A Useful Insight Into ADHD In Kids

• Tweet
• Pin It

Almost all kids tend to become hyperactive at times. This normally happens when they see something that excites them. However, too much of this behavior can be a cause for concern as there is only a very thin line that differentiates a normal excitement from a behavioral disorder called ADHD.

Called Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, ADHD affects approximately 10% of school going children, with boys being more susceptible to the issue. And while you may think that a kid with ADHD may appear normal and active, in truth the disorder would potentially hamper his/her ability to think, concentrate or act properly.

Kids with ADHD usually tend to be disruptive in their behavior. This is because they would find it difficult to sit still, pay attention to what their parents say or act accordingly. They would also not be able to focus on even small details.

How To Deal With ADHD In Kids

Symptoms You Should Be Wary Of

A kid with ADHD would usually be inattentive wherein he/she would not be able to pay attention to school or home work and would make careless mistakes in whatever he/she does. He/she would not respond properly to questions or gestures because of the inability to concentrate for sustained periods. And thus, he/she would find it very difficult to follow even the simplest of instructions, would easily forget tasks that need to be completed, would be easily distracted and would most likely not want to participate in activities that require him/her to think or plan.

Photo Credit: Tri5devet.com

In the case where a kid suffering from ADHD is hyperactive, he/she would constantly be fidgety and would find it very difficult to sit still in one particular area for long. He/she would always be on the move, either running around or doing some kind of activity that requires physical effort (jumping, climbing etc.).

He/she would find it difficult to concentrate on one toy and would want to play loudly. He/she would not like waiting for his/her turn in things and would interrupt others in the process. Finding it difficult to listen to questions, he/she would start blurting out answers in a hurry and would also find it extremely difficult to talk slowly.

In the most common case in which a kid with ADHD is both inattentive and hyperactive, he/she would exhibit a combination of the symptoms given above.

The Right Treatment For ADHD

Kids who have ADHD can be very difficult to treat and most of the times it would be practically impossible for parents to get their children to cooperate with them. However, without correct medication and therapies, the issue would grow up with the kid and affect his/her future tremendously.

Photo Credit: Medicus.ru/pharmacology/pats/?cont=article&art_id=16605

Know that there is no cure for ADHD, temporary or permanent. Rather, there are only ways in which the condition can be managed so that it does not surface regularly. Kids with ADHD would generally be trained to control their behavior and mind. And for that, they would need their parent’s full care, love and support; not exasperation, humiliation or guilt.

Medicinal Course

ADHD is most cases is managed by therapies and medications. Accordingly, the child in question would be given stimulants throughout the day (the number of dosages depends on the child’s condition). Although standardized, these stimulants may sometimes cause side effects like stomach ache, loss of appetite, insomnia or irritability.

In case the child experiences any of these side effects when the stimulant is administered, he/she would most probably by switched to non stimulants that have comparatively fewer side effects than stimulants, or anti depressants (not recommended unless under the guidance of an experienced doctor).

It may take some time and a good couple of doses from various medications to find out the combination that works for the child’s body condition.

Therapies

Children with ADHD would usually need to undergo behavioral therapy classes to sharpen their mind skills. Accordingly, these classes would attempt to teach the child to learn to focus on something for extended periods, listen and respond to specific commands and directions, recognize his/her surroundings etc. All of this would be acknowledged by a reward system wherein the child would get a reward for every positive behavior and a negative response for every bad behavior.

Role Of The Parent

As parents, it becomes our duty to make sure that our kids get through this problematic phase with as few hassles as possible. In addition to creating a calm, conducive and learning environment for your little one, you need to actively participate in his treatment programs in order to give your best. And here are some ways you can do that.

Setting Up A Routine

Set up a routine and teach your child to follow the same every day. For example, you can teach him/her to walk into the bathroom after he/she wakes up every day, brush his/her teeth, take a bath, have breakfast/lunch/dinner and watch TV or play games etc.

Once you set a routine, stick to it no matter what! This would cause fewer distractions for your child and he/she would get used to the routine pretty quick.

Organization Skills

Children with ADHD would find it very difficult to plan, organize and execute. So try teaching your kid the basics of staying organized. For example, after he/she plays with his/her toys, ask him/her to put the toys in a basket.

You may have to do it yourself a number of times before he/she responds positively. Once he/she starts doing it on his/her own, show him/her the importance of keeping things organized and tidy.

Distractions

Children with ADHD tend to get confused and disturbed if there are too many distractions. So make sure that your kid gets a calm environment to play and learn in. Switch of TVs, computers, radios or any other device that could potentially distract your kid. This way it would be easier for him/her to focus on his/her work.

Interactions

Children with ADHD would find it difficult to follow long instructions. So make your instructions short an correct to the point. For example, instead of saying, “Can you keep this bowl on the table over there?”, you can say “Please keep the bowl on the table”.

Hidden Talents

A child with ADHD would find it difficult to respond to treatment until and unless he/she is relaxed and comfortable. So you need to make sure that he/she is comforted before each session. Try to find out something that interests him/her.

If he/she likes to paint, ask him/her to paint before each session starts. Let him/her do whatever he/she feels like doing so that the session would go by smoothly and he/she would cooperate well with the doctor.

Photo Credit: Diyhealth.com/7-effective-approaches-deal-adhd-children.html