Understanding ADHD And Their Effects On Parents
The National Institute of Mental Health (2008) estimates that 3% to 5% of children suffer from ADHD in the United States. That’s approximately 2 million children in America. Having such a high rate of ADHD Children it becomes easier to find the right treatments. Becoming more educated on ADHD allows the parent to practice better parenting styles for an ADHD child.
After discovering my 6 year old daughter was diagnose with ADHD I decided to educate myself with everything that is to know about ADHD. Being a parent doesn’t come with a manual so I know that if I can better myself for my child well-being I will. The first thing I did was talk to a psychiatrist who specialize in children with ADHD. Ms. Robertson ask me if my daughter Diana has shown these symptoms such as being inattention, impulsivity and over activity over the past 6 months. She made me realize how well I didn’t pay attention or just did not want to face the fact something was wrong with my child. Ms. Robertson assured me that there is nothing wrong with my child. ADHD is a common disorder in child between the ages of 4-7 years older. Ms. Robertson ask me do me and Diana father argue in front of Diana. Come to think about we sometimes do. Ms.
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Robertson explain to me that ADHD is associated with stress and conflict in the family. She recommended that my family should attend a cognitive behavioral intervention. A cognitive behavioral intervention will help with stress and how to cope with it. She assured me that intervention programs improves the mental health of families and their children with behavioral problems that have been neglected. I ask the doctor, how long does ADHD? She told me for some children symptoms disappear between the ages of 8 to 10. However, these conditions can continue through adulthood. After I left the psychiatrist office I then went to the library and research everything there is to know about children with ADHD. According to George W. Holden Attention deficit refers children are easily distracted, fail to pay attention to details, and have trouble following instructions. He also describe Hyperactive children are constantly on the go. They are restless, fidgety, and generally hard to keep quiet. I remember Diana teacher constantly expressed to me these types of behavior that she saw in Diana. I also read that many children with ADHD are very impulsive and they constantly make inappropriate unrestrained comments. I’ve noticed that Diana has a hard waiting her turn in which it is common in someone who has ADHD. Children with ADHD have a hard time in functioning at home and in school and can have difficulty making and keeping friends. ADHD can interfere with school and work, as well as with social and emotional development. Children with ADHD are unable to concentrate for a long period of time. The disorder makes it difficult to perform well in school. Now that I understand the conditions of having a ADHD Me and Diana can work together to find creative solutions and capitalize on the strengths. The earlier intervention with a relational focus may improve future outcomes for the child diagnosed with ADHD. According to Helpguide.org medication is often prescribe for children with ADHD but it may not be the best option for the child.
Effective treatment involves behavioral therapy, parent education and training, social support, and assistance at school as well a proper nutrition diet plan. Children with ADD/ADHD need structure, consistency, clear communication, and rewards and consequences for their behavior. They also need lots of love, support, and encouragement. Diana teacher and I need organize a treatment plan for Diana. So I spoke to her doctor who recommend some of the most effective programs I can utilize with my child as well as the
family. Behavioral Therapy for ADHD children have been the best program to eliminate problem behaviors in children and as well parents can find discipline help with dealing with an ADHD child. The beneficial of going to Behavioral Therapy improve parenting skills and child behavior. If child is prescribe medication and are attending a behavioral therapy the doctor will prescribe a smaller dose for the child because combining both treatments will be most effective in child disorder. According to the American Psychological Associate research that if children are put on medication first and had never try behavioral therapy or if they tried it years later, if medication stopped working for any reason other approaches like behavioral therapy will become difficult to help. Some parents rely on medication for their children and when the medication do not work it’s like starting from scratch on how to deal with a teenager who’s acting out than a five year who’s acting out. Behavioral Therapy promotes different approaches like teaching the child to behave, socialize, and academic skills that will be useful in managing ADHD through the child’s life. Promoting a Balance diet in your child’s life can eliminate some problems. Eating better also helps the brain work better and lessen symptoms such as restlessness or lack of focus. High protein diets help improve concentration and possibly make medications work longer. Cutting down Carbohydrates helps the children with being hyperactive as well eliminating the amount caffeine they consume. Also parents should be involved when changing a child’s diet because you want to feel like they are not being excluded from anything. Medication is an important part when dealing with a child with ADHD. Consulting your doctor on what is best medication for your child to be on is important as well. Medication can help with your child focusing and distractions. Researchers found that medication help a percentage of 70% to 80% of children. There are several medication such as Atomoxetine , Clonidine, Guanfacine. They seem too approved for children, adolescents and adults. Medication can help with the declining of activity levels to become within normal limits. Academically, children who are on medication has shown improvements in the amount of school work complete. However there are some side effects that parents must consider such as sleep difficulties, stomachaches, headaches, appetite reduction, drowsiness, irritability, nervousness, and excessive staring among others. These side effect can be a bit scary for parents when considering the use of medication for their child but in rare cases there no signs of these side effects. Lastly the most important fact is being a lovely patience parent. Being a understanding parent to child’s condition can eliminate stressors. Promoting a healthy relationship between parent and child will allow the child to become closer to you. Parents getting training and the right education can also eliminate stressors. After doing research I am confidence that me and Diana will be okay. My child will have the best life I can give her.
