Parents of children with ADHD are faced with unique child-rearing challenges -- and issues such as lost homework, unexpected outbursts, and behavioral issues at school can cause these parents to feel as though they're always playing catch-up.

In a Feb. 10 article on examiner.com, Devona Fryer advises parents of ADHD children to use their need for organization as a jumping-off point for revamping the family's behavior patterns for the benefit of all family members:

Map out how you want your mornings, afternoons, and evenings to go. Figure out what goals you are trying to achieve. Having things mapped out in a time scheduled format is best and you have a greater chance at success if you stick to time guidelines. ...

If you are having trouble putting your children to bed, try establishing a bedtime routine; such as, brushing his/her teeth before bed and then settling them down with story time. ... Change will take time. Find out what works best for your family. This new system will help more than just your children; the whole family will benefit and know what to expect.

Labels: behavior, family, organization, parenting

Allergies to gluten and casein -- which have been shown to aggravate behavioral issues in children with ADHD -- appear to be on the rise. These substances are common in a variety of foods and ingredients, including wheat, rye, oats, milk, ice cream and yogurt. The official diagnosis for this type of allergy is "celiac disease."

"Although there is no scientific evidence on the effectiveness of gluten-free and/or casein-free diets, many parents have reported improvement in controlling the behavior and symptoms of their child … by following such a diet," Indianapolis Star correspondent Joanie Fuson reported in a Jan. 20 article.

Celiac disease is an inherited disorder that causes the immune system to attack the small intestine when gluten or casein is consumed. As a result, nutrients aren’t properly absorbed into the body.

Labels: allergies, behavior, health

A research effort into fruit fly behavior may have yielded insights that can help experts who are studying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Lia Steakley reported on the fruit fly research and its potential ADHD implications in a Nov. 30 post on Stanford University’s Scope blog:

In the study, which was led by Caltech postdoctoral fellow Tim Lebestky, researchers exposed flies to a series of brief air puffs and identified flies with an abnormally exaggerated hyperactivity response.

Genetic studies of flies with an exaggerated response revealed a mutation in a dopamine receptor that produced the aberrant behavior. Flies with the mutation were hypersensitive to the air puffs and took much longer to calm down than flies without the mutation.

David Anderson, PhD, an investigator at Caltech's Howard Hughes Medical Institute, explained in a release how these results may benefit ADHD research:

"The findings that flies exhibit emotion-like behavior that are controlled by some of the same brain chemicals as humans opens up the possibility of applying powerful genetics of this 'model organism' to understand how these chemical influence behavior through their actions on specific brain circuits.

While the specific details of where and how this occurs are likely to be different in flies and in humans, the basic principles are likely to be evolutionarily conserved, and may aid in our understanding of what goes wrong in disorders such as ADHD."

Labels: behavior, fruit flies, research

Parents of children with ADHD often worry about side effects associated with the ADHD medications that their physicians have prescribed.

In a Nov. 25 article on the website Life With ADHD, a writer identified as "ADHD Dad" wrote about the importance of investigating non-medical alternatives for treating problems related to behavior, focus and attention:

Medication itself cannot solve ADHD problems or even treat it in an adequate way …

ADHD behaviour therapy is now regarded as an essential support and that means learning parenting skills which will solve a lot of the problems associated with ADHD such as inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional and defiant behaviour and so on.

Behaviour therapy is now recommended as one of the best ways of controlling ADHD without medication or at least reducing it to a bare minimum.

Labels: behavior, therapy

The United Way on Prince Edward Island, Canada, is offering a new counseling program for parents of children with disabilities. The two-year program will offer free counseling services to parents.

"Marylin Balderston, the part-time counselor for the program, told CBC News on Friday that parents of children with ADHD and learning disabilities are more stressed than other parents, but they don't get the support they need and they often don't know where to get it."

The hope is that by supporting parents with guidance, stress management tips, and help with children's behavioral issues, the program will ultimately be supporting the kids. Source: CBC News

Labels: behavior, parents, support

For many kids, their favorite part of the school year is, well, summer. They don't have to get up early, don't have to do homework, and may not have to take their Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder medication.

