If your child is hyperactive, inattentive, or impulsive, it may take a lot of energy to get them to listen, finish a task, or sit still. The constant monitoring can be frustrating and exhausting. Sometimes you may feel like your child is running the show. But there are steps you can take to regain control of the situation, while simultaneously helping your child make the most of their abilities. While attention deficit disorder is not caused by bad parenting, there are effective parenting strategies that can go a long way to correct problem behaviors.
Children with ADHD need structure, consistency, clear communication, and rewards and consequences for their behavior. They also need lots of love, support, and encouragement. There are many things parents can do to reduce the signs and symptoms of ADHD without sacrificing the natural energy, playfulness, and sense of wonder unique in every child. Establish structure and stick to it. Set clear expectations. Make the rules of behavior simple and explain what will happen when they are obeyed or broken—and follow through each time with a reward or a consequence.
Encourage exercise and sleep. Physical activity improves concentration and promotes brain growth. Help your child eat right. To manage symptoms of ADHD, schedule regular healthy meals or snacks every three hours and cut back on junk and sugary food.
Teach your child how to make friends. ADHD, obviously, gets in the way of learning. Think of what the school setting requires children to do: Sit still. Listen quietly. Pay attention. Follow instructions. There are many things both parents and teachers can do to help children with ADHD thrive in the classroom. Authors: Melinda Smith, M. Neurodevelopmental Disorders. American Psychiatric Association. Danielson, M. Children and Adolescents, Wolraich, M. Pediatrics, 4. Felt, B. American Family Physician, 90 7 , — Rytter, M.
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 69 1 , 1— National Institute of Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ADHD symptoms can change over time as a person ages. In young children with ADHD, hyperactivity-impulsivity is the most predominant symptom. As a child reaches elementary school, the symptom of inattention may become more prominent and cause the child to struggle academically.
In adolescence, hyperactivity seems to lessen and symptoms may more likely include feelings of restlessness or fidgeting, but inattention and impulsivity may remain. Many adolescents with ADHD also struggle with relationships and antisocial behaviors.
Inattention, restlessness, and impulsivity tend to persist into adulthood. Researchers are not sure what causes ADHD, although many studies suggest that genes play a large role. Like many other disorders, ADHD probably results from a combination of factors. In addition to genetics, researchers are looking at possible environmental factors that might raise the risk of developing ADHD and are studying how brain injuries, nutrition, and social environments might play a role in ADHD.
People with ADHD often have other conditions, such as learning disabilities, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, depression, and substance abuse. While there is no cure for ADHD, currently available treatments may reduce symptoms and improve functioning.
Treatments include medication, psychotherapy, education or training, or a combination of treatments. For many people, ADHD medications reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve their ability to focus, work, and learn. Sometimes several different medications or dosages must be tried before finding the right one that works for a particular person. Anyone taking medications must be monitored closely by their prescribing doctor. Under medical supervision, stimulant medications are considered safe.
A few other ADHD medications are non-stimulants. These medications take longer to start working than stimulants, but can also improve focus, attention, and impulsivity in a person with ADHD. Doctors may prescribe a non-stimulant: when a person has bothersome side effects from stimulants, when a stimulant was not effective, or in combination with a stimulant to increase effectiveness.
Although not approved by the U. Antidepressants may help all of the symptoms of ADHD and can be prescribed if a patient has bothersome side effects from stimulants. Antidepressants can be helpful in combination with stimulants if a patient also has another condition, such as an anxiety disorder, depression, or another mood disorder.
Non-stimulant ADHD medications and antidepressants may also have side effects. Doctors and patients can work together to find the best medication, dose, or medication combination.
Learn the basics about stimulants and other mental health medications on the NIMH Mental Health Medications webpage and check the FDA website for the latest medication approvals, warnings, and patient information guides. Several specific psychosocial interventions have been shown to help individuals with ADHD and their families manage symptoms and improve everyday functioning.
For school-age children, frustration, blame, and anger may have built up within a family before a child is diagnosed. Parents and children may need specialized help to overcome negative feelings. Mental health professionals can educate parents about ADHD and how it affects a family. They also will help the child and his or her parents develop new skills, attitudes, and ways of relating to each other.
All types of therapy for children and teens with ADHD require parents to play an active role. Psychotherapy that includes only individual treatment sessions with the child without parent involvement is not effective for managing ADHD symptoms and behavior.
This type of treatment is more likely to be effective for treating symptoms of anxiety or depression that may occur along with ADHD. Behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that aims to help a person change their behavior. It might involve practical assistance, such as help organizing tasks or completing schoolwork, or working through emotionally difficult events. Behavioral therapy also teaches a person how to:. Parents, teachers, and family members also can give feedback on certain behaviors and help establish clear rules, chore lists, and structured routines to help a person control their behavior.
Therapists may also teach children social skills, such as how to wait their turn, share toys, ask for help, or respond to teasing. Learning to read facial expressions and the tone of voice in others, and how to respond appropriately can also be part of social skills training.
The therapist also encourages the person with ADHD to adjust to the life changes that come with treatment, such as thinking before acting, or resisting the urge to take unnecessary risks. Family and marital therapy can help family members and spouses find productive ways to handle disruptive behaviors, encourage behavior changes, and improve interactions with the person with ADHD. Parenting skills training behavioral parent management training teaches parents skills for encouraging and rewarding positive behaviors in their children.
Interventions may include behavior management plans or teaching organizational or study skills. Accommodations may include preferential seating in the classroom, reduced classwork load, or extended time on tests and exams.
It's not just doctors and parents who help teens with ADHD. Sometimes schools give students a learning plan called an IEP that's designed just for them. ADHD is caused by differences in the brain's ability to pay attention, slow down, and be patient. It's not clear why these differences happen, but doctors know that ADHD is in a person's genes. Most teens with ADHD have a parent or relative who also has it. Having ADHD can be difficult sometimes. Kids and teens may get scolded for things they can't help — like not listening, losing their temper , or doing things too fast.
That can make people feel bad about themselves or mistakenly blame themselves for ADHD. But ADHD is not your fault. Parents, teachers, and therapists can help you get better at paying attention, slowing down, and gaining self-control. They can teach you to use your strengths and energy in good ways.
With the right help and support, people with ADHD can improve their attention and self-control, do well in school and activities, and feel good about themselves.
Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. People with ADHD might: have trouble listening and paying attention need lots of reminders to do things get distracted easily seem absent-minded be disorganized and lose things not sit still, wait their turn, or be patient rush through homework or other tasks or make careless mistakes interrupt a lot, and talk or call out answers in class do things they shouldn't, even though they know better feel restless, fidgety, frustrated, and bored If someone has a lot of these signs, and the problems happen most of the time, it might be ADHD.
Teachers can also do these things to help teens with ADHD do well in class: Break schoolwork into parts. Help students organize their things. Make sure students sit where they are less likely to be distracted, like away from a window or door.
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