I live in Washington in Kitsap County which is over on the Peninsula. I’ve tried desperately for this past year to find a Parent Support Group Meeting for parents of children with ADHD. We moved to this area 1 year ago this month and our daughter suffers from one of the worst forms of ADHD. This is very challenging for us as Parents because she is not an easy child to parent. I myself have already raise 3 other children who are all in their mid to late 20’s, but this is a first for my husband and he at times has trouble understanding why our daughter doesn’t act like we did at her age. The doctor’s have told us that with the type of ADHD she suffers from even though she is extremely smart acidemically she is much slower than the other children her age as far as behavior and her social skills are concerned. One of my sons also had ADHD but not as sever. We really could use some friends who are Parents in our situation. Were pretty much loners and a support grp. could help alot.

C.H.A.D.D. ADD/ADHD Support Group: Meets second Tuesday of each month at Peninsula Bible Fellowship in Silverdale from 7 – 8:30 pm. For more information call Lynn (360) 779-5362 or Kerry (360) 697-3922 or email kitsap@chadd.net.

Martinez ADHD

Duration : 19 min 39 sec

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Does anyone have any personal experience, either first-hand or otherwise, with Parenting ADHD kids, specifically, helping them to focus better, sit still, behave in class, and so on? Maybe this means changing the diet, ways of speaking with the child(ren), new activities for them, etc. My friend is desperately looking for answers so she can help her 4-year-old before he goes into kindergarten.

There are lots of things you can do to help a young ADHD kid, it will be slow progress at this age but the good news is that the things you do now will have a huge impact on their ADHD in a few years.

DIET – Diet plays a huge role because what you eat effects the activity in your brain. ADHD kids should stick to a high protein and low carbohydrate diet in order to help their brains function optimally.

Avoid any foods with preservatives (especially breads and pastries), colors (even natural colors), flavors, flavor enhancers, and other addititves as these foods further affect the brains ability to function. Soda’s and candy should be avoided totally.

Also make sure he eats frequently. Low blood sugar can make behaviors and concentration much worse as well. Small frequent meals are better.

EXERSIZE – Exersize also polays a huge role in an ADHD kids ability to function. ADHD kids need at least 30 minutes of high energy exersize every single day to best manage their condition. At the agee of 4 sports like swimming, gymnastics, dance and martial arts are best and these sports accept young kids. On days that he does not do sport a bike ride or walk should be in the daily routine.

A little exersize before school helps. If you have time walk to school or have him kick a bal;l around at home before you leave to optimise his concentration levels at school.

BEHAVIOR MANAGMENT – Kids with ADHD need very firm boundaries and rules. make the house rules very clear. Avoid giving a lot of warnings when he is naughty. Kids with ADHD struggle to learn from the consequenmces of their actions so the consequences need to be very clear and obvious. You do need to be stricter with an ADHD kid than a regular kid but in the end it will give him a much happier life.

If he misbehaves use the three step proceedure.

Step 1 – awareness – the first time you see him misbehaving correct hios behavior, often he is unaware what he is doing wrong. Try to phrase it in a positive way as something he can do rather than something he has to stop. because ADHD kids have very poor brakes. EG Johnny sit down on the sofa rather than Johnny stop jumping on the sofa.

Step 2 – The warning. If he does not comply with in 5 seconds of step 1 issue a warning. IE "Johnny sit queitly on the sofa or you will go and sit in time out". It is impoirtant to move quickly from actions to consequences, if you let him get away with it for too long he will lose the flow and not learn from it.

Step 3 – Consequence. If he does not comply within 5 seconds of his warning iossue a consequence. Time out is best for ADHD kids as they hate to sit still and have a very low tolerance of boredom. It also works very well to help them calm down when they are overstimulated and gives them a chance to put all tthe pieces together and understand what they did wrong.

Time out should be in a boring place like a chair or in the corner. And it should be shorter for an ADHD child than a normal child. They reccomend for a normal child 1 minute for each year of age for ADHD 30 seconds for each year of age is better.

Mkae sure you use the same consequences EVERY single time he misbehaves. ADHD kids dont consider the consequences of their actions so they need them to be very consistent. If you change the consequence each time he will play up just to see what you will do next. If it is always the same consequence it will become borning and predicatble and his behavior will improve. Never ignore bad behavior always make sure there is a consequence.

REWARD – ADHD kids respond very well to praise and reward. But like punishments it must be immediate. Use lots of praise and posisitve attention for good behavior and make positive attention easy to earn or he will stick with the negative stuff.

HOLD BACK – It is often a good idea to hold an ADHD kid back a year (or even two if they are one of the youngest in their class). ADHD kids struggle to focus on their work, keep up socially and emotionally. It can be ideal to start them in school a year later or have them repeat a year so they are slightly older than their peers. It makes it much easier for them to learn as their attention span is that of a younger child and they fit in better socially. Even very bright ADHD kids beneift from this, because they may be bright enough to do the work but they havent got the focus so it doesnt happen. But when held back they tend to shine.

ADHD

http://adhd-npf.com/adhd-history/

Duration : 1 min 17 sec

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The help a child suffering from the ADHD condition needs, comes on two sides. One of them is represented by medication that helps controlling the physical impulses, skills, behavioral problems that could create problems in certain occasions. The second part of the treatment is counseling. Psychological help, therapy with a specialist is required. It will help the child overcome the emotional and mental issues that he finds hard to understand, helps the child to improve the self esteem and to see himself with different eyes, and, establish new relations and new methods of communicating and understanding with the parents. Parents, on the other hand, may need counseling too, in order to better understand the special needs of the child affected with the disorder and to establish new and proper ways of dealing and controlling the young one’s behavior. In very young children, most of the therapy is focused on the parents.

There are various types of therapies that need to be taken to make things easier for both the children and their families: psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, social skills training, support groups, parenting skills training. Each of these branches will help improve in different ways the life of a child and his family.

The support given by behavioral therapy is meant to help dealing with immediate issues and finding more effective ways on making changes. Sometimes it is better and easier to change things and feelings than to make them comprehensible. Practical assistance, helping organizing in daily tasks, schoolwork, homework, events that involve physical or emotional charges.

A better connection and communication can be established between child and parents with the help of support groups. A larger number of people sharing the same difficulties get together on a regular basis for discussions on the disorder topic. Everyone’s experience is gathered and conclusions may be drawn. In these groups one can find which method worked or helped improve another’s behavior, which failed, latest research in the matter, specialists are called for lectures and counseling. Sharing the successes and the frustrations has a good effect on people. Some national organizations will be reminded later in the document.

Help through psychotherapy leads not to eliminating the symptoms or causes of the disorder but tries to reach the patient’s mind and make him understand the situation, accept it, dealing with difficult situations, thoughts, emotional control and understating. Understanding what one has to deal with will make his or her life easier.

Offered by therapists in groups or individuals, parenting skills training refers to find new ways of approaching their children. Means and techniques for a good management on their children’s behavior. Some activities are required for observing patterns in a child’s behavior. Praising and criticism are also required for establishing a deeper relation with the child. Techniques like the use of token or point systems for immediately rewarding good behavior or work, “time-out” or isolation to a chair or bedroom when the child gets out of control, this method will help the child to calm down and avoid stressing situations, “quality time”, enjoyable and pleasant time spent together when the parent must observe and praise the child’s qualities and skills.

Social skills training will also help children learn new behaviors. This kind of training will help a child fit in a group of other children when playing, in school and other environments and interact with them. The purpose is to make them understand the signals that people around him are sending in order give an adequate response. It is based on theory, teaching a child to wait for his turn in a game, to share toys, to ask for help or to help others and practice.

The behavioral pattern of a child will change if the system of rewards and penalties is properly used, showing improvement. A parent or teacher should encourage good or desired behavior in a child suffering from the ADHD condition. Stimulation plays a very important part in the development of good patterns of behavior. Used often, tokens or rewards will stimulate the child in following the rules that are imposed to him. Importance must also be given to what those rewards represent because they must be things the child likes and desires, otherwise he may loose interest. Over time, the child will learn to control themselves and to choose the appropriate behavior for every situation he has to deal with.

A difficult situation for a child with ADHD is not an impossible task. The management and structure of every kind of problem must be given a great attention from the parents. Dividing tasks into smaller steps for example, could lead to its solving. A parent’s attitude towards his child will have a great effect so it is important for parents to get help too: Stress management, relaxation, exercise. These will help the parent dealing with the child’s problems and behavior more calmly.

Tobias Higgens
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/the-two-sides-of-adhd-child-treatment-118332.html

There are several alternative treatment options available to the parents of children correctly diagnosed with ADHD or ADD. Attention Deficit Disorder or that with Hyperactive tendencies are a set of mental illnesses that are routinely mis diagnosed.