"Some parents make the decision to give their child a break from medication when their child's primary issues with ADHD are related to concentration and focus and their symptoms are fairly mild. In other words, they have no other significant behavioral or social issues related to their ADHD, and summer time experiences would be just as positive on or off medication."

Taking children off their ADHD medication is not a decision parents should make lightly. If you're considering taking your child off her medication for the summer, take into account her need for structure and routines, her level of attentiveness and her ability to get along with others.

And, of course, consult your child's doctor before making any final decision. Source: About.com

Labels: behavior, concentration, medications

Kids, it's said, will be kids - and that includes occasional hyperactive behavior. But a child whose hyperactivity is extreme or continuous may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and a pediatrician can help parents figure out what to do.

"Pediatricians offer a good starting point for diagnosing ADHD. They can assess the youngster or they can refer parents to appropriate specialists such as child psychiatrists or psychologists, behavioral neurologists, or developmental/behavioral pediatricians, if needed."

A pediatrician uses a series of standardized questions that focus on the child's behavior in a variety of locations during a wide range of times to determine if an ADHD diagnosis is a possibility. If you think your child may have ADHD, a pediatrician can be one of your greatest allies. Source: Contra Costs Times

Labels: behavior, diagnosis, hyperactivity

Dartmouth social worker Jennifer Marszalek is one of only nine practitioners in Massachusetts who teaches parents about the "Nurtured Heart Approach" to working with ADD/ADHD children. The approach is based on minimizing punishment and emphasizing positive behavior.

"Impossible as it may seem at first glance, the nurtured heart approach insists that adults avoid 'energizing the moment' when a child is acting negatively, and reserve that reinforcement for circumstances when the child is behaving well. 'It's really a skill to find what's working well. The whole trick is creating success, not waiting for it to happen.'"

Mrs. Marszalek will offer this and other programs throughout the summer at the Summer Institute. Source: South Coast Today

Learn about boarding schools for Aspergers Syndrome children at AspergersBoardingSchools.com.

Labels: behavior, parents, teachers

About.com has gathered a list of tips for parents of kids with ADHD. The principles were taken from the book ADHD: Living Without Breaks, by Martin Kutscher, M.D.

"Instead of punishing wrong behavior, set a reward for the correct behavior you would rather replace it with. Rewards should be immediate, frequent, powerful, clearly defined, and consistent."

Dr. Kutscher also suggests giving a child with ADHD plenty of warning before transitioning from one activity to another. This preparation will help the transition go more smoothly. Source: SpecialChildren.About.com.

Labels: behavior, discipline, rewards

A study conducted through Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has demonstrated positive results with the ADHD medication Concerta in treating symptoms in teenagers.

"Compared to placebo, those given the active treatment showed a significant reduction in investigator-rated ADHD at two weeks. The investigators rated 52 percent of the methylphenidate patients as being 'much' or 'very much' improved, compared to 31 percent of placebo patients."

Researchers studied 177 teens that were diagnosed with ADHD. They also talked with the teens' parents, many of whom confirmed improved behavior. Read more at IOL.co.za.

Labels: behavior, medications

Punishing a child for bad behavior is an unfortunate, but sometimes necessary, part of being a parent. But for kids with ADHD, it can be just as important for parents to reward good behavior.

"During a presentation at the ADHD workshop at the Doha College yesterday, Dr. Mahmoud Fakhra said parents should be informed advocates for their children's healthcare. Parents should seek appropriate medical advice from healthcare professionals and also establish contacts with ADHD advocacy groups... "

The purpose of Wednesday's workshop was to inform and educate both parents and teachers on health conditions in children. Read more at Gulf-Times.com.

Is your ADHD child spinning out of control? Animal assisted therapy, like the program offered at Aspen Ranch, can help. Learn more at AspenRanch.com.

Labels: behavior, punishment, rewards

Independent Educational Psychologist Dr. Nigel Mellor issued a mild warning last week that some kids who are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD may simply be seeking attention.

