In my fifteen years of private practice working with children with ADHD, one of the common concerns that I observed by parents was the fear that they had done something, or failed to do something, that caused their child's ADHD. I guess it is normal to blame yourself when your child is having problems.
However, it is important for parents to know that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is not the result of "bad parenting" or obnoxious, willful defiance on the part of the child. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a medical condition, caused by genetic factors that result in certain neurological differences.
Yes, a child may be willfully defiant whether he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or not. But defiance, rebelliousness, and selfishness are usually "moral" issues, not neurological issues. Make no excuses for "immoral," "selfish," or "destructive" behaviors, whether from individuals with ADD ADHD or not. Parents need to step up and correct these behavior problems whether a child has ADHD or not.
It may also be true that the parents may need further training. We are constantly amazed at how many young parents today grew up in homes where their parents were gone all day. We now see "grown up latch key kids" trying to parent as best as they can, but without having had the benefit of growing up with good parental role models. This is a problem in any family, but especially when there is a child in the home who is inattentive, impulsive, and possibly hyperactive.
Parents should consider becoming a part of a parenting class offered by a local therapist, or a local church. These classes can be a good investment of your time. More information about Attention Deficit Disorder is available at the ADHD Information Library.
Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.
ADHD Treatments and Diagnosis
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and it is a chronic condition that can have a great impact on a child if a child does not get help, or if the right ADHD treatment is not prescribed. Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD are impulsivity, inappropriate behavior, and hyperactivity. These children have difficulty staying on task and completing projects, which if not identified and treated early can be a huge barrier throughout the school years and eventually on the job. Before there was a diagnosis, these children were just seen as having lots of energy, or were just wild and always getting into trouble. Now that ADHD treatments are available, parents have the option of getting their child help so that they can be mo...
Teacher Tips: Using Worksheets with ADHD Students
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com.
Adult ADHD: Are You An Idea Machine?
Chances are, if you have Adult ADHD, you're an "idea machine"--you come up with great new ideas all the time, maybe several in a day!
ADD/ADHD, Children and the Effects of Sleep Disorders
This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni's Fountain of Youth Summit, which can be found at http://fountainofyouthworldsummitcom
Understanding The Different Nutritional Supplements Adhd Options
Although most people who have been diagnosed with ADHD are prescribed medications to help improve their condition, proper nutrition should still be considered as a crucial part to keeping the symptoms of the disorder at bay. Why should this be? Well, although Ritalin and other such stimulant drugs are able to remedy the symptoms felt by many people with ADHD, the relief that these medications provide is merely temporary and can cause some unwanted side effects. With the proper nutritional supplements, ADHD behaviors may be effectively managed either alongside medications or without them. How is this possible?
Teacher Tips: Helping ADHD Students to Perform Better in Your Classroom
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate themselves to our children! We know how difficult it can be working with ADHD children, so here are your teacher tips for the week, brought to you by the ADHD Information Library and ADDinSchool.com.
ADHD: Fact or Fiction?
Although ADHD affects more than 15 millions Americans every year, many people don?t believe the condition exists. People deny that is symptoms which include hyperactivity, distractibility, and uncontrollable impulses are anything more than disobedience or lack of self control. Here are some answers to the more common misconceptions and myths about ADHD.
Treatment Options for ADHD
Ritalin has been shown through the years to be very effective in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms. Although it has potential side-effects which many families would like to avoid, we have seen it help a lot of people.
Diagnosing ADHD in Your Child, an Introduction
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children or adults is going to have their own opinion on how Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADD or ADHD - should be diagnosed. Some clinics take the perspective that "more is good," and will recommend a large battery of tests, often costing many thousands of dollars.
Parenting Child With ADHD
Lets be totally, brutally honest: raising a child with ADHD can be very draining and place a heavy strain on your emotions.m Many people keep asking on how to parent an ADHD child. Frustration and impatience can slowly develop for parent of child with ADHD, and stress just seems to well up inside of you, and the best and most effective way on parenting children with ADHD is a near impossible question to answer.
Fat for Attention Deficit Disorder Treatment
Hyperactivity-is it normal behavior or ADHD(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/ADHD.html)? A little over-exuberance is expected in growing children, but what about when a tendency towards impulsiveness, a lack of concentration, and sometimes excessive physical activity are carried on into adulthood? Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD) is defined as age-inappropriate behavior, specifically:
A Medical Professional Explains How Caffeine Causes ADHD, Mental Illness and More
Ruth Whalen, a medical professional in Massachusetts, survived a 24-year-course of medical misdiagnoses and caffeine poisoning. Turning her harrowed experience into a positive one, Ruth educates the public about the dangers of caffeine and how medical and psychiatric doctors mistake caffeine's effects for ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and more.
Attention Deficit Disorder: Einstein's Secret Weapon
Some experts believe that Albert Einstein had adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD). Today, an estimated 7% of adults are affected by ADD. The new book Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD by outspoken ADD Coach Jennifer Koretsky encourages readers to break the rules and find success and happiness on their own terms.
Nutrition Expert and Author Shares Important Diet Information For ADD, ADHD and Weight Loss
This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni's Fountain of Youth Summit, which can be found at fountainofyouthworldsummitcom
Finding Natural Alternatives Adhd Children Can Use.
Most doctors, when they encounter a case of ADHD, turn to stimulant or anti-depressant drugs to counteract most of the disorders symptoms. However, in taking these drugs the effects are short lived and the medication needs to be constant. There is also the possibility of various side effects to contend with too. Because of this, it is only natural that parents try to find alternatives. Most parents are attracted by natural alternatives ADHD children can take as opposed to prescribed drugs mainly because they are considered to have less side effects. Here are some natural alternatives for ADHD that have shown promise: