Parent Child Add/Adhd Awarness

There are many kids whom are just naturally active. There are those that you can’t stand to be around and there are those that are a little too quite at times. When it comes to kids of your own, what are the first things that come to your mind? The optimistic person would probably be thinking of the perfect TV family like The Brady Bunch or The Cosby Show. A pessimist would think of little “RUGRATS” always getting into trouble and never knowing when to shut up. Let us be realists, they are actually little beings that are like tiny balls of energy bombs that spontaneously combusts without almost any indication. But what happens when it seems like they have way too much energy or just none at all. Sometimes these kids are labeled as trouble makers, or criticized for being lazy, disrespectful and undisciplined. Kids like these just may have Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder known as (ADD/ADHD).

Disorders like these often appears very early in a little ones childhood. The average age is usually around seven. Having such problem could make it difficult for people to inhibit their spontaneous responses; it can affect everything from movement to speech to attentiveness. Parenting a child whom has this disorder is a very challenging task. Often it is very hard and stressful for these parents to remain calm. Parenting never came with a hand book raising a child is always a new experience no matter how many kids you have, there are just guidelines and preparing yourself for the worst. This is also when you need to measure your patience and your love to match them accordingly; doing this measurement would be a daily ritual from now on.

When a parent is concerned whether their child is experiencing this problem or not, it is relatively hard trying to distinguish between normal kid behavior and ADHD. Spotting a few signs and symptoms do not automatically conclude that your child has it. However if these symptoms are reoccurring and represent in all situations such as home, school, gameplay, then a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. Usually parents are in denial or just simply not educated enough in that area to pick up what is really going on. These adults usually think that the constant motions are signs of brightness and curiosity not symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and hyper activity. No one wants their son or daughter being labeled as “ADHD KID” and it is alright worry on whether they would see the disorder or the child. This shows that you want to protect your child. Although that is great of a parent, it can be more hurtful to the child if you keep on assuming that the behavior is typical for their age.

There are medical guidelines that can help your doctor determine whether your child has ADHD which are coming from the American Academy of Pediatrics. ADHD is hard to diagnose in children younger than five years old. So the guidelines are more for the children ranged from about six to twelve years of age. This is all because most preschool children tend to have some ADHD symptoms in various situations. It is also hard to diagnose one a child becomes a teenager.

Diagnosing a child that may hay ADHD is tricky process. Several steps are taken during this procedure. It also involves gathering a lot of information from multiple sources. Such foundations such as school, the parent, and other caregivers should be involved in assessing the child’s behavior. A physician can conduct a medical history to help put a child’s behavior in context. They will ask what symptoms a child is showing, how long the symptoms have occurred, and how the behavior affects a child and his/her family. Chances are more likely for the child to have ADHD if the parent has the same problem as well. Having the disorder can be just as frustrating as dealing with someone who has it. That is why it is important to remember that the child who is ignoring, annoying, or embarrassing you is not acting willfully. Kids with ADHD can actually want to stay quite or remain organized and tidy, but they don’t know how to make these things happen.

Before an accurate diagnosis can be made, it is first important to see a mental health professional to explore and rule out certain possibilities. There are some behaviors that can appear to be ADHD related, but are not. Some causes of such behavior are:

• A sudden life change (such as divorce, a death in the family, bullying, or moving).

• Undetected seizures.

• Medical disorders affecting brain function.

• Anxiety.

• Depression.

• Learning disabilities (problems with motor skills or in-school subjects).

• Behavioral Disorders.

When we think about ADHD/ADD no one seems to notice that there are three primary characteristics to the disorder. There are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. When a child is inattentive they are usually not hyperactive or impulsive. And when a child is hyperactive and impulsive it is possible that they are actually paying attention even though they don’t seem so. The most common form of ADD/ADHD usually deals with all three combined and of course that’s the most difficult to deal with. The signs and symptoms a child with attention deficit disorder has depends on which characteristics are predominated. These are the symptoms to look for of each category.

