Currently, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is treated as a disease, not as bad behavior. This disorder includes deficits in concentration, excessive impulsivity, and excessive mobility. Children with ADHD act on the principle of over-excitation and the intensity of their perception of multiple stimuli causes them a lot of trouble.
How can adults help children with ADHD?
First of all, talk honestly with your child. Don’t hide that he has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. If, in consultation with your ADHD doctor, you have decided to take medication, explain to your child what is it for. Another important thing is to make sure that your kid’s life isn’t too chaotic. Rules and responsibilities will help to do this. Also, your child should know what rewards and punishments are associated with specific behaviors. Order, consistency, and support for the child’s actions are an integral part of the helping process.
Another important step in raising a hyperactive child is to strengthen his self-esteem. How to do it? You can help your child discover his strengths. Pay attention to his passions and try to create an environment to practice them. Parents and educators should praise the kid as often as possible for his progress and help him focus on one task so that he can develop the ability to complete activities once started.
Despite all the difficulties, the child should be surrounded by a calm, warm, and kind atmosphere in the family. All problems should be handled calmly when he is able to understand and assess what has happened. Raising a child with ADHD is a challenge even for the most patient parents. However, by following some tips, you can make this process much easier. Consistency and support are the most important. Children need to feel accepted by their parents – then it is easier for them to accept themselves.
Most children outgrow ADHD. However, without proper therapy, irreversible changes can occur in their psyche and behavior. Pharmacological treatment for ADHD does not eliminate the disorder itself, it only reduces the intensity of symptoms. In the case of particular activation of ADHD symptoms, which cannot be dealt with by parents and which significantly impede the child’s social functioning, it is recommended to seek professional help.
It is obvious that parents of children with ADHD often feel helpless, guilty, or angry because, naturally, they have different expectations and requirements for their children. Therapy is designed to help the family experience and deal with these feelings. If parents are convinced of the necessity and advisability of introducing a daily schedule, rules on doing homework, communication, and reaction to inappropriate behavior, it will be easier for them to reach the hyperactive child.
