A peek into differently

For father-of-four Esmond Wee, 44, living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) means buying five pairs of earplugs because he keeps misplacing them - to ease sensory overload.

- Teo Kai Xiang

Such sensitivity to noise and distraction is one common thread among those with ADHD, a neuro-developmental condition characterised by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning.

Overstimulation in contexts that others might find tolerable perhaps explains why many with ADHD do their best work in the early hours.

Partly for the tranquillity, but also because that is often when procrastination guilt from executive dysfunction another common ADHD symptom - finally boils over into action as deadlines loom.

Mr Wee's quest for solace is made all the more complicated by raising four children aged three to 18, the eldest of whom also has ADHD.

"If you notice your kid has to check out, that's a major sign he or she is dealing with sensory overload," says the marketing professional and music label co-founder, who got diagnosed with the condition in 2018. "For our daughter, it's very obvious, she needs to decompress by locking herself in her room."

Yet, it is his wife, freelance writer Sue-Ann Lee, 50, who shoulders the heaviest burden. "She's keenly aware that I have ADHD and that I need to excuse myself because, sometimes, the sensory overload is too much and I will explode in front of the kids," he says.

For the couple, clear communication is essential. Mr Wee compensates by taking on extra chores and whisking the children out of the house when his wife needs downtime.

"My kids see my inability to handle the sensory bit, but that in a sense brings us closer together," he says, adding that apologies and open discussions about feelings are teachable moments in the household.

Their family is one of many living with ADHD, the most common neurodivergent disorder in Singapore. It is said to affect 5 to 8 per cent of children and 2 to 7 per cent of adults here.