ADD IN CHILDREN
There are a few signs associated with ADD/ADHD
Number 1, all children that have adhd are hyperactive.
Answer/ This is untrue, not every child that is diagnosed with add/adhd is hyperactive overexcitement is nowhere near the same as hyperactivity.
Number 2, tablets and medication are the best ways too treat ADD/adhd
Answer/ Medication is not always the best way too treat your childs ADD/ADHD, learning to overcome the symptoms, therapy support from tutors and at home, exercise can all contribute too overcoming ADD/ADHD not only that but a healthy varied diet will also help.
Number 3, Your child can behave however they choose not too.
Answer/ This can be true, although concentration, sitting still, interuptting and other every day tasks are often problems which cannot be changed without learning too overcome them, as these are symptoms of ADD/ADHD
Number 4, Children who suffer from ADD/ADHD Will never pay attention.
Answer/ Whilst performing various tasks that the child finds boring such as, revision,homework, coursework they will often find it hard too stay focused on these activites, what you will often find is that when the task is something they enjoy or are interested in, they will have no problem focusing and concentrating for long periods of time. For Example, Computer games, films, televison.
Spotting ADD/ADHD
School/Pre school
Sometimes spotting ADD/ADHD can be very hard, i mean no offence to the readers of this site but there is a huge difference between a naughty child and one that suffers from ADHD. Does your child often get up whilst in class, constantly fidget, lose toys, is very loud and easily distracted. If These are the kinds of symptoms your child has then there is potential that your child has ADD/ADHD. One of the best things too do in this situation is to see a specialist, get the diagnosis! as this will always help during pre school/ school. Teachers will always try their best for ADD/ADHD suffers but you'll always find at which ever school you attend that some will not "believe" your child has ADD, or some just dont like to acknowledge the fact that your son or daughter has learning difficulties when it comes too concentration and other symptoms such as constantly getting up and the need to feel active. I have to be honest its unfortunate when you come across these kinds of teachers as it will only make your childs life harder. What to do if this happens? Make sure every other teacher is aware of your childs diagnosis including headmasters as teachers often talk too each other and hopefully this will give the teachers a better understanding of your childs learning difficulties.
If your child has adhd they will need to be guided throughout life and also you will need to understand and learn to deal with their problems. Books, websites, videos and guides can be a great way to learn about adhd and the best ways to deal with parental frustration. Developing new skills with your child can sometimes be difficult but for them to succeed and reach their full potential you will need to be behind them at all times.
Time outs and other useful tools can be a great way of discipline and also gives you the parent time to relax and think about the situation before it escalates. A time out can be a very basic keyword that you and your child can relate to such as “enough” or “calm” then your child can take himself/herself away from the situation for a short period without getting themselves into more trouble at home or at school.
Therapy isn’t a subject that I personally know allot about; however therapy for many different things such as anger can be excellent for the whole family. Anger can be built up over time due to the fact that you weren’t aware your child had adhd which caused problems, however now you know your child’s diagnosis you can live in harmony (to a certain extent) using the tools you are provided with too shape your child’s life but also your own.
At times you may want to shout, scream or rant and rave, however if you want your child to stay calm you must learn to do this yourself. If you find it hard to deal with the extra stress you may need to have a stress reliever, it could be reading the paper, using the computer or whichever task you feel the most relaxed doing.
Medication for ADHD can be provided in much different form however the most common is better known as a stimulant. Treating ADHD with a stimulant could be considered strange however you will find that it will actually calm your child down rather than making them even more hyperactive than usual.
Medication can help reduce many symptoms of ADHD such as hyperactivity, improve concentration even if it may only be for short periods of time known as “short bursts”, also give them the edge so that they like every other child can work during class and learn.
Medication for ADHD isn’t as simple as “take this, it will help you. There are a huge variety of different tablets available these days and each of them will have a different effect on your child. More often than not you will have to let your child try a variety of different Medications to find the one that is best suited to his or her needs.
Not all stimulant medications are just a pill, they can be a capsule or even a skin patch and they work in different ways including short time, long time and a release which means that your child will take the tablet in the morning which will slowly release throughout the day, rather than having to take the tablets to school. The release tablet can be a great medication for adhd due to my personal experience but you will find that the tablet will “wear off” later in the day such as 8pm and you will be uncontroablly hyperactive for a few hours before you go to bed. The best way to decide the medication is to discuss with parents, doctors, nurses and therapists so that there is a joint decision and not just one opinion.
Medication will not cure ADHD and their is a possibility that your child will have to take the medication throughout their whole life including adulthood. This is something that you will need to sit down, discuss and talk to your child about.