"The researcher said there are many behaviors which can be observed during attention seeking interactions. Behaviors commonly associated with ADHD (over activity, poor concentration and impulsivity) can appear within attention seeking behavior."

Dr. Mellor's research on the subject focused in part on 15 schools and last for three years, during which time he determined that it is possible to distinguish between attention seeking and ADHD, which allows children to be treated more specifically and more appropriately.

Labels: attention, behavior, diagnosis

A new study has found that differing perceptions between parents and doctors regarding an ADHD child's most concerning behaviors is complicating treatment.

"...parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are concerned with behaviors such as aggression and defiance, while pediatric psychiatrists focus on associated mental health conditions including depression, bipolar and learning disabilities."

The differing opinions mean that behaviors parents are most concerned about often go unaddressed. Researchers hope the study will help doctors and parents find common ground to ensure that children with ADHD are receiving the best treatment possible.

Labels: behavior, communication, treatment

Nationally-noted parent coach Tina Feigal, M.S., Ed., wanted to offer parents something more than theoretical information about parenting kids with ADHD. She wanted to offer something practical, so she put together a "pocket guide", with step-by-step instructions for improving the behavior of what she calls "intense" children.

"By learning specific methods for turning child behaviors around, parents gain new skills, new self-esteem and often-unimagined success. Feigal, founder of The Center for the Challenging Child, taps her experience as a school psychologist, a parent of three sons and a parent coach to bring a wealth of knowledge and intuition to her work."

The book is unique in that it enables parents to bring out the best in their kids, without having to rely on the "professionals" to do it for them.

Turn About Ranch offers equine assisted therapy for at their teen ranch camp. Learn more at turnaboutranch.com.

Labels: behavior, parenting, support

Children who have sensory issues often seek out more and more stimulation. They won't sit still in class, they're disruptive, talk loudly and chew non-food items.

"The behavior gets many kids mislabeled as having ADHD, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Yoder says. But instead, they are having difficulty regulating the information taken in through their senses. The nervous system either overreacts or underreacts to what's going on around them. At either extreme - craving stimulation or avoiding it - the problem can be a sensory processing disorder that disrupts a child's daily life."

Extremes include craving loud music or other loud noises, a child who's nearly oblivious to his surroundings, or one who's such a picky eater that he gags when he smells food he doesn't like. A child who's displaying these types of behaviors should be evaluated by someone who's qualified to make distinction between ADHD and sensory issues.

SunHawk Academy therapeutic boarding schools help troubled teens with substance abuse treatment in a boarding school setting.

Labels: behavior, misdiagnosis, stimulation

Today, much is known about ADHD and a diagnosis can be made with relative ease. But that was not the case forty years ago when this mother of six struggled to understand why her son's behavior was so difficult to manage.

"I could go on with how we handled the situation for the next 11 years. I have lots of stories and methods I used to handle different situations. I think I just want to say that situations are different and the same in so many ways. We have to find our way with whatever tools we have at hand and use our common sense and instinct and then just follow through."

Today, her son has his Masters Degree and National Teaching Certificate and has taught at the same middle school for 17 years. He is "a hard worker, kind, considerate, has a lot of good friends, hobbies and is very stable."

Stone Mountain School, a therapeutic boarding school for boys, is set in a rural area of North Carolina that removes distractions and allows boys to focus on their behaviors and their academics.

Labels: behavior, diagnosis, relationships

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities issued a statement on Sunday stating that medication shouldn't be the first course of action for children or adolescents who are diagnosed with ADHD.

"While pharmacological treatments are found to treat ADHD successfully, research shows that interventions such as family and/or group therapy and other behavioral supports should be used prior to pharmacological treatments. In addition, research findings have shown medications to be beneficial when used in combination with behavioral treatment for children and adolescents that do not respond to behavioral strategies alone."

The statement goes on to suggest that parents and children weigh the risks and benefits of medication carefully and that if a decision is made to try medication the patient should start with the lowest dose possible. Read more at Tennessean.com.

Boarding schools for children with a learning disability can help with more than just academics. Learn more at TeenBoardingSchools.com.

