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Living with ADHD can be both
overwhelming and frustrating for the child as well as the parent. However, as
the adult parent, there is much you can do when it comes to assisting with
reducing and controlling the symptoms. You can assist your child with overcoming
the challenges they will face on a daily basis, channel their energy into
positive things, and bring a greater sense of calm to your entire family. The
more consistently and earlier you address the issues, the greater chance your
child will have to be successful in dealing with them.
Treatment
The first step to dealing with ADHD
will typically be medication, such as Adderall, that will have to be prescribed
by your child’s pediatrician. Be sure that you follow all dosing instructions
because medications of this type can be addictive and you never want to place
your child in the position of having to deal with symptoms of Adderall
withdrawal. With the proper medication though, the symptoms of ADHD can be greatly
reduced.
Make a Schedule and
Stick to It
Children who suffer from this malady
will be more likely to succeed at completing their tasks when these tasks
happen in patterns and places that are predictable. For example, Michael Phelps suffers from ADHD,
but he became a famous successful swimmer due to his diligence to his tasks and
scheduled routine. Your role as a parent is to first create and then sustain
structure in the home so that your child knows exactly what to expect and what
they need to do.
Follow a Routine.
It is critical to set
a place and time for literally everything in order to assist the ADHD child
both with understanding and meeting your expectations. You should establish
predictable and simple rituals for bed, play, homework, and meals. Have the
child lay out what they will wear the next day before they go to bed and be
sure that whatever they will need for school is always in a set place and ready
to grab on the way out the door in the mornings.
Use Timers and Clocks.
Think about putting
clocks all through your home, and a large one in the room your child sleeps in.
Allow them enough time for whatever they need to do, such as getting ready for
school in the morning or doing their homework. Use your timers for transitional
times like the time between finishing playing, putting things away, and getting
ready for bed.
Green Time
Research has shown that kids with ADHD
can greatly benefit from time they
spend in nature. The symptoms of ADHD are greatly reduced when
they can play in a park that is full of trees and grass…much more so than when
they play on a concrete playground. This is well worth taking note of. Even in
large cities, most people still have access to public parks or other natural
settings. You can join your child with this green time and get a much-deserved
time to relax yourself in the process.
Don’t despair if your child is
diagnosed with ADHD. You can deal with it and so can they. It just takes some
careful planning and structure along with a bit of dedication.
