The ABCs of ADHD First Aid: Awareness, Breath, and Calibration

A Practical Reset for ADHD Overwhelm

ADHD can feel like your mind is running a marathon while your body is trying to sit still. One moment you’re full of ideas and energy, the next you’re overwhelmed, distracted, reactive, or completely stuck. For children, teens, and adults, ADHD can show up as racing thoughts, emotional intensity, procrastination, impulsivity, restlessness, or difficulty switching gears – especially when demands are high.

Many families who contact us are also trying to make sense of ADHD and dyslexia, or wondering whether their challenges are dyslexia or ADHD, or a combination of both. This overlap is common, and understanding how the nervous system responds under pressure is an important first step.

At Sydney Dyslexia Hub, Director Barbara Hoi teaches a simple “first aid” approach for those moments when ADHD symptoms spike and focus feels out of reach. It’s not a complicated system or a long routine. It’s a practical way to pause, reset your nervous system, and bring your mind back to a level where learning, working, reading, writing, and communicating feel possible again.

Barbara calls it the ABCs of ADHD First Aid:

A = Awareness
B = Breath
C = Calibration

These three steps are easy to remember, quick to use, and powerful when practised regularly. Let’s explore how they work -and how you can apply them immediately in daily life.

A is for Awareness: Noticing What’s Happening First

Awareness is where real self-management begins. ADHD is not just about attention. It is also about regulation. That means your brain and body can swing into “too much” (too fast, too intense) or “not enough” (flat, foggy, avoidant).

Many people only notice they are disregulated when they are already in it, snapping, panicking, melting down, shutting down, or disappearing into distraction. Awareness helps you catch the early signals and respond sooner, when a reset is easier.

Common signs your attention and nervous system are running too high:

• you feel physically restless, tense, or wired

• your thoughts jump rapidly from one thing to another

• you cannot stay with a sentence or instruction

• you interrupt, rush, or feel impatient

• you become emotionally reactive or easily frustrated

• you avoid starting a task but feel stressed about it

• you bounce between tasks and nothing gets finished

Signs your system may be too low:

• you feel foggy, flat, or unmotivated

• you keep staring at the task but cannot begin

• you feel overwhelmed before you even start

• you feel tired, disconnected, or checked out

Barbara’s approach is simple. When you can name what is happening, you can choose what to do next. Instead of blaming yourself, the question becomes, “What does my brain need right now?”

A quick reset question to practise:

What is my attention and energy doing right now?

That pause is where change begins.

B is for Breath: Switching from Stress to Calm

When ADHD symptoms flare up, your nervous system often shifts into stress mode. In that state, the body can move into fight, flight, or freeze. You might feel rushed, scattered, tense, reactive, or emotionally flooded. Concentration becomes harder because the brain is prioritising survival, not learning.

Breath is one of the fastest and most accessible tools to change that state.

Barbara teaches that a deep breath can act as a bridge, moving you from stress activation into a calmer, steadier internal state. Breathing helps shift the body toward the parasympathetic nervous system, which supports regulation, clarity, and self-control.

A simple breathing pattern you can use anywhere:

• inhale through your nose for 4 seconds

• hold gently for 2 seconds

• exhale slowly for 6 seconds

• repeat 3 times

For children, breath can be made more playful and visual:

• “Smell the flower, blow out the candle.”

• “Blow up a balloon in your tummy.”

• “Cool down hot soup with slow breaths.”

This is not about perfect technique. It is about creating a shift from overwhelm to calm.

C is for Calibration: Adjusting Your Level to Match the Task

Calibration is the skill that turns awareness and breath into practical action.

ADHD brains can get stuck on one setting, either too high or too low. Calibration means learning to dial your energy and attention to match what you need to do.

Barbara suggests imagining a dial or volume knob and rating yourself on a scale of 0 to 10:

• 0 to 2: shut down, sleepy, frozen, avoidant

• 3 to 5: calm, focused, steady (ideal for reading and learning)

• 6 to 7: energised and productive

• 8 to 10: overstimulated, reactive, scattered, impulsive

Now ask two questions:

• Where am I right now?

• Where do I need to be for this task?

If you are at an 8 but you need to read or write, your goal is not to try harder. Your goal is to turn the dial down.

Ways to calibrate down:

• use your breathing reset

• slow your movements

• take a short movement break

• reduce sensory input

• break the task into a very small first step

If you are at a 2 but need to get started, you may need to turn the dial up.

Ways to calibrate up:

• stand up and move for 60 seconds

• wash hands in cool water

• play upbeat music briefly

• set a 2 minute timer to just start

• use a simple verbal prompt such as “one small step, then stop”

Calibration builds skills ADHD brains often struggle with, including starting, sustaining, and shifting attention. It is especially helpful for people with ADHD and dyslexia, where effort does not always lead to predictable outcomes. 

Putting It All Together: A 60-Second ADHD First Aid Routine

Awareness: “I am at an 8 out of 10. I am rushing and my thoughts are everywhere.”

Breath: three slow breaths with a longer exhale.

Calibration: “I need to be at a 4 to read. I will stretch for one minute, then read one paragraph.”

The goal is not to eliminate ADHD. The goal is to build a reliable way to reset, quickly and without shame.

Can You Cure ADHD?

Many parents and adults ask, “Can you cure ADHD?”

ADHD is not something that needs to be cured. It is a neurodevelopmental difference. What can change is how well someone understands, regulates, and works with their brain. Skills like awareness, breath, and calibration help reduce overwhelm and improve daily functioning, especially when ADHD exists alongside dyslexia or other learning differences.

Conclusion: Your Mind Can Learn to Self-Manage

Barbara’s message is empowering. With practice, you can notice disregulation earlier, settle your system more effectively, and match your energy to the task in front of you.

Start small and practise on easier days, not only hard days. Over time, these tools become second nature, and ADHD feels more manageable and predictable.

Ready for Personalised Support?

If you would like help applying these strategies, or supporting a child with ADHD, dyslexia, or learning challenges, you can Book your free 15-minute discovery call with Barbara Hoi.