One of the points they stress is how behavioral therapy can be a solution, but it is less effective and has it’s limitations. Despite it being less reliable, there are reasons why professionals and parents decide to give it a try. One of these is that parents and professionals don’t want to give their child medication. Another is that medication isn’t enough to curb their child’s symptoms. Lastly, their child has had reactions to the medication they’ve been given previously. In addition to those reasons, behavioral therapy has it’s limitations. It isn’t able to account for every setting the child will be in. Behavioral therapy isn’t able to reduce all of the core characteristics that come with having ADHD (short-attention span, impulsivity, hyperactivity). It also isn’t able to advance at the same rate that behavioral-altering medication can (“Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit
When dealing with adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD may become a challenge for many parents. Knowing the facts about this disorder and how to treat the problem is the key to a healthy lifestyle for adolescents as well as families. Many therapies and medications are available to families with children with ADHD but many questions that parents have with their children with ADHD is which therapy is best and what would work best with their children and their quality of life. The question of which therapy, alternative versus medication therapy would improve adolescent’s quality of life and behavior modification.
While the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association) put forth a list of behaviors which predominantly fall in the category of ADD and/or ADHD, many researchers still maintain that there is no set way to diagnosis or develop a treatment program to these disorders which will be guaranteed to work. At the same time there is another set of researchers who maintain that these disorders actually do not exist at all. However, in the real world, parents and educators still continue to struggle with the task of coping with children who are hyperactive and who have very low attention span and whose behavior often interferes with schooling and family life. [Armstrong, 1997]
ADHD is an exceedingly real diagnosis for many children in the United States. Are we over diagnosing our little ones just to keep from dealing with unpleasant behavior? “ On average 1 of every 10 to 15 children in the United States has been diagnosed with the disorder, and 1 in every 20 to 25 uses a stimulant medication” (Mayes, Bagwell, & Erkulwater, 2008). Several believe that virtually all ADHD diagnoses are retractable with appropriate discipline of children instead of being so hasty in medicating them. The material found on the CDC website describes facts about ADHD, it clarifies the signs, symptoms, types, causes, diagnosis tools, and treatment forms of ADHD. What the article neglects to go into is the reality that there is a considerable amount of controversy surrounding ADHD. The CDCs usage of ethos, pathos, and logos and by what method the website manipulates them to affect the reader will be the basis of this paper.
The first treatment normally or should start with psychosocial, including behavioral therapy, social skills training, and support groups. Research by the Centers for Disease Control found that more than one in ten school-age children in the United States has now received an ADHD diagnosis.... ... middle of paper ... ... Web.
Many times, ADHD is diagnosed by unqualified people. A parent usually receives a letter from the child’s teacher stating that he or she is exhibiting behavior problems and a meeting is scheduled. At the meeting, the parents are urged to allow faculty to assess the child. A report is then written and the parents take the child and the report to the doctor and the child is given medication, usually a stimulant, to cure the child of his or her illness.
Every day, doctors are diagnosing kids with ADHD. A diagnosis can come as early as four years old. Doctors evaluate the patient. They also read reports from teachers and or coaches, along with talking with the child’s parents. Typical symptoms of ADHD include: “being in constant motion, squirming and fidgeting, making careless mistakes, not wanting to listen, being easily distracted, losing things, and making careless mistakes” (WebMD, 2014). If a child is diagnosed with ADHD, they may be put on a typical ADHD drug. Medicines that are used to t...
ADHD is a disorder that has been on the rise for several years now. The disorder is one that can cause many impairments to a child’s attention span, making it difficult to concentrate and to keep on task, especially on schoolwork. (Graham, 2007) The statistics have been growing ...
Chandler, C. (2011). The Science of ADHD: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. New York:
This book makes parents and guardians aware of the other treatment options available to them and their children for ADD and ADHD. It gives natural and holistic ways to treat it also it tells about different physicians you could make an appointment with for treatment without drugs.
Schwarz Alan and Cohen Sarah. “More diagnosis of ADHD causing concerns.” The New York Times 31 March 2013. Print.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common disorders diagnosed among children in the United States (Lynch, 2013). Its growing prevalence in the United States is becoming a major controversy in the field of Psychology. The public seems to have an opinion as well. Should we be treating children with …
This paper examines and analyzes the article “Exasperating or Exceptional? Parents’ Interpretations of Their Child’s ADHD Behavior” by Heather C. Lench, Linda J. Levine, and Carol K. Whalen. The paper provides an analysis of a study conducted in 2013 which examined the role of behavioral perception in families affected by ADHD. An introduction, rationale of the study, description of procedure and participants, and results are all included. There is also a reflection which describes the implications for sharing the results in a family counseling setting.
ADD and ADHD have had a dramatic rate of increase since it was first “discovered” 25 years ago. “This “epidemic” has grown from 500 thousand in 1985 to between five and seven million today.” (Baughman) ADD and ADHD have become popular for many reasons. In today’s American culture and fast paced society it is likely that both parents will work. This breaks down the traditional family where only one parent would work and the other would stay home and take care of the children. This leads to a tremendous breakdown in parental supervision and involvement in their children’s academics. This lack of involvement by parents puts the burden onto the school system for a child’s lack of achievement. When a child academically performs poorly or has a problem at school, parents want corrective action to be taken no matter what the cost, as long as, it is a fast remedy with little involvement by the parent. In some cases, when a child is labeled with ADD or ADHD because he/she is doing poorly in school, the corrective action that needs to be taken is for the parent to simply spend more time with their children and tutor them in academic areas they’ re lacking in.” Children feel the loss, (quality time spent with parents) and they take action for attention. They misbehave, they cry, they become defiant, aggressive. The parents seek answers and relief to the family turmoil. The school, which is also experiencing the child’s defiance and aggression, seeks relief. Enter the school psychologist who provides the convenient answer. The chil...
...ms you are having of ADHD. The doctor can take on of two paths, either they can say your ADHD is enough that you need medication or if you will be fine without it.