This is due to the fact that many of the symptoms of ADHD and ADD are considered by many normal characteristics in growing kids. The challenge to develop any treatment options therefore is to accurately determine the degree of hyperactivity that pushes someone over the edge of normalcy and into the realm of a mental disorder.

One thing that you should be aware of is that the medical community is not in full agreement about ADHD in general or the use of some treatment options. There are those that believe that mediation used to treat this disorder have unacceptable risks. Another important factoid is that the treatment of all but the most pronounced mental disorders and diseases is a relatively new frontier.

Not in the sense of age as we’ve been working to find treatment options for all mental disorders for decades. But it’s more a frontier in the sense of understanding the causation and our ability to measure the severity of the problem. This is why jumping to an aggressive treatment option may not be in the best interest of the child that’s been diagnosed with ADHD or the family involved

If you have a child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short, there are another of options open for treatment. The most common ADHD treatments usually involve as their biggest part the use of drugs like Ritalin or Dexedrine. On the street, these are known as Speed or methanphetamines.

Other treatment options for ADHD involve therapy and counseling for not only the one identified as having the ADD problem but also the whole family and especially the parents. Counseling can be used to help better identify emotional disturbances, and can assist with teaching the kid some study skills and organizational skills.

Note that teaching study skills etc. is normal stuff that should be done by parents. For many children however, because of the lack of parenting skills, the kid is diagnosed as having the problem.

The problem is that many ADHD treatments address the physiological part of the condition and ignore every other part. This is a problem, because ADHD children have trouble forming strategies to organize their lives and so they need, in addition to the drugs, some coaching in study skills that other students may be able to learn on their own. It is not enough just to medicate as an ADHD treatment option alone.

There are a number of other options that should also be considered. The most popular one at the moment is to have your child tested for allergies. Food allergies have been known to cause many problems for growing children and could be a root cause of ADHD as well.

Another option is to explore the use of natural remedies. vitamins and minerals may help keep your child off the pharmaceutical industries profitable drugs. Understand if needed, fine, but so many times, there are alternative options that work without the use of expensive drug solutions.

Other people recommend meditation techniques as ADHD treatment options. They say that the best way to treat ADHD is to take advantage of the mind’s natural flexibility and to rework the way it runs through self programming. Through daily meditation, focus, relaxation, and an end to the anxiety that is so common with ADHD sufferers.

Abigail Franks
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/a-few-adhd-treatment-options-before-jumping-to-medication-53940.html

ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can affect both children and adults although it has become increasingly more associated with children. For individuals with ADHD, controlling behavior and focusing is near impossible. Today, experts estimate that between 3% and 5% of all school-age children have ADHD, which is about two million in the United States alone. For the child, school becomes a place of torment while for the teacher, a time of frustration.

Although ADHD was first described in 1845 by Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, it was not until 1902 when it was identified by Sir George F. Still. For years, a real misunderstanding surrounded ADHD. In fact, most parents simply thought they had a hyperactive child who had eaten too much sugar or from bad parenting. However, we know today that ADHD is actually linked to a genetic dysfunction. The good news is that having a better understanding of ADHD means having a better chance through medicine and therapy of overcoming the symptoms.

Typically, a person with ADHD would show signs of hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and sometimes, outburst of anger from the high level of frustration. While some children will have symptoms appear quite suddenly, it is more common for the symptoms to show up over months. Regardless, if you have a child that is displaying any of the signs, you should have him or her examined by a reputable doctor, someone who deals specifically with ADHD.

Chances are that the doctor will place your child on medicine, which can make a huge difference in the child’s behavior and ability to cope. The most common types of medication used include Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrine, Focalin, Metadate ER, and Ritalin. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration has also recently approved another type of medicine called Strattera or Atomoxetine. (Some alternative therapies such as pine bark extract and biofeedback are starting to gain ground with those concerned parents who do not want to go the pharmaceutical route.) Many times, this medicine coupled with the right type of therapy shows tremendous improvement in the child.

Then, when you add the medicine and therapy in with teachers and parents that understand ADHD and can work together for the sake of the child, you would expect to see even better results. Just remember, working with ADHD is not an instant fix but with persistency and the right tools together, the child can go on to live a perfectly normal life.