Labels: behavior, medications, treatment

Wake Forest University School of Medicine recently conducted a follow-up study on the ways pediatricians handle behavioral health problems in their patients. The first study was conducted in 2002-03 and focused on "recognition, treatment and referral of children with behavioral health problems."

"ADHD remained the behavioral problem most often diagnosed by the pediatricians, who continued to have a high degree of confidence in treating ADHD with stimulants."

Of the pediatricians surveyed, 83% said they consulted with a mental health colleague concerning patients with mental health issues. Read more at News-Medical.net.

Special programs for non-verbal learning disorder and Aspergers schools are geared to help children get the best education and learn how to deal with their behaviors. Cedars Academy and Talisman Camps offer short and long term schools for children with Asperger's, NLD, and ADHD.

Labels: behavior, diagnosis, health

On Thursday, May 10th, Debra Sale conducted a 30-minute presentation about an ADHD behavioral method called The Respect Effect®. The method helped her improve her son's "at risk" behavior by 70% in just three weeks.

"Wendler's presentation covers groundbreaking information about ADHD. Why there's a disconnect between your loving intentions and your child's cooperation. How to prevent your child's embarrassing behavior meltdowns. How to steer clear of the 15 words that cause kids to rebel. And what causes ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) and how to prevent it."

Wendler's presentation took place at the Business and Learning Work at Home Expo in Austin, Texas. Read more online.

Labels: behavior, parenting, relationships

Children with ADD or ADHD are more prone to over-react when playing with other kids during recess. If your child struggles to get along with other kids, role-playing might help.

"Role-playing didn't help Joe right away. But one day, a few weeks after we began our sessions, Joe was beaming when he came into my office. Once again, a playmate had teased him, but this time Joe hadn't struck back. 'I told him I didn't care what he thought,' Joe explained."

Role-playing can help you teach your child that some responses to teasing and other things work better than others. Read more at ADDitudemag.com.

If you are the parent of child with Asperger's Syndrome, you may find Your Little Professor to be a useful site. Your Little Professor offers help for parents of children with Aspergers including Aspergers schools and camps. Visit YourLittleProfessor.com today >>

Labels: behavior, interactions, playtime

The University of Virginia's Children's Hospital recently conducted research which identified several developmental and behavioral problems that are often found in asthmatic children. If these problems are not diagnosed and treated, an asthmatic child may not receive all the help he needs.

"We can definitely state that families with asthmatic children not only report higher incidences of ADHD, but also of depression, anxiety and learning disabilities,' said Dr. James Blackman, developmental pediatrician at the Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center at UVa Children's Hospital and lead study author."

Managing these "co-morbidities" as they're called, is key to treating children with asthma. The study found that the severity of the child's asthma affected the severity of developmental problems like ADHD. Read more at ScienceDaily.com.

Labels: asthma, behavior, development

When a child has ADD or ADHD, it's important that he's diagnosed and receives appropriate treatment to help him learn to function in school, at home, and socially. However, not all children who "simply can't sit still" have ADD or ADHD. Some are just being kids.

"It should not be forgotten that attention span and concentration differs from child to child and they increase with age. Children come into this world with different abilities and timetables. A child is regarded a 'normal' if his behavior conforms to that of his peers, but there are wide variations in childhood behavior and it is often hard to decide where abnormality begins."

It's important for parents and teachers to work together if someone suspects that a child may have ADD or ADHD. Behavior should be monitored at home and at school, and parents and teachers should "compare notes". Read more at ParentingIdeas.org.

Labels: behavior, diagnosis, treatment

Researchers at the University of Maryland have found a connection between a parent's mental health and behavior problems of children with ADHD.

"The study... found that early positive parenting during the preschool years predicted fewer conduct problems as the children grew into early adolescence. The strength of the findings led researchers to conclude that maternal depression may be a risk factor, whereas positive parenting may be a protective factor."

Having this research information means that early intervention programs can be developed which are aimed specifically at the children who are most at risk. Read more at PsychCentral.com.

Labels: behavior, mental_health, prenatal