They blurt things out and interrupt constantly

What to do right now

They interrupt, finish your sentences, blurt answers, and cannot wait their turn. They know they should wait. The impulse arrives at their mouth before the inhibition system can catch it. This is one of the most socially costly ADHD symptoms. Practice is more useful than punishment. 'Hold that thought' with a visual cue gives them an external brake.

What your brain just did

Your body

The interrupting is constant. They finish your sentences, blurt answers, cannot hold a thought without immediately releasing it. Your patience is worn thin by the relentlessness.

Your brain

Verbal impulsivity is one of the most socially costly ADHD symptoms. The thought reaches the speech centre before the inhibition system can catch it. They are not being rude. The internal brake between thinking and saying is too slow.

What this did

External brakes work better than internal willpower. A visual cue like a raised hand or a token they hold until it is their turn gives them something physical to anchor the pause. Practice in low-stakes settings builds the skill for high-stakes ones.

What your child is experiencing

Their body

The words come out before they can stop them. They finish your sentences, blurt in class, interrupt friends. They often do not realise they have done it until after.

Their brain

The gap between the thought arriving and the speech producing it is too short for the inhibition system to intervene. They are not being rude. The internal brake between thinking and saying does not fire fast enough.

What they need

External brakes. A raised hand signal. A token they hold until it is their turn. Practice in low-stakes settings. 'Hold that thought' is more useful than 'stop interrupting.' Give them a physical anchor for the pause their brain cannot produce internally.