Caring for a child with ADHD: 21 tips

attention deficit disorder can cause a child to have poor impulse control, which can lead to challenging or inappropriate behaviors. But an important step for parents is to accept that attention deficit disorder simply represents a functional difference in the brain. It does not mean that their child cannot learn right from wrong, but that they may need to find other shipway to support their child in developing positive behavior.

Parents and caregivers will need to adapt their own shipway of interacting with the child. This includes speech, gestures, emotional language, and the physical environment.

For a child with attention deficit disorder, consistency is vital. By exploitation a accessory and structured approach, challenging behaviors can be limited, and the child can flourish.

Twenty-one parenting tips for attention deficit disorder

The following tips have been compiled to help parents reduce riotous behaviors and deal with challenges related to attention deficit disorder.

1. Keep it interesting

When a child with attention deficit disorder is doing a complex task, they are less likely to become distracted. Children with attention deficit disorder often get distracted if a task is not challenging enough. This is called distractability.

The opposite of distractability is hyperfocus, which is when a child is focused to the point of being unaware of their surroundings. Hyperfocus can besides be challenging but can allow a child to get important tasks done.

Many hobbies and jobs call for a high degree of focus, so if a child enjoys challenging activities and can focus piece doing them, it is worth encouraging them to continue.

2. Give praise and encouragement

Good behavior should be reinforced with praise. It is just as important for children with attention deficit disorder to learn what behaviors are acceptable by receiving praise, as it is for them to learn what is unacceptable.

3. Provide structure

Providing structure with a daily schedule may limit abrupt distractions. Knowing what to expect can be calming for children with attention deficit disorder. It can besides be a good way to introduce responsibility into a child's life.

4. Encourage exercise

Burning off excess energy through exercise can help by:

• lowering the risk of depression and anxiety
• promoting concentration and focus
• improving sleep patterns
• stimulating the brain

Parents can encourage physical activity by providing active toys, so much as balls and skipping ropes, teaching their child to ride a bike, or enrolling them in a team sport.

Children are besides more likely to develop physically active habits if their parents are good role models in this area. Going on family hikes or playing outdoors together can help a child with attention deficit disorder expend excess energy and build healthful habits for the future.

5. Practice good sleep hygiene

Research has shown that low quality sleep can have a negative impact on attention deficit disorder symptoms. Good quality sleep can help to regulate energy levels the next day. It can besides improve stress and mood.

To this end, parents may want to try and include regular hour hours into the structure of the day.

6. Break tasks down

For person with attention deficit disorder, some tasks can feel too complex and off-putt. Where possible, break tasks into accomplishable goals. As well as simplifying the picture, this can regulate the emotions associated with succeeding or failing.

If a child has been asked to clean their room, for example, it may be helpful to break this into littler tasks, so much as making the bed, putt any toys on the floor back into storage, or folding their clothes.

7. Think out loud

Children with attention deficit disorder often lack impulse control. This means they may say or do thing without thinking it through. acquiring them to pause and say out loud what they are thinking can have several benefits.

It can allow the parent to learn their child's thought patterns. It can besides give the child time to consider their thought, and whether or not to act on it.

8. Keep distractions to a minimum

If a child is easily distracted, it pays to keep their surroundings unlittered. Depending on the child's preferences, radios or televisions could be turned down or off.

acquiring them to work on tasks away from the lure of TVs or games is important, and toys should be put away when they are doing thing in their bedroom.

9. Explain rather than command

A parent or caregiver can give reasons for what they are asking, where it is age appropriate for the child. Keep it simple but expect to be asked to elaborate.

Explaining the reasons for doing a task can alleviate worry and confusion in a child with attention deficit disorder. When explaining property, a person should use positive and clear language.

Explaining the reasons for asking the child to do a task is besides respectful, and dignity is crucial if the child feels they may be different to others.

10. Introduce wait time

The idea behind wait time is similar to thinking out loud. If a child waits a few seconds before speaking or acting when they have a thought, they have time to consider if it is appropriate.

This will take a lot of practice, but it can be worth it, and it can give them a real advantage in their social life.

11. Do not get overwhelmed

When a parent is excessively stressed, not only does their well-being suffer, but they can besides be less effective in supporting their child.

If a person's employment and obligations become overwhelming, it can be beneficial to ask for support. Friends, family, or local attention deficit disorder groups are potential sources of help. Even just falling one thing from a person's weekly schedule can reduce stress.

12. Avoid exploitation negative language

Positive feedback can help build a child's confidence.

A child with attention deficit disorder may feel that they are dislikable or that they alshipway do property wrong. Reinforcing this with negative language can be hurtful and make riotous behaviors worse.

