What is ADHD and How do You Manage it?

There are some children who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The symptoms exhibited by these children are:

1) They have a low level of concentration and a very poor attention span. 2) Their memorizing powers are low and they have poor concentration. 3) The are very impulsive and do things without thinking. 4) Their frequent temper tantrums and outbursts are a result of easy frustration

Of course all children (and adults) show difficulties such as these at various times. For the child with ADHD, however, these difficulties are so great that they have experienced failures in various areas such as

a) Participating in activities at school such as getting work done, paying attention, maintaining focus, being attentive in class etc.

b) at home (often distracted, therefore not getting chores finished, constantly talking, "hyperactive", getting into fights with siblings, difficulty getting ready in the mornings and at night, often clumsy), and

c) Participate and contribute actively in social activities such as being tolerant and accommodating of others, controlling temper and aggression, not playing practical jokes on others etc.

ADHD is not a malfunction of any body part as it is in conditions like asthma or diabetes. This condition of ADHD happens because parts of brain are not working at full efficiency

ADHD can be called a hereditary condition, where parents and children show similar symptoms. The symptoms and the ADHD condition does not go away in short span of time and takes a long time to get under control. Sometimes children suffer from ADHD through their teens into their adulthood also.

How do you manage ADHD?

Children suffering from ADHD can get long term complications which may run into their adulthood as well. These complications could be:

a) Score poorly or fail in school because of lack of concentration.

b) Are constantly in trouble because of their impulsive behavior

c) Their fear of taking recourse to anti-depressants such as drinks, drugs, crime etc to avoid getting anxious and depressed.

All of these, in turn, can lead to long term complications that affect functioning in adulthood.

The goal of management is, therefore, to prevent complications. This is a long term process, so the most important people to take charge of this are the parents. It is you as parents who have to live with the child, you who are most concerned about his/her long term well-being, and you who know your child best. If you do not take an active role in managing the difficulties then whatever else other people do will be unlikely to make much difference. However, if you do your part then there is much that others can do to help you along the way. Effective management is likely to include the following components:

COMMITTED PARENTS. These are parents who work wholeheartedly towards the betterment of the child. There is more than adequate information available in the form of books and videos to guide parents on how o assist their ADHD afflicted child. They just need to buy or borrow these read them and be better informed abut this so as to be effective. It is good to discuss what you read with a professional or a local support group as there is a lot of mis-information on this subject. This is especially from self professed guru’s who profess magic-cures for your child.

GOOD COMMUNICATION. Communication between the school and the home is very important for effective management. This enables you to discuss solutions and implement them for an effective output.

ADJUSTMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT. Children with ADHD perform best under one-on-one conditions and exhibit worse behavior in chaotic situations. They prefer a quiet, calm and structured environment against a noisy place. As parents, we must ensure similar less stressful surrounding for the child by re-organizing our lives if required.

CLEAR BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. These children respond best to very clear expectations of behavior, and very clear rewards and punishments - with rewards being more frequent than punishments. If you are having difficulty in doing this at home you may want to talk about some strategies with your key worker.

PARENTAL SUPPORT. Since getting along wit these children and bringing them up takes a lot of doing , the parents themselves are likely to get depressed and break up. To avoid marriages to break up and to maintain harmony, it is advisable for parents themselves to seek assistance from parent support groups, parent training groups, respite care, marital counseling, family therapy are such support groups and organizations.

MEDICATION. Medication is not a cure, but can be an invaluable help. Getting it right is important and so you will need to work closely with your key worker and doctor. The goal of medication is to reduce the symptoms so as to give the child the opportunity to learn academic, social, and other life skills. By itself, however, it is unlikely to solve all the problems and so cannot be used as an excuse to opt out of the above ingredients.

ADHD patients are given various medicines. Most of these are stimulants and a new rage is a medicine called atomoxetine. This is a new medicine for ADHD and is seen to be working very well and with negligible side effects. More information on this new wonder drug could be sought from the doctor.

The path of correct management has to be tread by the parents themselves. Healthcare professionals can only advise and guide the parents on this lonely path. They can assist you where ever you get stuck and help you along in implementing an effective management plan.

But, in the end, it is you and your family who have to live with it, and so the more you learn about it, and the more you learn the best ways to manage it, the better your chances of a good outcome.

Article Source: http://www.moneyarticlelibrary.com

For more articles about child behavior and for his excellent book, why not visit Dr. Noel Swanson's website www.good-child-guide.com ? He also does a free newsletter which is highly recommended.
This and other unique content parenting articles are available with free reprint rights.

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