Many adolescents who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience a number of behavioral and academic problems that can limit their success in interpersonal relationships, school, and individual achievement. These adolescents may lack self-control, have greater difficulty making friends and finding acceptance, be more likely to abuse substances, become involved in delinquency, or experience anxiety, mood, and behavioral disorders.
Most health care and psychological professionals agree that the best way to treat ADD/ADHD is with the use of both medication and behavioral modification techniques. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently conducted a study that found that children with ADD/ADHD who received both behavioral treatment and individually tailored medication had the greatest improvement in oppositional behavior academic outcomes.
Upon diagnosis, many children and adolescents with this disorder are prescribed medication as a first attempt to control the symptoms. However, many youth do not respond well to medication alone and the symptoms of the disorder may be quite pronounced or serious even with medication. If you have reached the conclusion that you can no longer deal with the symptoms of your child?s disorder effectively in your own home due to excessive behavioral and academic problems, you may want to consider a program that offers a specialized academic program and behavior modification therapy. As you research treatment options that can mitigate the effects of ADD/ADHD, look for schools and programs that possess the following characteristics:
1) Choose a treatment program that offers a significant amount of structure. Adolescents with ADD/ADHD typically struggle to use large segments of free time productively but tend to thrive in environments that provide limits and teach self-discipline. A structured program should include a rigorous daily schedule and a well-defined set of rules. Adherence to a routine while acquiring of productive habits can greatly counteract common symptoms of the disorder.
2) Choose a treatment program that fosters and encourages individual accountability. Such a program will enforce consequences for inappropriate behavior and affirmative reinforcement for positive behavior. This type of a setting shows teenagers what types of behavior are acceptable and also helps them to experience the rewards of acting in socially appropriate ways.
3) Choose a program that offers an engaging and individualized education component. Many teens with ADD/ADHD struggle to adapt to large classrooms and traditional lecture-style instruction. Academic settings that make use of hands-on learning, multimedia presentations, and other diversified, interesting instructional methods are more likely to hold students? attention. Even with the right kind of instruction, teens with ADD/ADHD may not learn at the same pace as other students. An effective academic setting will acknowledge the need for flexibility by maximizing accountability while allowing for differences in the speed of learning.
4) Choose a treatment program with a low youth to staff ratio. Children with ADD/ADHD often require greater amounts of attention from adults and tend to act out more when they don?t receive it. Oppositional behavior resulting from insufficient amounts of attention can be diminished when there is enough adult supervision to go around. Remember, however, that the lower the student-to-staff ratio, the higher the cost, so this factor must be balanced with financial considerations.
5) Choose a treatment program that minimizes distractions. Many adolescents with ADD/ADHD have difficulty focusing on priorities which can result in many partially completed projects and goals and few accomplishments. The fewer the distractions and the greater the expectation for accountability, the more likely a teen is to make substantial strides in personal growth and achievement. Common distractions include but are not limited to excessive access to members of the opposite sex, unnecessary activities or activities that are overwhelming, and large student populations.
6) Choose a treatment program that teaches skills for improving interpersonal relationships. Many adolescents with ADD/ADHD lack the skills needed for building and maintaining positive relationships. Look for a program that provides opportunities for teens to improve their communication, especially with respect to giving and receiving feedback and communicating honestly. Additional social skills that should be emphasized include appropriate anger management, impulse control, and delaying gratification. Mastering these skills will ensure that youth will have greater success making and maintaining healthy relationships in real life situations.
7) Choose a treatment program that has a systematic way of developing self-esteem. Teens with ADD/ADHD may have formed a negative self-image due to the amount of negative feedback their behavior elicits from others and their self-perceived lack of competence in academics, interpersonal relationships, etc. Programs with a strong self-esteem component should foster identity development and encourage teenagers to drop self-imposed labels and limitations and put away image pretenses that some youth use to protect their own vulnerabilities.
8) Choose a treatment program that allows for increased independence and leadership as behavior improves. Such a program will recognize the need adolescents with ADD/ADHD have for autonomy by gradually increasing self-monitoring and personal responsibility over time.
9) Choose a treatment program that is able to regulate and monitor medications. The successful program should be able to safely store, administer and adjust medications as needed.
Russ Bundy is the owner of Troubled Teen Programs website, visit http://www.troubledteenprograms.org for more information.
ADHD Psychological Treatment for Children More Accessible Through a Unique Program
Based on research and established ADHD treatment guidelines, Total Focus provides education for parents and therapeutic activities for kids through a multimedia program available for home use. Total Focus can be used with or without ADHD medications.
Using Behavioral Therapy For The Relief Of Adhd
Children who suffer from ADHD often experience difficulties at home or in school. What can be seen as unruly behavior in young children can become overwhelming in children as they reach their teens. They may perform badly in their academic work, become involved in fights or struggle to make friends. Some end up being moved from one school to another due to disruptive behavior. So it?s important to try and find relief of ADHD while children are young.
Nutrition as Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help is as Close as the Kitchen
The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has a profound affect on Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD. For many people, nutrition alone can effectively work as an ADHD alternative treatment.
Tips On Finding The Best Adhd Supplements
The estimate is that around 5% of all school-aged children have ADHD and the condition is on the increase; although this may partly be due to a better understanding of the disorder and the diagnostic guidelines being clearer. There is currently no cure for ADHD and many people rely on stimulant medications to alter behavior. However, these meds can come with undesirable side effects, which leads people to look at other alternatives. However, investing your money in alternative treatments and supplements can be quite risky. Here are some tips to help you find the best ADHD supplements:
World Renowned ADHD Expert Offers Free Teleclass
World renowned ADHD expert and author Sari Solden is offering a free teleclass for women with ADHD. Registered teleclass participants can call into this live class over the telephone or listen from anywhere in world over the internet.
9 Things that Doctors Say about ADD or ADHD
Attention deficiency disorder (ADD) or attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may not put a person's life in danger, but it can definitely affect his level of achievement and contentment. If you have reason to suspect that your child has ADD or ADHD, don't fool yourself into thinking that TLC can make this serious condition go away. It won't. Learn what doctors have to say about ADD or ADHD and know why you should have your child's condition treated immediately.
What is Hyperactivity in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Most of the ADHD kids that are seen in a private practice setting are hyperactive kids simply because they get into the most trouble. Their parents are usually pulling their hair out and saying, "We've got to get this child some help.
Melatonin, Sleep Enhancement, and ADHD
Overview
Melatonin is a natural hormone, which is produced and secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin plays an important role in the regulation of many hormones in the body.
How to Get a Good Diagnosis to See If Your Child Has ADHD
Your child's teacher says that you need to find out if your child has ADHD or not. What do you do? Here are some tips from the ADHD Information Library.
Homework Help for the Attention Deficit Child
Does the homework battle so typical with your hyperactive or A.D.
Anti-Social Behaviors and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Anti-social behaviors are common with ADHD individuals. About 60% of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids are also oppositional or defiant.
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?
In Response to Recent Survey on a Natural Remedy for ADHD, NourishLife Announces a Free Sample Give-Away
Due to a lack of public awareness concerning the relationship between omega-3 deficiency in children and ADHD, NourishLife is giving away free samples of Learn - its omega-3 product specifically formulated for school-aged children.
ADHD: Some Survival Strategies for Parents
In our last issue we posted some of our suggested Survival Strategies for parents, and then asked readers to contribute some of their thoughts or tips. Since this newsletter is already running pretty long, I'll only list a few of them below.
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.