Grant Segall
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/modern-treatment-options-for-adhd-and-add-72032.html

A child with ADHD can control some of his or her behavior problems with medications and therapy. Both the parents and the children with ADHD need extraordinary assistance and support to develop techniques for supervising the patterns of activities. Therapists help children with ADHD cope with their daily problems. The therapists also assist families of children with ADHD in the betterment of their relationships with each other so they can handle the unruly behaviors and encourage change. There are five common therapies that are specially designed to help people cope with ADHD.

Psychotherapy is the most common of all. It works by helping people with ADHD to love, appreciate and eventually accept themselves. Patients learn alternative ways of handling their emotions by talking about hurtful thoughts and feelings. In this way, the patient is able to suppress his or her inappropriate feelings and explore mechanisms of behavior.

Social skills training can help children learn new behaviors that are vital in developing and maintaining social relationships. Social skills training helps the child to develop better ways to play, work and relate with other children of the same age.

BT or behavioral therapy works by helping people with ADHD change their views rather than helping the child realize his or her feelings and actions.

Support groups connect parents and families with other people in the same situation. Sharing experiences with others who have similar problems helps people know that they aren’t alone and gives them a sense of belonging.

Parenting skills training gives parents techniques for supervising their child’s behavior. An example of these techniques is the reward system or gift system, wherein the child is rewarded for his or her good deeds and completed tasks.

Parents’ verbal and nonverbal communication with their children has a direct impact on the way their children talk, act and behave. The more you improve the relationship and communication between yourself and your children, the more you help the child with ADHD to mature into a strong, healthy, productive and responsible person.

Parents must change the way they speak to their children. They must be aware that no one likes to be yelled at. Listening is better than talking and is essential to good parent-child relationship. Listening makes the speaker feel respected and important. Here are few good listening habits: Try to find the positive in what is being said, try to truly appreciate the other person’s point of view , repeat in your own words what you think the child is saying, and most of all listen first before talking.

The more positive interactions the parent and their child have, the better. Parent and child should have time to play together, sing together, dance together, share concerns, and enjoy companionship with each other.

Sue Perkins
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/how-to-help-your-child-cope-with-adhd-97754.html

Here is a story I read on the news to-day which is extremely relevant to treatment for ADHD. It is about a thirteen year old arrested in Dublin on charges of selling heroin deals. The judge was told that he had suffered from ADHD since the age of seven. Just another tragedy about a boy who went wrong. But there is now a lot of evidence to show that the standard treatment for ADHD (psychostimulants ) DOES put ADHD children at greater risk of illegal drug use.

Then I read a blog this morning. It talked about where to get amphetamines (basically the same as pot) and says they are easily available as American schoolchildren are on these meds as the standard treatment for ADHD. It then went on to talk about methyhlphenidate which is the main ingredient in Ritalin which is widely prescribed for ADHD children in the USA. Apparently these drugs when used illegally are crushed by the kids so that they can snort them!

So, if this is the dark side of treatment for ADHD and these are minority cases, you, as a concerned parent will have to make a decision to try alternative treatments for ADHD. There are many available and they can consist of parenting techniques where the parents are trained, rather than the children! There are support groups which recommend how to approach homework with the child.

There are techniques which can be used in setting up a mandatory time and using a suitable environment for it as well as monitoring that the homework is actually done. Parents can help in breaking up the homework into manageable chunks.

There are various dietary recommendations as well as ‘green’ outdoor activities which help hyperactive kids to get rid of constant motion and restlessness.

All these are ways which come under the treatment for ADHD umbrella and will be invaluable in helping ADHD child learn about self-management and indeed time management.

But what about which ADHD medication to use? As we have seen from the examples above, there are too many risks associated with ADHD drugs which are now far too widely prescribed . There are grave risks for family and social life and the kids on these meds are severely disadvantaged and sometimes suffer from alarming side effects. Alternative treatments for ADHD are now available as natural and homeopathic remedies but you have to make sure that the source is a guaranteed one and furthermore is also FDA approved. The link below can take you to a site of one of the most reputable companies in the USA which has offered thousands of parents hope and encouragement in one of the best alternative treatments for ADHD available to-day.

Robert William Locke
http://www.articlesbase.com/adhd-articles/treatment-for-adhd-issues-parents-must-face-748984.html

http://addadhdadvances.com/betterbehavior.html How to teach social skills to your ADHD or ODD or Difficult defiant child

Duration : 2 min 36 sec

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