstances.