Volunteer work at a community welfare center for people with disabilities taught me an important lesson as a Leadertimes Youth Journalist: ADHD and intellectual disabilities should not be treated as the same condition.

Although both can affect school life and daily activities, their causes, characteristics, and support needs are clearly different. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect attention, impulse control, time management, and the ability to complete tasks. Students with ADHD do not struggle because they have low intelligence. Rather, they may find it difficult to stay focused, control impulses, organize their time, or plan tasks effectively.

For these students, short and clear instructions, step-by-step assignments, scheduling support, and a quiet learning environment can be helpful. These forms of support allow students with ADHD to manage their attention and complete their work more successfully.

Intellectual disabilities, on the other hand, are developmental disabilities that affect intellectual functioning and daily living skills. People with intellectual disabilities may need more time, repeated explanations, visual materials, and practical guidance to understand and apply new information.

During my visit to the welfare center, I observed a class in which participants practiced simple and repetitive activities, such as inserting wire rings into plastic pieces to make items used by people with disabilities. I helped support the class by assisting participants when they faced difficulties and by helping the activity run smoothly.

I also interviewed a child psychotherapist about support methods for children with various intellectual disabilities. He explained that some participants were able to join activities more comfortably when instructions were demonstrated directly or repeated several times.

“The most important part of disability support is not only looking at the diagnosis, but also understanding how each individual learns and communicates,” he said.

His words show that even people with the same diagnosis may need different kinds of support. This is especially important in schools. Students with ADHD may need a structured environment that helps them focus and manage themselves. Students with intellectual disabilities may need repeated learning, simple explanations, visual materials, and life-based practical support.

In both cases, it is wrong to simply say that a student is “not trying hard enough.” ADHD and intellectual disabilities are different conditions, but both are often misunderstood.

Before judging students who cannot focus or who learn more slowly, schools and communities should first ask what kind of support each student needs. My volunteer experience at the community welfare center showed me that disability should be understood not only as a diagnosis, but also as a matter of real-life support.

When ADHD and intellectual disabilities are understood correctly, students and community members can better show their abilities and participate more fully in society.