Caring for A Child With ADHD

Looking after a child with ADHD can be challenging for parents and caregivers, both physically and mentally. These children require extra care and attention and can’t be raised the way other children are. Studies show that raising a child with ADHD results in increased parental stress. This has a negative impact on the child’s progress, and also disrupts family life. Here are some ways that can help dealing with ADHD children easier and effective.

Find a Good ADHD Pediatrician

Before moving to how you can help your child at home, the first step is to find a good ADHD pediatrician Schertz Universal City for your child. Without proper medication, behavioral techniques will not be effective. It is very important to take your child for regular checkups, and to keep the doctor in the loop regarding the child’s behavior. This will help the doctor reach a diagnosis regarding the child’s symptoms and establish an action plan for your child.

Create A Schedule to Promote Consistency

One of the most common symptoms of ADHD is the inability to follow through with tasks or comply with rules. This can be helped by making a fixed timetable for your child to follow every day. Sleep schedule, mealtimes, play time, family time, all should be included, as they provide structure to your day. The breaking down of tasks will help the child follow them easily, reduce distractions and make them organized.

Incorporate Positive and Negative Reinforcements

Incentives and punishments for good and bad behavior motivate people to adhere to rules. Rewarding good behavior results in positive reinforcement, whereas, taking away rewards for bad behavior will act as negative reinforcement. This helps children realize that their actions have consequences, and that good behavior is what will help them achieve a favorable outcome. As a result, they will get accustomed to socially accepted behavior.

Don’t Resort to Anger or Aggression

Children with ADHD often resort to anger and aggression. In such cases, reacting with aggression only makes things work. Instead, other discipling tools can be used such as ‘taking a time-out,’ which will give the child time to cool down. Mild acts of pent-up aggression can be ignored, however, make sure to punish more serious forms of aggression and counter it with negative reinforcements.

Effective Communication is Key

Be approachable. By communicating with your child and understanding why they behaved the way they did at a particular time will help you tweak their behavioral patterns. For example, if your child had an angry outburst due to the inability to follow through a set of tasks, you can help him by making sure the tasks are broken down into simpler tasks, assigned with breaks, and are explained coherently. Even if your child isn’t communicating openly, observing their behavior can reveal a lot of hidden cues.

Stay Calm and Composed

Dealing with a child with ADHD can be overwhelming. It requires a lot of patience. In such circumstances, make sure you don’t neglect your own wellbeing. Deteriorating mental or physical health makes a person irritable and unfit. You have to be your best self, to give your child the best care. If you’re looking for guidance on how you can help your child, A Thru Z Pediatrics offers the best ADHD testing facilities in Schertz, TX. We offer FDA-approved computerized ADHD testing facilities at our clinic and get as much information as we can before coming up with a sound diagnosis and action plan for your child. Detecting early signs of ADHD in your child and getting the right treatment can help mitigate the symptoms, so contact us today to help your child fight ADHD. Fiund out more about ADHD pediatrician Live Oak here.