INATTENTION:

• Doesn’t pay attention to details • Makes careless mistakes • Has trouble staying focused; is easily distracted • Appears not to listen when spoken to • Has difficulty remembering things and following instructions • Has trouble staying organized, planning ahead, and finishing projects • Gets bored with a task before it’s completed • Frequently loses or misplaces homework, books, toys, or other items

HYPERACTIVITY: • Constantly fidgets and squirms • Often leaves his or her seat in situations where sitting quietly is expected • Moves around constantly, often runs or climbs inappropriately • Talks excessively • Has difficulty playing quietly or relaxing • Is always “on the go,” as if driven by a motor • May have a quick temper or a “short fuse”

IMPULSIVITY: • Acts without thinking • Blurts out answers in class without waiting to be called on or hear the whole question • Can’t wait for his or her turn in line or in games • Says the wrong thing at the wrong time • Often interrupts others • Intrudes on other people’s conversations or games • Inability to keep powerful emotions in check, resulting in angry outbursts or temper tantrums • Guesses, rather than taking time to solve a problem

Having a child with ADD/ADHD affects parents in many ways. The demands of a child with the disorder can be physically and psychologically exhausting. If there’s a basic difference between the parent’s personality and their child’s with ADD, the adult may find the kids behavior especially difficult to accept. The knowledge of their consequences from their bad behavior can make the adult end up anxious and stressed. Worst case scenario the frustration can lead to anger and the sense of guilt can arise from them being angry at their child. When taking the course of using medication to treat your child’s symptoms there are certain actions you need to take. One of the beginning steps that should be taken is to be honest with the child about ADHD. Try to help the child exactly what’s going as early as you can. Most parents would hide the disorder by telling their child that the medication that’s being taken is a “magic vitamin” or some sort. ADHD is not the child’s fault. It is a brain disorder that causes youngsters to have trouble with concentration, ability to complete tasks, or plan for the future. Although medication is mostly recommended by physicians, looking for alternatives can be more beneficial for the Childs’ well-being. Studies show that long term treatment with a combination of medications and behavioral therapy is far superior to just medication treatment, or no specific treatments in managing hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Those kids treated with both ADHD drugs and therapy also had better social skills. .Choosing the right medications for your child can be hectic. It is best to educate yourself with the symptoms and what would be most comfortable for the kid. There is a class of drugs called psychostimulants or stimulants which is a form of highly effective treatment for childhood ADHD. These medications including Adderall, Concerta, Daytrana, and Ritalin, help children to focus their thoughts and ignore distractions. Another treatment used to treat the disorder in kids is called non-stimulant medication. These medicines include Intuniv, Kapvay, and Strattera. Knowing as much as possible about each medication is very important common knowledge would offer you and your support system a sense of security. Although there are many medications available to medications available, I prefer the alternatives over it all. There are many alternatives to avoid drugs for kids with attention problems. With a strong enough support system a lot can be achieved not only for the benefit of but for the family as well. There are techniques such as one called EEG neuro-feedback neuro-therapy which also can be used for learning and behavioral disorders. In this technique the child would be put in front of a computer with an electrode pad put on his or her head. The machine would measure brain waves and the brain waves are used to control the video game. A child with attention deficit disorder produces an excessive amount of slow wave activity in the brain. What the device does it conditions the brain to produce faster wave. There is also another alternative. Brain abnormalities can be found through a brain scan. Through these scans major clues are found in understanding ADHD. Researchers have found that the kids diagnosed with the disorder their frontal lobes are smaller in volume. Other abnormalities were also found in a few other regions as well. The frontal lobe of the brain is responsible for motor function, spontaneity, and impulse control. Scientists claim that these abnormalities can derive from genetics, the environment or even a combination of both. Pets come with a host of benefits for the parents and the child. They can help tech the kid responsibility and get him or her outside or even more social. They can even inject some much needed fun and help the whole family blow off steam. Studies show that pets can protect their owners from depression, stress, and even medical problems. This pet and child relationship forms a type of symbiosis hence keeping each other healthy. Another important thing a parent should try doing is to try supporting their kids as much as possible. A parent should probably not set too great of expectations from their child as negative as it may sound. Children with ADHD may not perform as consistently as peers who have no problems with focus and concentration. Don’t think because a child is not completely at the academic top that they are a dunce. Very often kids with ADHD are very bright even though they may not seem like it. They tend to excel the most in the things, subjects or topics that they only take some form of interest in. They would know what to do, but it is just simply really hard for them to get started. When it comes to homework, it would be best to make sure the teacher is on board. While helping the child with their work it is best to come up with a routine of time limits for homework or frequent min breaks. Remember the parent is doing the best they can with their child and competing with their attention for long hours at a time would just not help. A good trick for working with their attention spans is to divide the homework into smaller units. And always remember to try to match their pace, do not push too hard. Some people would see just the “Disorder” and not the child. One may even try to label these ADD kids as “SPECIAL ED”. These pessimists fail to realize that they are in fact actually really bright. Here are some myths on kids diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.
|Myths about Attention Deficit Disorder |
|MYTH |FACT |
|All kids with ADD/ADHD are |Some children with ADD/ADHD are hyperactive, but many others with attention problems are not. Children with |
|hyperactive. |ADD/ADHD who are inattentive, but not overly active, may appear to be spacey and unmotivated. |
|Kids with ADD/ADHD can never pay |Children with ADD/ADHD are often able to concentrate on activities they enjoy. But no matter how hard they try,|
|attention. |they have trouble maintaining focus when the task at hand is boring or repetitive. |
|Kids with ADD/ADHD choose to be |Children with ADD/ADHD may do their best to be good, but still be unable to sit still, stay quiet, or pay |
|difficult and could behave better if|attention. They may appear disobedient, but that doesn’t mean they’re acting out on purpose. |
|they wanted to. | |
|Kids will eventually grow out of |ADD/ADHD often continues into adulthood, so don’t wait for your child to outgrow the problem. Treatment can |
|ADD/ADHD. |help your child learn to manage and minimize the symptoms. |
|Medication is the best treatment |Medication is often prescribed for attention deficit disorder, but it might not be the best option for your |
|option for ADD/ADHD. |child. Effective treatment for ADD/ADHD also includes education, behavior therapy, support at home and school, |
| |exercise, and proper nutrition. |

