ADHD and Parenting strategies to deal with it.

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood.

 About 2 million children out of more than 6 million have been diagnosed with ADHD, in this article we are going to talk about its symptoms,causes and how parents can deal with it.

ADHD stands for Attention deficit hyper activity disorder, it is a most commonly diagnosed mental disorder in children, teens and can continue into adulthood. It has been estimated that 8.4 percent children and 2.3 percent adults have ADHD.

Children with ADHD can be hyperactive and unable to control their impulses or has a trouble paying attention that affects their school and home life.

ADHD is more common in boys than girls, it is usually discovered during the early school years when the child starts have a problem regarding paying attention in class.

                                                                  PC: psycom.net

Symptoms in Children

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         ·      ADHD children are hyperactive and they are always seen squirming and fidgeting.

·       They are always in motion always running around or climbing things, sitting still seems like an impossible task for them.
·       Talks a lot
·       They are always ready for action always “on the go”.
·       ADHD children are impulsive they have trouble waiting for their turn
·     You would mostly find them  interrupting others and blurting out answers out of turn.

 ADHD symptoms in Adults

Symptoms of ADHD changes with the passage of time and age.
·       People with ADHD start to develop Chronic lateness and become forgetful
·       Develops Anxiety
·       Have problem working
·      They have trouble controlling anger and are impulsive
·       Starts to develop unhealthy substance abuse or addictions
·       You’ll see that people with ADHD are mostly unorganized and procrastinators.
·       Gets easily frustrated
·       Starts to develop chronic boredom
·       ADHDs are easily distracted and have a small attention span.
·     They are  moody and have mood swings
·       Mostly depressed
·       And have trouble developing relationships

Causes of ADHD

Scientists have been unable to identify the specific causes of ADHD but there is evidence that genetics plays a role in passing ADHD on. It has been noted that three out of four children with ADHD has a relative with the same problem. Other factors are given below

·       Being born prematurely

·       A brain injury

·       A smoker or an alcoholic mother

How to help Children with ADHD

Mostly people with ADHD suffer a lot because no one takes their condition seriously, the difficulties they feel in doing their everyday task or studies are chalked up to their laziness.

Parenting strategies for ADHD

                                                                 PC: Verywell Mind

First of all the parents have to accept the fact that children with ADHD are different from other children and you have to deal with them extra patiently and delicately.

Parents need to have behavior management techniques to deal with Children with ADHD, which will help in controlling their destructive behavior and overcome their self-doubt

 There should be a specific way of life or guidelines which lets the child know what kind of behavior is acceptable and what not.

·       Establish house rules, write them down and stick them some place where they could be easily seen, repetition and positive reinforcement helps an ADHD better understand the rules otherwise they have trouble grasping it.
·       Reward their good behavior with a picnic or an extra tv time or some healthy activity, accept their unusual habits, allow them to make mistakes and don’t be too strict with them which will help in their wellbeing
·       Let the mild bursts of anger go but it they act destructively or abusive which goes against the already established rules should be punished by taking away some privileges for a specific time period.
·       Make a daily life structure and routine for them and stick to them every day from meals to laying their uniform for the next day can provide essential structure.
·       Break their everyday routine for them using color coded calendars or a diary for their chores and homework to prevent them from being overwhelmed by the tasks.
·       Make a separate quiet corner for your child to do his homework and other tasks in and keep your home organized which will keep them from unnecessary distractions.
·       Regulate their time playing video games and watching tv which stimulates their impulsive behavior instead let them have engaging activities outside which will provide an outlet to their built-up energy
·       Engage your ADHD child in physical activities, experts believe that physical activities can help a child with ADHD find a constructive way to focus his energy, passion and attention and It will help in decreasing their anxiety and depression and help in improving their concentration.
·       A regulated sleep pattern is very necessary for a child with an ADHD problem because lack of sleep exacerbates their hyperactivity, inattention and recklessness, cut down on caffeine, sugar and tv time so they can have a healthy bedtime ritual
·        ADHD children are impulsive and act without thinking things through put them in a habit of thinking out loud and going to every step of the decision slowly and it will help you in curbing their impulsive behavior as well.