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Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) show the following symptoms:

1) Poor attention span and concentration - unless totally engrossed in something (like a computer game). 2) Poor concentration and memory 3) Impulsivity - doing things without thinking first 4) Easily frustrated - often leading to temper tantrums and outbursts

Of course all children (and adults) show difficulties such as these at various times. For the child with ADHD, however, these difficulties are so great that they have experienced failures in various areas such as

a) at school (getting work done, paying attention, daydreaming, losing homework, talking in class, being disruptive, etc.),

b) at home (are not able to finish chores, are clumsy, get into fights with siblings and more)

c) Participate and contribute actively in social activities such as being tolerant and accommodating of others, controlling temper and aggression, not playing practical jokes on others etc.

ADHD is not a malfunction of any body part as it is in conditions like asthma or diabetes. This condition of ADHD happens because parts of brain are not working at full efficiency

ADHD can be called a hereditary condition, where parents and children show similar symptoms. The symptoms and the ADHD condition does not go away in short span of time and takes a long time to get under control. Sometimes children suffer from ADHD through their teens into their adulthood also.

How do you manage ADHD?

Children suffering from ADHD can get long term complications which may run into their adulthood as well. These complications could be:

a) because they can not concentrate, they may fail in school and so drop out,

b) Are constantly in trouble because of their impulsive behavior

c) they may be so discouraged by their failures that they turn to drink, drugs, crime, or become depressed and anxious.

All of these may then have long term implications even into adulthood.

The goal of management is, therefore, to prevent complications. This is a long term process, so the most important people to take charge of this are the parents. It is you as parents who have to live with the child, you who are most concerned about his/her long term well-being, and you who know your child best. If you do not take an active role in managing the difficulties then whatever else other people do will be unlikely to make much difference. However, if you do your part then there is much that others can do to help you along the way. Effective management is likely to include the following components:

COMMITTED PARENTS who are ready to support their child in full. Through the information available to the parents through the books, videos, Cds and internet, the parents should be able to help their ADHD afflicted child. A word of caution here is that along with all the information, there is a lot of mis-information also available on the net and other sources. This skewed information might cause a problem in understanding the condition of ADHD. There is no magic cure available for ADHD, anybody who claims to have a magic cure is lying!

GOOD COMMUNICATION. Communication between the school and the home is very important for effective management. This enables you to discuss solutions and implement them for an effective output.

ADJUSTMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT. Children with ADHD do best in a quiet, calm, structured, low-stimulation environment (e.g. one to one) and poorly in chaotic situations (e.g. busy classrooms, noisy, busy homes). As a family you may want to find ways to reorganise life so that it is less stressful for all of you. At school the teachers will be doing the same, and it is best if the two can be co-ordinated.

CLEAR BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. These children respond best to very clear expectations of behavior, and very clear rewards and punishments - with rewards being more frequent than punishments. If you are having difficulty in doing this at home you may want to talk about some strategies with your key worker.

PARENTAL SUPPORT. Since getting along wit these children and bringing them up takes a lot of doing , the parents themselves are likely to get depressed and break up. To avoid marriages to break up and to maintain harmony, it is advisable for parents themselves to seek assistance from parent support groups, parent training groups, respite care, marital counseling, family therapy are such support groups and organizations.

MEDICATION. Medication is not a cure, but can be an invaluable help. Getting it right is important and so you will need to work closely with your key worker and doctor. The goal of medication is to reduce the symptoms so as to give the child the opportunity to learn academic, social, and other life skills. By itself, however, it is unlikely to solve all the problems and so cannot be used as an excuse to opt out of the above ingredients.

Most common type of medicines used for children with ADHD are the stimulants. One medicine that is available in the market to reduce the symptoms of ADHD is atomoxetine. This medicine has very less side effects.

The path of correct management has to be tread by the parents themselves. Healthcare professionals can only advise and guide the parents on this lonely path. They can assist you where ever you get stuck and help you along in implementing an effective management plan.

It is very important for you as a family to learn about the ADHD so that you are able to bring up the child in least stressful environment. The more you learn the better it is for the child and the family as a whole.

This ADHD article is provided by Articleteller - The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

Why not visit Dr. Noel Swanson's website www.good-child-guide.com and get hold of his excellent book The GOOD CHILD Guide, as well as more free articles about child behavior? He also does a free newsletter which is well worth reading.
This and other unique content parenting articles are available with free reprint rights.

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