It is impossible to be positive all the time, and so it is essential for a parent to find an outlet to express their concerns or worries. This mightiness be a friend, partner, or a healer.

There are besides online groups where parents of children with attention deficit disorder can discuss their challenges with people in similar situations.

13. Don't allow attention deficit disorder to be in control

While some allowances can be made, attention deficit disorder does not excuse poor behavior. Children and parents some need boundaries, and it is essential for children to learn that there are alshipway consequences when they misconduct.

These consequences should be appropriate and consistent. If a child sees a parent does not alshipway follow through on the consequences, this may encourage the unruly behavior.

14. Pick your battles

Living with a child who may demonstrate overactive and impulsive behavior can be a constant challenge. If a parent self-addressed every problem, every day would be nerve-racking and acerb for everyone.

Learning to let the littler property go can alleviate stress in the long-run, and help a parent focus on curb the more important behaviors.

15. Do not see other adults as the enemy

It is natural for parents to feel protective, but when a child has attention deficit disorder, it can seem that other caregivers do not understand them or do not care enough. Good communication can help solve this problem.

It can help to talk with anyone your child has contact with about attention deficit disorder, explaining their preferences, and describing the most effective interventions for challenging behavior.

16. Keep working to modify behavior

If improvements to behavior stall or seem to have reached their limit, keep trying. Children with attention deficit disorder have immense potential.

Perhaps a strategy inevitably to be tweaked, or even just paused for a piece. Children go through galore organic process leaps and sometimes they plateau.

It is essential to be patient and keep trying to make positive changes, even if they take time.

17. Find specialist support

An attention deficit disorder healer can help with parental stress in addition to a child's behaviors. As well as professional help, there are besides galore local and national support groups. Input from other parents in a similar situation can be invaluable.

18. Take breaks

Spending the entire day focexploitation on any child can be exhausting. Take breaks where possible, either by arrangement a baby-sitter or commerce off responsibilities with a partner. The more energy a parent has, the better they can cope with stress.

19. Stay calm

Remaining calm allows the brain to problem-solve and communicate better. There are galore shipway for a parent to stay calm in challenging situations. These strategies include:

• meditating regularly
• practicing yoga
• sticking to a routine to eliminate the stress of "what next?"
• walking in nature or other calming outdoor space
• reducing caffein and alcohol consumption

20. Remember that all children misconduct

It can be easy to think that all challenging behavior is caused by attention deficit disorder, but all children misconduct sometimes. Learn which behaviors need managing, and which ones are normal environment of growing up.

21. Be kind to yourself

It can be tempting to imagine that everyone other is header better, but if a person speaks to other parents of children with attention deficit disorder, they will likely be feeling the same way.

Parents of children with attention deficit disorder should try to appreciate the challenges they have overcome and take pride in what they have achieved.

What to tell children about attention deficit disorder

The average time of diagnosing of attention deficit disorder is 7 years of age. It may seem like a difficult speech, but speaking to a child about attention deficit disorder can be beneficial for some the child and the parent.

A parent should use age-appropriate language and avoid giving too galore unneeded inside information at first.

Conversations about attention deficit disorder can keep happening as the child develops, and a child may be curious to learn more about their condition.

The following statements are good places to start talking about attention deficit disorder with a child:

attention deficit disorder is not a flaw

attention deficit disorder is not a weakness, a flaw, or a sign that the child is "bad." It does make them different from other children, but those differences should be celebrated.

Similarly to galore conditions, with the right support, attention deficit disorder does not need to impact negatively a person's life.

attention deficit disorder does not affect intelligence

Having attention deficit disorder does not mean a child is not as smart as their classmates or siblings. When talking to older children, it can help to prompt them that some of the sterling thinkers in modern history had attention deficit disorder, including Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison.

People with attention deficit disorder can succeed in life

It can help to provide children with positive role models of people with attention deficit disorder who have been boffo. This can range from a neighborhood, friend, or family member working in a job they love, to a celebrity, so much as Will Smith or Solange Knowles.

They are not alone

More than 1 in 10 children have attention deficit disorder in the United States. Other sources suggest this may be as high as 1 in 5 or 20 percent.

Having attention deficit disorder can feel analytic for a child, so it can help to reach out to groups that work with other children with the same and similar conditions.

Summer camps and outside programs tailored to children with attention deficit disorder are available in galore regions. These accessory environments can help a child develop their social skills and combat sensitivity of isolation.

Takeaway

Research into attention deficit disorder is on-going. Whether medical, psychological, or social science, new shipway of living with the condition are perpetually being tested.

There is more social acceptance of attention deficit disorder than ever before, and support for parents and other caregivers is increasing.

Life may need more planning and thought with a child who has attention deficit disorder. It can, nevertheless, be just as enjoyable and fulfilling.