Understanding ADHD in brief ADHD is a complex neurological disorder with various symptoms which may cause difficulties in children daily life. Besides difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, this disorder may also be accompanied with learning problems (problems with reading, writing, math), emotional, executive function and behavioral difficulties. Parents can notice different symptoms as early as age 3 and seen more in boys than girls. It becomes more obvious in kindergarten and specially in first or second year of school when student attending class and keeping up with curriculum as become more demanding. These children are mostly smart but cannot use their full brain power to learn, therefore they stay behind and end up with having different forms of emotional difficulties including poor self-confidence, anxiety, depression and some with behavior difficulties. The main problem centers around inattention, lack of concentration, impulsivity, poor memory which can lead such student to obtain poor grades, in some may lead to fail to enter upper grade level. If children with ADHD are not treated in childhood, they may become an adult with ADHD, with numerous social, emotional, career, marriage, substance abuse and other challenges. The symptoms of ADHD are not all same in every child. Symptoms of ADHDand possible other related challenges -Inattention -Hyperactivity-Impulsivity -Problem with memory-Learning problem-Depression-Anxiety -Poor self-confidence -School problems and stand out in classroom as trouble maker -Social-Emotional difficulties-Problems with Executive Function -Behavior difficulties -Problem with Anger -Defiant to adult rules -Parents are often asked by school for meeting about their children learning or behavior issues Possible causes of ADHD： -Genetic reason -Pre and or after birth trauma -Mother’s health problems during pregnancy including diabetes, hypertension, bleeding -Parents age -Pre-natal depression -Mothers sustain physical injury, taking medicine, smoking and or drinking alcohol during their pregnancy -Illnesses including meningitis or encephalitis-Brain trauma How parents can help? Children physically and emotionally are related to their parents. No matter ADHD or other kinds of child cognitive, behavior or emotional difficulties, the parents attitude, their individual emotional issues and conflicts in their relationship can affect directly on their children in many ways. Parents are the first and main teacher of their children before relying on school teachers. Children emotional and behavior are often similar to their parents personality and parenting style they are receiving. Tips for parents:1. Children with ADHD often have problem with their emotional regulation, become easily agitated, excited, angry, frustrated and have problem adjusting them. Parents need to be aware of these facts and assure them positively, talking to them, understand their frustration and give them hope and emotional comfort.2. Soon you noticed your children showing various symptoms including inattention, hyperactivity, learning problems don’t act as their doctor but soon seek child psychologist help to assess child’s difficulties and treat related problems to stop their suffering.3. If Child was diagnosed with ADHD, it is not end of the world and no need to get depressed. ADHD is just a name which include several symptoms in children, move on, face it and start taking action allow your children to get various psychological help to succeed in learning and improve their happiness. 4. Help in building confidence in your children by allowing them to succeed even if is in a small portion in their favorite sports and educational activities so they would feel good about themselves. The success may be minimal but it goes a long way helping your children to believe in themselves and become motivated to go forward which can result in better attention, memory and consequently learning.5. As a parent if either of you suffer from emotional difficulties, often have insomnia, moody, sad, anxious, angry, you better see a psychologist to help you stop suffering and consequently your children.6. As a couple and parent if have difficulty in parenting and or in your relationship it can be transferred to your child even if you both try to hide it and cry silently. Children have a great sensitive radar and they can feel all what you feel and they silently suffer or end up acting out behaviorally, emotionally and suffer as well while you are.7. Most children with ADHD have learning difficulties. School will help, so as you as parents and if needed can also get him outside help. Phonic based multisensory learning is quite effective to improve learning skill in children with ADHD who have learning difficulties, as well as children with Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities and problem with Executive Function. Find such specialists and have your child to get training in addition to education they receive at school.8. Build library at home and have a daily or weekly group reading time as a family together. This will build interest in children to learn as family do. Children have a habit of mimicking what others are doing. So as parents read yourself and they will read too. Remember you are their first and main teacher!9. Small gadgets called fidget toys such as fidget spinner, pad or cube which can be found easily online can help children who often fidget or hyper to calm down.10. Engage your children in one of their favorite sport activity, but not too many, which they can weekly participate and burn their energy. Exercise produce happy hormone called endorphin in brain and brings calmness and happiness. Happiness improves attention, concentration, memory and may reduce hyperactivity to some extent.11. There are some new advanced technology training are available including Biofeedback and Neurofeedback training which may help improve attention .12. Consider medicine as the last option for children with ADHD. Medicine may helps while child is taking and is not the permanent cure! Not even considering many side effects which brings along! How do we help these childrenat Dr. Mike Learning Land (DMLL)We address the child’s difficulties in respect to his school, classroom, home environment and cultural background First:Psychoeducational Assessment (This is customized for each child) a. Interview parents and child separately to get a full present and past medical, educational and psychological history as well as clinical observation of the childb. Speak to child’s teacher or teachersc. Administer various tests to assess inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity as well as ruling out other difficulties which accompany ADHD such as various cognitive difficulties, learning difficulties, dyslexia, emotional and behavioral difficulties.d. School or class observation (if possible)e. Analyze and prepare reportf. Discuss the assessment report with parentsg. Working with school and teachers, coordinating child’s condition at school and in classroom Second:Different treatments and trainings used depending on each child’s needs. We choose suitable kinds of treatment and training for each child’s need from following lists! a. Psychotherapy including CBT, behavior therapy, ABA or other forms of psychotherapy as requiredb. Sand play therapyc. Art therapy, Play therapyd. Child Attention Training with Biofeedback and or Neurofeedbacke. Training of Executive Functionf. Relaxation trainingg. Sensory Integration Trainingh. Phonic-based Multi-Sensory English and Math training program developed in U.S. to help improve learning and Executive Function in children with learning difficulties, ADHD and dyslexia as well as helping children who are behind or have poor foundation in Englishi. Parenting training for child with new emotional condition and attitude! Adjust old style and start new as child changesj. Family therapy to help child adjust better with family environment and each member of the familyk. Individual therapy (for each parent with any emotional difficulty including anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc.)l. Marriage therapy for parents to improve parents happiness and to reduce emotional burden on their children *In some cases we ask parents to consult with pediatrician and or child neurologist to rule out any medical factors contributing to child’s present problems.
