Tips for Parenting a Child with ADHD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD
Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.
- What is ADHD?
- What are the symptoms of ADHD?
- What should I do if I am concerned that my child might have ADHD?
- What are some behavioral treatments and parenting strategies for parents of children with ADHD?
- Think positively
- Define schedules and routines
- Set clear rules and expectations
- Give clear instructions
- Discipline, rewards, and consequences
- Use time-out effectively
- Ignore, within reason
- Develop organizational aids
- Eliminate distractions
- Set small, attainable goals
- Focus on one or two challenging behaviors at a time
- Find areas in which the child excels
- Promote a healthy lifestyle
- Show your unconditional love
- Take care of yourself
- ADHD resources
- Find a local Psychiatrist in your town
What is ADHD?
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a behavioral condition characterized by inattention or difficulty focusing one's attention, impulsiveness, and/or hyperactivity. It has been estimated that approximately 5% of U.S. children have ADHD, according to established diagnostic criteria.
What are the symptoms of ADHD?
Symptoms of a child with ADHD can include the following:
- difficulty sustaining and paying attention to tasks at home, school and/or in the community;
- making careless errors, not following through with tasks or completing
instructions;
- being easily distracted;
- look like they aren't listening;
- being easily bored;
- being forgetful, losing things;
- having difficulty organizing tasks, activities, or belongings;
- being fidgety, difficulty remaining seated;
- talking excessively;
- running or climbing about excessively when it is inappropriate to do so;
- having difficulty awaiting his/her turn in a game or activity;
- interrupting or intruding on others;
- avoiding or disliking doing things that take a lot of effort for a long time.
Many children with ADHD will have symptoms that persist into adulthood. Effective treatments for ADHD include both medications and behavioral therapies.
Not surprisingly, parenting a child with ADHD can pose special challenges.
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