Drug Free Stategies for Helping Children with ADHD

Children are normally active and excitable. It is when children's activity becomes a problem in the school or home setting that parents and teachers become concerned. Childhood should be a happy time when children grow, learn, and play but many times certain behaviors make childhood difficult for both children and adults. The following traits are often found in hyperactive children, also known as ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder):FidgetyImpulsiveEasily upsetMoodyRebelliousEasily Distracted

Every child experiences these traits at one time or another. It is when the hyperactive qualities are excessive and uncontrollable that it becomes a problem. Today, ADHD seems to be an epidemic. Parents and schools are seeing more and more of these troubled children than ever before.

Dr. William Crook, author of Solving the Puzzle of Your Hard-to-Raise Child, says, "During my early years of practice, I rarely saw a child with hyperactivity. By contrast, during the past decade, irritable, hard-to-manage, hyperactive children and their parents are literally banging on my office door seeking help."

According to Dr. Crook, many environmental factors are contributing to the ADHD problem in children. He names a few of these outside factors as: antibiotics, processed and unbalanced foods, television, schools without windows and natural lighting, soil, air pollution and water.

Medical professionals don't have a definite cause of ADHD but there are certain strategies that can be used to help the inappropriate, excessive, and inattentive behaviors of children afflicted with ADHD.

The following strategies are helpful for dealing with the excessive behaviors of ADHD children and building their self-esteem.

Strategies for Helping ADHD Children:Look at the child as an individual with the same feelings and needs as all other children. All children need to feel accepted, need positive interaction with adults, and structure in their daily lives. Be caring, loving, and treat children with respect.Build self-esteem by helping ADHD children feel less isolated and disconnected from their parents, siblings, classmates, and teachers. Feeling connected motivates children to do better. Give the hyperactive child opportunities to do well and succeed. Evaluate what the child is capable of doing and provide small projects and jobs that he or she can complete without too much difficulty. Letting the child choose the project is also a wonderful opportunity for building self-esteem and decision making skills.Show outward signs to hyperactive children that you accept them and appreciate them with positive comments, smiles, a pat on the shoulder, and telling them that you a happy they are with you. They will feel the acceptance and value you have for them.Always focus on what the children do correctly. Never emphasize the things that were done wrong but give praise and encouragement for the things the children do the right way.Expressing feelings is an ideal method for ADHD children to avoid frustration. Respect what they are saying and sympathize with their feelings. Make sure they are never afraid of being ridiculed or chastised for their emotions.Asking for the children's help with short, simple tasks will also build responsibility and independence. Allow the children to do things for themselves and don't expect them to complete lengthy and complicated jobs.

Remember to always be cheerful and enthusiastic when working with ADHD children. One of the best ways to help is to show the children better ways to communicate calmly and effectively and treat other people with respect by your own example. Showing a good example is an important tool in dealing with hyperactive children.

Many of the environmental causes of hyperactivity in children are impossible to avoid but the following suggestions will help parents to protect children from some of these harmful factors.

Reducing Environmental Causes of ADHD in Children:Keep a record of what the hyperactive child eats and determine what is triggering the ADHD behaviors. Many of the chemical food additives in everyday foods trigger reactions that are very noticeable. Try to provide less processed foods and more wholesome, natural food that is free of additives. Make it a habit to read the food labels before buying the item. View this info on Food Additives for more information.Make sure the child has enough exposure to natural sunlight. Sunlight is a must for good health. It passes through every cell of the body and effects both emotional and physical health.Be careful of the cleaning products that the child is exposed to. A study by the Human Ecology Research Foundation found many of the regularly used products in school systems contain toxins that cause adverse reactions in both children and adults. Some of these products are: germicides, spray room deodorants, furniture polish, insecticide spray, fungicides, enamel paint, magic markers, copy machines, and spray fixatives. These are just of the few toxins people are exposed to every day. Try to avoid as many of these products as possible.Restrict television viewing. Dr. Crook says, "Television brainwashes your children and encourages them to eat junk food." Judith J. Wurtman, Ph.D, a biologist at MIT states, "Television advertising is probably the most persistent force undermining good eating habits."

Television is especially harmful for ADHD children because they see violence, bad manners, and immoral behavior. This only adds to their confusion about social skills. Provide creative ideas and physical activity for children as an alternative to television.

These suggestions are safe and harmless to children with ADHD. They will not be effective overnight, but are encouraged to be consistently used. Eventually, they will have positive effects on the children's self-esteem and behaviors. It takes time and perseverance, building the skills needed to provide hyperactive children the help and understanding they need.

Sources:

Solving the Puzzle of Your Hard-to-Raise Child by Dr. William G. Crook

The Myth of the ADD Child by Thomas Armstrong

Living with the Active Alert Child by Linda S. Budd