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Attention-deficit hyperactive disorder is just what it says. The person [child or adult] finds it hard to settle, to concentrate and is often extra busy. There is much debate amongst professionals about the disorder and how it can and should be treated.
The outcome for sufferers is that they may struggle with learning and have difficulty making meaningful relationships. It can be a worrying time for all and especially for parents.
If you see a child who cannot play quietly or who can’t take instructions or is easily distracted or talks too much, then these are some of the symptoms of ADHD.
If this sounds like your child, the first thing to do is not to panic. Make an appointment to see your family doctor and discuss the situation. Your GP may prescribe a drug which is known to assist the hyperactive child. But sometimes examining the child might be difficult because many ADHD sufferers are not always on the go.
Your family doctor may recommend you take your child to a specialist who works primarily with ADHD patients. Many psychologists deal with this type of situation. It is believed that ADHD sufferers do not produce enough chemicals in their brain where such chemicals enable us to organize and process our thought patterns.
It is believed that close relatives with the disorder may pass on the condition to children and there is even a link between mothers who smoke during pregnancy and children having ADHD.
There has been and still is a lot of debate about such things as food coloring and too much or too little sugar being the cause of ADHD. A good diet certainly promotes good health but sugar and red coloring in food is generally believed to not be the cause of ADHD.
Likewise leaving your child in front of the television for hours may not help their reading or social skills but it is unlikely to be the cause of ADHD.
Medicine is one source of treatment and your doctor will explain what is available, any side effects and what you can expect to happen to your child if the drug is taken.
The best method of treatment is the whole approach. Parents, teachers and medicos all having an input into the life and behavior of the child is the ideal strategy. Setting simple tasks and rewarding successful behavior is an excellent foundation for helping the child.
There are many no-cost and drug-free activities a parent can undertake at home. Here are just a few.
- Supervise your child all the time
- Encourage them to behave a certain way.
- Reward good behavior.
- Help them mix with other children.
- Draw up simple house rules and explain them clearly.
- Promote effort and not results. It’s important to try.
- Set up routines for such things as homework. Supervise everything.
- Keep in constant touch with your child’s school and teachers.
Not all children grow out of ADHD symptoms but many do. Many others learn to control their mood wings and adjust to life as a happy and fulfilled adult.
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