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"  Q. You&amp;#039;re a spokesperson for the newly launched ADHD Moms online community, sponsored by McNeil Pediatrics. Why did you get involved?  A. Michael was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 9, so I wanted to share our story with moms across the country. It was quite exciting to be in Baltimore, and talk to a mom in California via podcast. This Facebook community is a great way for moms to connect with each other.   Q. Every child with ADHD is different. Before Michael was diagnosed, what kind of behaviors did he show?  A. He was always full of energy. He&amp;#039;d talk constantly, and ask questions nonstop. He also had trouble focusing in school, and his teachers said they couldn&amp;#039;t get him to interact during learning time. He was always pushing, nudging, shoving, and fidgeting. It was hard for him to listen unless it was something that really captivated his attention, so you can imagine what bedtime was like!  Q. What kind of treatment worked for him?  A. Michael&amp;#039;s doctor prescribed a stimulant medication. He only took it Monday through Friday, though \u2014 no weekends, no vacations, no holidays. I knew he&amp;#039;d benefit from the medication at school.  Q. Do you have any tips for moms who have kids with ADHD?   A. Make a task list. With Michael, there were always certain things that he knew he needed to do before going to swim practice or playing outside with friends. I posted a task list on the refrigerator, and gave him stickers when he completed his responsibilities. It was a fun way to help him focus and get him out the door.   Q. Did swimming help Michael cope with ADHD?  A. It did help. Swimmers have to develop good time management when they&amp;#039;re juggling school work and hours of practice. The pool itself helped Michael, too. ADHD children need parameters. There&amp;#039;s nothing better for that than two lane lines! Even if Michael&amp;#039;s mind was all over the place, he could focus on going up and down the pool. Plus, water itself has a calming, soothing effect. I think the pool became a safe haven where he could release his energy. But it&amp;#039;s not just swimming that helped Michael; it was finding his passion and channeling his energy in that direction.  Q. So let&amp;#039;s talk Beijing. Is the whole family going?   A. We are all going to China, including Michael&amp;#039;s two older sisters Whitney and Hilary, as well as their families. We&amp;#039;ll all be there to cheer him on.   Q. Do you have recipes that are Michael&amp;#039;s prerace favorites?   A. When he was growing up, I&amp;#039;d make pasta. Nothing out of the ordinary. But to be honest, I&amp;#039;m no cook. If I&amp;#039;m throwing a party, we&amp;#039;re catering it!  Q. True or False: Michael still gets excited when he hears his name on SportsCenter.  A. That is absolutely true! The other night he called to tell me he was the second story on SportsCenter. He was beside himself. Michael always wanted to bring celebrity to swimming.   Q. And he is a full-fledged celebrity. This summer, Michael appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Men&amp;#039;s Journal. How does he stay grounded?  A. Michael is very grounded, and I think coming home really helps. We&amp;#039;re a close family. And growing up, he had to deal with a lot of teasing and tormenting from other kids his age. He was so tall and elongated that his hands were below his knees. He had a hard time going through that, but I think overcoming it helped him become the grounded person he is today.  Q. Kids across the country admire your son. What&amp;#039;s it like when he comes home?   A. There are seven children who live across the street, and they&amp;#039;re always so excited to see him. One time, Michael needed a belt for a function happening in town, so I told him to go next door to borrow one. All the kids started arguing over whose belt Michael would wear. It was so cute!  Q. For the past several years, Michael been living in Ann Arbor, where he went to college. Do you talk to him a lot on the phone?  A. Typically we don&amp;#039;t talk \u2014 we text. I can have a full conversation with Michael when texting, and it&amp;#039;s not quite the same story on the phone. But I still try to talk to him every 10 days or so. He has a very demanding schedule.  Q. What&amp;#039;s next for Michael post-Olympics?   A. He&amp;#039;s moving back home to Baltimore. The other day, Michael told me he bought a condo on the water. I can&amp;#039;t wait to have him here. I&amp;#039;ve missed him these past four years. And I think he&amp;#039;s ready. Sometimes I can tell he gets a yearning for home. There are times when both of his sisters and I will get a text message from him at the exact same time.  Learn more about Deborah Phelps&amp;#039;s story by visiting the ADHD Moms online community on Facebook. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/inspirational-stories/a17836/deborah-phelps-interview/>