Noè is a lively, social boy who loves to tell jokes. Noè also has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Through the protagonist, Stephanie Bugeja and Leanne Ellul’s new book, Noè u l-iskojjattlu bla kwiet, hopes to bring the stories and lives of children with ADHD to light and impart information to parents and teachers of children who have just received their diagnosis.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, symptoms of which often manifest as difficulties in paying attention, excessive activity and impulsive behaviour.

Children who have the condition but are not diagnosed may suffer adverse consequences, often lagging behind at school. Those who display more impulsive tendencies may also be impacted socially, as other children may be put off by their behaviour. At an age when primary friendships are formed, lack of social acceptance can have a huge impact on a child’s development.

“This book is about Noè, which doesn’t mean that it necessarily covers all the things that children with ADHD are experiencing,” says co-author Stephanie Bugeja, an education psychologist by profession.

“Everybody who experiences a particular difficulty in life obviously experiences it in different ways. Home situations may both help and hinder a child with difficulties, so it’s not to say that every child with ADHD is like Noè, but I think it can help to try and see things through his eyes,” Dr Bugeja says.

Dr Bugeja, who came up with the concept for a series of children’s books that shine a light on children with mental health issues, channelled many of the issues faced by her young clients into Noè’s story.

She found that parents facing a diagnosis share many fears about what was in store for their child’s future and found a dearth of resources available for them in Maltese.

“We noticed a gap in the market. There are some Maltese books that tackle disabilities but not as many as there are in English. I often encounter parents who for a myriad of reasons cannot access the resources in English, so that’s what inspired the series.”

The writing process proved to be an interesting collaborative effort which saw Dr Bugeja teaming up with Maltese novelist and poet Ms Ellul.

Home situations may both help and hinder a child with difficulties

“I outlined the pages and the information I wanted to communicate,” Dr Bugeja says. “Then, it was fascinating, because Leanne gave it life, she created the characters, the conversations and the dialogue between the children.”

Ms Ellul, who has co-authored many textbooks, as well as novels and also spent some time teaching, wields the Maltese language like a work of art, spinning stories from many different threads.

“When I write for children I find myself writing the funny stuff, whereas when I write for adults I write the sad stuff,” Ms Ellul says.

“So it’s a good way to write the fun stuff, because I do believe that good books can be read by anyone.”

Ms Ellul and Dr Bugeja worked closely and held many consultations, not only to represent children with ADHD accurately, but to ensure that the information they were imparting was correct and up to date, as well as communicated in a sensitive manner.

Ms Ellul also worked on developing prose that would appeal to children with ADHD, and even mimic ways in which they speak and act, to make the experience more familiar.

“One technique that I introduced is to try to mimic the way these children react in certain situations,” Ms Ellul says.

“The narrator of the book in this case is Ben, who is Noè’s brother, and sometimes when Ben is speaking Noè comes in and speaks his minds and says what he has to say. So, in that manner I tried to imitate the way these kids might act when someone is speaking – they might just blurt out what they’re thinking,” Ms Ellul adds.

Leanne Ellul. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina. Right: Stephanie Bugeja. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Symptoms and treatment

What are the signs of ADHD?

Inattentiveness. Children who are inattentive have trouble focusing their attention and staying on task. They may seem absent-minded or forgetful and misplace their things easily.

Hyperactivity. Hyperactive children are fidgety, restless and easily bored. They may rush through things and roughhouse when they shouldn’t. Unintentionally, they may act in ways that disrupt others.

Impulsivity. Children often act before they think, make a habit of interrupting and find it difficult to wait. They may have emotional reactions that seem too intense for the situation.

How is ADHD diagnosed?

A child psychologist or psychiatrist is usually referred to parents after a general check-up rules out any other possibilities that may be causing symptoms. ADHD is usually diagnosed if it is clear that:

■ A child’s distractibility, hyperactivity, or impulsivity go beyond what’s usual for their age.

■ The behaviour has been ongoing since early childhood.

■ The symptoms adversely affect the child at school and at home.

■ Health checks show that another health or learning issue isn’t causing the problem.

ADHD is usually treated through a combination of medicine, behaviour therapy, parent coaching and school support. When ADHD is not treated it can make life very difficult for children, leading to low self-esteem, depression and risk-taking behaviour.