ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common, yet complex neurological disorder which not only affects your child's academic performance but also his social and daily lifestyle. Although, we all are quite familiar with the symptoms of the ADHD, still we often fail to identify them properly as the symptoms of ADHD varies from child to child. Therefore, the child psychologist is a correct person to diagnose and examine a child's condition correctly.
Still, to have an information, have a look at the following common symptoms of ADHD.
Impatient.
Interrupting.
Inattentive.
Trouble in keeping emotions in control.
Fidget.
Either, too loud or a daydreamer.
Trouble in paying concentration.
Makes repetitive mistakes.
You may find many of the above symptoms to be common for every child and yes, you are correct! it is common thereby making it difficult to identify initially. However, you should check whether this sort of impulsive behaviour is affecting your child's academic performance and giving the negative response from his peers? If yes, then you should consult with a child psychologist to determine the next course of action.
ADHD is treatable when it is being treated at a correct-age. Parenting does become exhaustive and tough when you are raising a child who needs help with ADHD. Normal making of house rules and daily activities becomes impossible as it depends upon the child's severity to the symptoms of ADHD. For parents this may becomes frustrating. However, there are some tips to make parenting much easier. Check out the helpful parenting tips to help a child ADHD.
1. Modify your behaviour
The first and foremost need is the modification of the behaviour. Accept the fact that the child with ADHD needs some extra time than usual. You need to have a plenty of patience while handling a kid with ADHD. Try to ignore or manage your aggression, which may come out of frustration and irritation. No abusive or disruptive behaviour should be adopted in any of the situations.
2. Follow a structured routine
Make a structured and organised routine for your kid which he needs to follow on a daily basis. Do not change it and adhere to it. This daily routine will help him to get familiar with the daily household chores and will make him responsible too. He will learn to be more independent.
In the initial days, you may face difficulties but adherence to the routine with patience may bring out a positive outcome.
3. Break down heavy tasks into the smaller and the easier one
Most of the kids with ADHD struggle to do daily routine task easily. The tasks like getting ready for the school, carrying a lunchbox, doing homework etc. can be a big task for them. To make this easier and look minimized for the kids, you can take the help of a picture depicting the final look. Let us understand this with the help of an example.
Click a photograph of your child with a complete look wherein he is properly dressed up for the school and having a lunchbox in his schoolbag with a clock on the wall showing the exact time to get ready for the school. Once the photograph is ready, post this photograph by the door and instruct your kid to match this picture.
This whole process will be like a game for your kid as it breaks down a heavy task - to get ready for the school - into an easy process and your kid will also feel happy to play this game-based task.
4. Simplify your child's life
Most of the parents overload the kids with number of activities. This do not help much instead it creates a chaos and confusion in the minds of the kids. For the parents, the number of activities makes them tired and frustrated. Therefore, keep your child's life simple and organised. Ask him keep his room clean, bookshelf organised and toys in their place. You can also help him if he asks you. Do not yell at him if he doesn't complete his task. If he has done 3 out of 5 tasks, then also appreciate him and encourage him do the leftover task after a certain time. Remember, responsibility can not be taught in a single day, it comes by repetitive actions.
5. Encourage him to play outdoor
Playing outdoor can be of great help to a child suffering from ADHD. It burns out excess energy in a healthy manner. In addition to this, any sort of physical activity reduces impulsive behaviour and boosts up the level of concentration. It stimulates the brain to work in a healthy manner which is much needed for a growing kid.
Moreover, it helps in making the kids more socially active and interactive too as kids learn more from the outside world.
6. Set clear expectations
Impulsive behaviour is common in ADHD kids. They speak and act before they think. You may have received several complaints of your child that he /she push in the line, do not wait for his turn, etc. This is due to his/her impulsive behaviour. To control this impulsive behaviour, you should set some clear expectations and outcomes in front of your child related to the conduct. For example, instruct your child daily to behave properly in the class and obey the teacher. If this instruction is followed, he will be rewarded and appreciated, otherwise no reward nor appreciation.
This simple and repetitive instruction can bring out the positive changes in the child.
7. Take breaks and search for child-counselling centres
It is 100% obvious that alone it is not possible. This makes a parent over-whelmed and anxious. Therefore, it is good to take breaks from your daily routine. You can go for a walk, or to the gym for keeping your mind fresh and relaxed. As a parent, it is your need and you should not ignore.
You should also search for counselling centres nearby to your location for an expert guidance and support. This will definitely ease out the process.
Lastly, to conclude, this whole idea sounds to be simple and easy but this can not be done in a single day. The positive outcomes can be observed after the multiple repetitive instructions and careful guidance. Do not lose your hope nor be negative in your thoughts. Love and care can change any bitter phase into a fruitful and learning experience.
Hence, be patient and nurturing. Do not allow anyone to bully your child or you. Trust your parenting and always seek an expert's advice and help.
Living with ADHD is like walking up a down escalator. You can get there eventually but the journey is exhausting. Be patient with me. Understand why I do the things. Don't yell at me. - Unknown.
Take Care!