ADHD Treatment Kendal

By  Supernanny Team 20/02/2008

It’s all-too-easy to get into a pattern of negativity if your child has ADHD. Their impulsiveness can make bad behaviour a given, and that endless supply of energy can leave you exhausted. Sometimes you need to take a step back and remember: your child can’t help his behaviour – it’s nothing personal. And if you modify the methods you use to deal with the way he is and the things he does, you should be able to both cope much better on a day to day basis…

Make it work for them, not against them…

ADHD kids are restless and always on the move – this never-ending supply of energy can be a real asset as your child hits early adulthood, enabling him to work longer and get more done. In the same way, try to see your child’s impulsiveness as refreshing spontaneity.

Use perfect timing

Your ADHD child is likely to switch between periods of inattention and (brief!) periods of deep concentration. Try to encourage him to time any tasks he needs to think about for the times when he feels able to concentrate – if he uses that time efficiently, he can compensate for the times when his mind isn’t on the job.

Tap into his talents

Even if your child isn’t doing very well academically because of difficulty focusing, he’s likely to be very creative. Success at school and later success in the workplace doesn’t always have to depend on academic achievement – your child’s creative nature and vivid imagination can also provide opportunities and help them work out ways to find solutions to the problems they may face. So wherever you can, encourage your child in his creative endeavours and don’t keep the focus solely on his marks at school.

Give frequent feedback

Other kids may be able to get by with the odd nugget of praise, but a constant supply can be a great tool for motivating your ADHD child when it comes to socializing and behaviour. ADHD children live in the moment, so when you see your child doing something right tell him then and there – and the same goes for negative behaviour too. Make your feedback clear and specific: don’t just say “Good job”, say what it is you think your child did well – “You did a good job clearing up those toys so fast”.

Catch him being good

Don’t use punishment as your first resort to moderate your child’s behaviour. Instead, watch out for the positive behaviour you’d like to see and praise him when you see him doing it. Make a point, several times during the day, of actually going to find your child and telling him how well he’s doing at that time. As a guide, try to make sure you’re doling out discipline and consequences once to every three or four instances of praise and reward. A reward chart is great for this – and Supernanny has a great selection of print-and-colour charts .

Take care over consequences

ADHD kids tend to be less sensitive to rewards and consequences, so you’ll have to target them carefully to motivate your child to follow the rules and behave in a positive wa...

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