There are a great amount of different steps that could be done to help improve behavior. It is best to set up an award and consequence system like the displayed chart that may help a parent come up with ways that they can possibly trick the kids into following the rules.
|Kids with ADD/ADHD: Using Rewards and Consequences |
|Rewards |Consequences |
|Reward your child with privileges, praise, or activities, rather than with|Consequences should be spelled out in advance and occur immediately after |
|food or toys. |your child has misbehaved. |
|Change rewards frequently. Kids with ADD/ADHD get bored if the reward is |Try time-outs and the removal of privileges as consequences for |
|always the same. |misbehavior. |
|Make a chart with points or stars awarded for good behavior, so your child|Remove your child from situations and environments that trigger |
|has a visual reminder of his or her successes. |inappropriate behavior. |
|Immediate rewards work better than the promise of a future reward, but |When your child misbehaves, ask what he or she could have done instead. |
|small rewards leading to a big one can also work. |Then have your child demonstrate it. |
|Always follow through with a reward. |Always follow through with a consequence. |

Treating a child with ADHD also means feeding them even more properly. Like the saying you are what you eat. Every parent should be able to agree upon that without opposition. Getting rid of junk food from your home is the first step. Although the parent may be perfectly fine they must set the example for their children to give them more of a reason to stick to and follow the right choices. Daily vitamin and mineral supplements should have already been given even before the Childs diagnosis. Fat and sugary foods should definitely be at off-limits when eating out; try to keep them to a homemade meal as much as possible. And finally there should be a total elimination of caffeine from their diet; it shouldn’t have been given to them no matter the consequence. With patience, compassion, and plenty of support, childhood ADD/ADHD can be manageable while enjoying a stable, happy home. A well aware parent to the situation would always make a decision they feel that’s best for their child. When living with the disorder it is important to try your best to maintain composer and not point fingers. As long as there is a proper plan and a strong routine these children can grow up feeling as normal as everyone else.

The three primary characteristics of ADD / ADHD Which one of these children may have ADD/ADHD? A. The hyperactive boy who talks nonstop and can’t sit still. B. The quiet dreamer who sits at her desk and stares off into space. C. Both A and B The correct answer is “C.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/ast_oneadhd-children

http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/features/6-parenting-tips-for-raising-kids-with-adhd?page=4

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_parenting_strategies.htm

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_signs_symptoms.htm

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_medications.htm

http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/video/drug-free-behavioral-therapy-adhd#

Bibliography: http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/ast_oneadhd-children http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/features/6-parenting-tips-for-raising-kids-with-adhd?page=4 http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_parenting_strategies.htm http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_signs_symptoms.htm http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_medications.htm http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/video/drug-free-behavioral-therapy-adhd#