Recognizing ADHD

Archive for December, 2006

How to Help Your Child Cope with ADHD

Posted in ADHD on December 28th, 2006

A child with ADHD can control some of his or her behavior problems with medications and therapy. Both the parents and the children with ADHD need extraordinary assistance and support to develop techniques for supervising the patterns of activities. Therapists help children with ADHD cope with their daily problems. The therapists also assist families of children with ADHD in the betterment of their relationships with each other so they can handle the unruly behaviors and encourage change. There are five common therapies that are specially designed to help people cope with ADHD.

Psychotherapy is the most common of all. It works by helping people with ADHD to love, appreciate and eventually accept themselves. Patients learn alternative ways of handling their emotions by talking about hurtful thoughts and feelings. In this way, the patient is able to suppress his or her inappropriate feelings and explore mechanisms of behavior.

Social skills training can help children learn new behaviors that are vital in developing and maintaining social relationships. Social skills training helps the child to develop better ways to play, work and relate with other children of the same age.

BT or behavioral therapy works by helping people with ADHD change their views rather than helping the child realize his or her feelings and actions.

Support groups connect parents and families with other people in the same situation. Sharing experiences with others who have similar problems helps people know that they aren’t alone and gives them a sense of belonging.

Parenting skills training gives parents techniques for supervising their child’s behavior. An example of these techniques is the reward system or gift system, wherein the child is rewarded for his or her good deeds and completed tasks.

Parents’ verbal and nonverbal communication with their children has a direct impact on the way their children talk, act and behave. The more you improve the relationship and communication between yourself and your children, the more you help the child with ADHD to mature into a strong, healthy, productive and responsible person.

Parents must change the way they speak to their children. They must be aware that no one likes to be yelled at. Listening is better than talking and is essential to good parent-child relationship. Listening makes the speaker feel respected and important. Here are few good listening habits: Try to find the positive in what is being said, try to truly appreciate the other person’s point of view , repeat in your own words what you think the child is saying, and most of all listen first before talking.

The more positive interactions the parent and their child have, the better. Parent and child should have time to play together, sing together, dance together, share concerns, and enjoy companionship with each other.
For more information about understanding and managing the effects of ADHD naturally please visit Focus ADHD - proven natural medicine for ADHD treatments.

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Getting Your Child Evaluated for ADHD

Posted in ADHD on December 14th, 2006

Parents usually see signs of ADHD in their children long before they start school. Children have different rates in their level of maturity and they have very different personalities, attitudes, and energy rates, so it’s helpful to get an expert’s outlook of whether the behavior is appropriate for the child’s age. Parents can ask their specialists to evaluate whether the child has an ADHD or is just being immature, childish or unusually energetic.

If ADHD seems like a possibility, the family can turn to health professionals in the field of ADHD training or in mental disorder diagnosis. There are different specialists trained in different areas, such as psychiatrists and psychologists, developmental and behavioral pediatricians, neurologists and even clinical social workers. Parents should determine which specialist will be most suitable for their child by talking to their family physician and getting recommendations from him or her.

There are a lot of specialists who deal with ADHD. Psychiatrists can prescribe medications and treatments and provide a therapy program. Psychologists are qualified to diagnose and treat ADHD through therapy (but cannot prescribe medication). Neurologists are doctors who deal with disorders of the nervous system and brain, and they are also trained in diagnosing ADHD and can prescribe medication, though they don’t usually provide therapy for the emotional side of ADHD. In choosing a specialist, it’s important to look for someone with specialized training who has experience dealing with the disorder.

In getting the child ready for evaluation of his or her ADHD, the specialist first checks the child’s records, both educational and medical. The child’s needs and personal history are carefully considered and analyzed. The specialist determines what effect the child’s environment has on his or her behavior and how the parent and child deal with it. Then, the specialist collects information related to the child’s recent behavior and compares it with the warning signs of ADHD. The specialist also observes the child’s behavior in different environments, such as at home, school or in the community. People who are in contact with the child are asked for their observations on the child’s behavior. They are presented with evaluation forms or behavior rating scales. After the data gathering and observation, the specialist can now compare the child’s behavior to that of other kids in the same age group.

Most of the time children with ADHD are evaluated for mental health and social adjustment. A specialist conducts tests to check for a learning disability. Once all the information is gathered, the specialist answers different sets of questions to help him or her identify whether the child’s hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention are significant and long-standing. Some of these questions are: Which ADHD-like behaviors does the child show? In what situations? How often? How long has the child been doing them? How old was the child when the problem started? Are the behaviors seriously interfering with the child’s relationship in home, school or community? Or does the child have any other related problems?

Providing recommendations to school staff, selecting the right medication, seeking a more appropriate classroom setting, and helping parents and teachers to manage the child’s behavior are vital for an effective social medication. Once the disorder is identified, the child and family can get whatever help they need, whether it’s emotional, educational or medical.

Truly no single treatment is the answer for every child having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. If a child with ADHD has anxiety or depression, a combined treatment medication and behavioral therapy is usually best.

For more information about understanding and managing the effects of ADHD please visit Recognizing and Treating ADHD.

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Archive for December, 2006

How to Help Your Child Cope with ADHD

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