Parenting A Child With Adhd - Three Points For Parents
January 13th, 2010 | by admin |Robert William Locke asked:
Do you know what an ‘alphabet kid’ is? Well, they are becoming fashionable as children are diagnosed with more and more disorders, such as ADHD, ODD, SD, ASD so hence the term ‘alphabet kid’. ODD stands for Oppositional Defiant disorder, SD for Sleeping Disorder while ASD stands for Autistic Spectrum Disorder. These are the so-called co-morbid disorders so parents end up being confused as they face a task of parenting a child with ADHD and maybe a few other disorders thrown in. Up to some time ago it was thought that Asperger’s and ADHD would very rarely overlap. The Journal of Autism and Developmental disorders has found that about 50% of autistic children show symptoms of hyperactivity.
Here are three points to help with ADHD and parenting :-
1. Getting ADHD diagnosed is the first hurdle in parenting a child with ADHD. Make sure that it is diagnosed by a specialist and that means a pediatrician with ADHD experience or a clinical psychologist. Most doctors are not specialized in ADHD so most overdiagnosis occurs here. The psychologist is much more likely to give an accurate diagnosis. Consultations with a psychologist can be quite expensive so a much cheaper option is to seek out a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). The difference is that these counsellors are at a Master’s level while the clinical psychologists usually has a doctorate in his specialisation.
2. An expert at the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University in the UK is convinced that most of children’s sleeping problems are due to overexposure to electronic media before bedtime whether they have ADHD or not. With an array of electronic devices in the bedroom such as mobile phones, computers and TVs, it has been shown that the bright screens keep children alert (the bright light tricks the brain into thinking it is daytime). Children who do not get enough sleep get into a hyperactive state the next day and also have learning difficulties. Also, up to 20% of children who have ADHD are going to have problems with insomnia. Whatever the reason for the sleep problems, parents will do well to establish a bedtime routine and reduce exposure media long before it is time for bed. This is another thing to bear in mind when parenting a child with ADHD.
3. A recent book published , called ‘The Metabolic Effects of Psychotropic Drugs’ points the finger at these ADHD drugs which are basically psychostimulants but their side effects can be long lasting and troublesome, eg. they can cause weight gain and diabetes (Type 2). Antidepressants prescribed for children can be equally damaging. The third thing to bear in mind when parenting a child with ADHD is the need to assess carefully all the risks of ADHD medication and parents should consider alternatives.
ADHD and parenting will be a challenge. One alternative is to consider carefully an ADHD homeopathic remedy which will reduce symptoms of ADHD, has no side effects and is safe for children. The link below will answer any doubts you may have.
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Do you know what an ‘alphabet kid’ is? Well, they are becoming fashionable as children are diagnosed with more and more disorders, such as ADHD, ODD, SD, ASD so hence the term ‘alphabet kid’. ODD stands for Oppositional Defiant disorder, SD for Sleeping Disorder while ASD stands for Autistic Spectrum Disorder. These are the so-called co-morbid disorders so parents end up being confused as they face a task of parenting a child with ADHD and maybe a few other disorders thrown in. Up to some time ago it was thought that Asperger’s and ADHD would very rarely overlap. The Journal of Autism and Developmental disorders has found that about 50% of autistic children show symptoms of hyperactivity.
Here are three points to help with ADHD and parenting :-
1. Getting ADHD diagnosed is the first hurdle in parenting a child with ADHD. Make sure that it is diagnosed by a specialist and that means a pediatrician with ADHD experience or a clinical psychologist. Most doctors are not specialized in ADHD so most overdiagnosis occurs here. The psychologist is much more likely to give an accurate diagnosis. Consultations with a psychologist can be quite expensive so a much cheaper option is to seek out a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). The difference is that these counsellors are at a Master’s level while the clinical psychologists usually has a doctorate in his specialisation.
2. An expert at the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University in the UK is convinced that most of children’s sleeping problems are due to overexposure to electronic media before bedtime whether they have ADHD or not. With an array of electronic devices in the bedroom such as mobile phones, computers and TVs, it has been shown that the bright screens keep children alert (the bright light tricks the brain into thinking it is daytime). Children who do not get enough sleep get into a hyperactive state the next day and also have learning difficulties. Also, up to 20% of children who have ADHD are going to have problems with insomnia. Whatever the reason for the sleep problems, parents will do well to establish a bedtime routine and reduce exposure media long before it is time for bed. This is another thing to bear in mind when parenting a child with ADHD.
3. A recent book published , called ‘The Metabolic Effects of Psychotropic Drugs’ points the finger at these ADHD drugs which are basically psychostimulants but their side effects can be long lasting and troublesome, eg. they can cause weight gain and diabetes (Type 2). Antidepressants prescribed for children can be equally damaging. The third thing to bear in mind when parenting a child with ADHD is the need to assess carefully all the risks of ADHD medication and parents should consider alternatives.
ADHD and parenting will be a challenge. One alternative is to consider carefully an ADHD homeopathic remedy which will reduce symptoms of ADHD, has no side effects and is safe for children. The link below will answer any doubts you may have.
Discount Kitchen Faucets
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