Children with ADHD – How can they be helped?

Children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), are characterised by excessive impulsivity, liveliness and attention deficit disorder. Parents of toddlers with ADHD very often agree to their toddler taking medication, such as methylphenidate. Pharmaceuticals only work for a short period of time and can cause many side effects, such as an increase in heart rate or changes in DNA. Some parents of children with ADHD choose to treat their toddlers with natural methods. However, they should be patient and develop a thorough plan of action. How to help a hyperactive child? What to do and what to avoid? What are other ways to treat hyperactive children?

Children with ADHD

Children with ADHD are toddlers affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD, also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, causes a child to be unable to concentrate on what they are doing, disobey a parent’s commands and be unable to sit still. ADHD consists of symptoms such as excessive impulsivity and busyness and attention deficit disorder.

A child with ADHD is very easily distracted, focuses his attention on all the stimuli around him, and is unable to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant stimuli. This is due to a malfunction of the nervous system, in which excitatory processes dominate over inhibitory processes.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects approximately 5-7% of children. Boys are twice as likely to suffer from ADHD as girls. In girls, ADHD manifests itself more in the form of concentration disorders – they fidget around. In boys, ADHD manifests itself more strongly in the form of behavioural disorders – they are impulsive, aggressive, disobedient. They are very often referred to as “naughty children” or accuse their parents of parenting failure.

The hyperactive child makes many mistakes due to carelessness, cannot concentrate on details, cannot sit in a desk for 45 minutes. He doesn’t follow instructions, can’t keep his attention for a long time, can’t organise his work and activities, loses things, is absent-minded and forgetful. In addition, he/she is always on the move, moves his/her arms or legs nervously, gets up from his/her seat during lessons, is excessively talkative, cannot wait for his/her turn, jumps to answer before being asked a question, disrupts others. Lacks self-control and reflection on his/her own behaviour. He or she is unable to conform to social norms, which often causes difficulties in relationships with peers. A child with ADHD may want to take the initiative in play, does not know how to lose, does not tolerate failure, and often unintentionally causes harm to other children. Due to a lack of control of their own emotions and lack of perseverance, they do not finish tasks they have started, making it impossible to achieve their goals. Other symptoms of ADHD include: sleep problems, nervous tics (nervous blinking of the eyelids, making faces, tossing the arm), wetting and stuttering.

ADHD in relation to age

ADHD presents a variety of problems and the picture varies according to age. It is most often difficult to determine the onset of symptoms, but features of hyperactivity can be seen in early childhood. There are problems with appetite or with sleep. The child may be excessively irritable. In kindergarten, conflicts with peers may arise due to very high impulsivity, and difficulties in learning and following social norms may become apparent. However, it is usually easiest to notice the child’s increased mobility and emotional over-sensitivity.

School age is the time when ADHD symptoms become more apparent. In addition to excessive busyness and impulsivity, attention deficits become a problem, preventing good academic performance. Over time, however, the symptoms gradually subside, which usually manifests itself in the child’s decreased motor activity.

Unfortunately, in about 70% of adolescents with hyperactivity, symptoms still persist. Difficulties in social interactions – with peers and adults – are particularly pronounced during this period. Difficulties in learning, as well as in constructing plans and carrying them out, reduce the chances of acquiring an education adequate to one’s intellectual abilities. The risk of complications (e.g. addictions, anti-social behaviour, suicide, depression, conflicts with the law) is also increased.

Only 5% of children with ADHD will have the full set of symptoms in adulthood. However, as many as half will persist with at least some of the symptoms, which will not go unnoticed in their lives. They may therefore confront numerous problems in their professional and personal lives and even more serious life crises.

Children with ADHD at school

Children with ADHD are very often perceived as disobedient, rude, difficult or unruly. Excessive impulsivity and hyperactivity cause the teacher to misjudge the behaviour of a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A child struggling with ADHD has difficulty concentrating. This significantly affects his/her academic performance and overall functioning among peers. Failure at school results in low self-esteem, lack of motivation to perform, and reluctance to pursue further or higher education.

Adolescents with ADHD perceive school as their source of failure. Children are often exposed to unpleasant comments, both from peers and teachers. Seeking acceptance and recognition in the eyes of others may involve a desire to impress peers. A child may use cigarettes, alcohol or other psychoactive substances, e.g. stimulants or drugs, in order to impress others. Truancy and smuggling can also become a problem. The role of parents and teachers in the life of a child with ADHD is extremely important.

In order to increase the well-being of the child with ADHD, to make adequate use of his/her intellectual capacities, and to avoid socially costly complications, it is important to support him/her skilfully in overcoming his/her school difficulties.

Difficulties of a child with ADHD

A child affected by ADHD may encounter many difficulties during the educational period. Spending forty-five minutes without leaving the bench can be extremely problematic for a hyperactive child. To make matters worse, a child with ADHD has difficulty remembering new material, due in large part to attention deficit disorder. He or she finds it difficult to select from a large amount of information those that are relevant and on which he or she should focus. Spending time at school can be very disruptive for the child, as he or she is easily distracted by other stimuli (birds singing, reading out loud, sneezing).

Long readings, for example, which are difficult to remember, are a big problem. Assimilation of material becomes easier for the hyperactive child when it is presented in the form of short, concise, underlined or highlighted sentences. Low concentration, excessive impulsivity, excessive busyness are not conducive to learning. Children with ADHD are often burdened with:

• dyslexia (learning difficulties in reading),
• dysortography (making spelling mistakes despite knowing the rules of spelling),
• dysgraphia (problems with writing),
• dyscalculia (impaired ability to perform arithmetic operations).

Reading, writing and arithmetic are skills on which the school places particular emphasis. They allow pupils to accumulate and communicate knowledge and thus facilitate their understanding and organisation of the world around them. Deficits in these areas are therefore a major difficulty for the child and further reduce the chances of success in education.

With the aforementioned specific school difficulties, it is not uncommon for language disorders to co-occur in a child with ADHD. They may manifest themselves, among other things, in speaking too fast and too loudly, frequent deviation from the topic, lack of ability to construct stylistically and grammatically correct statements, and failure to follow the generally accepted rules of conversation. This is another factor that makes it significantly more difficult to learn and succeed at school. Moreover, language impairment significantly impairs the ability to communicate with peers and adults, which can lead to isolation, feelings of loneliness and, further, low self-esteem.

Natural ways to deal with ADHD

Prepare a daily schedule for your child – this advice applies to all children, but is particularly important for toddlers with ADHD. The toddler should know when he has time to play, when to do homework, at what time he will have lunch and dinner. A child with ADHD should discharge excess energy during activities planned by the parents (cycling, swimming pool, walk in the park, running) and not during other activities (meals, homework).

It is also worth remembering a diet supported by supplements. The diet of a child with ADHD must be free of sugar and artificial colours, which exacerbate irritability and impulsivity. Parents should do yeast testing to verify that products with yeast do not cause sensory and functional disturbances.

A child with ADHD should eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Natural remedies help the child to regulate emotions, enhance concentration, maintain calmness and reason, and promote a healthy flow of oxygen to the brain. Talking to the child is another important issue. He needs to be told by his parents what is happening and what to expect. He needs to be told that he has five minutes of playtime left, and then we are leaving the park together and going to dinner. A child with ADHD needs to be timed. Caring for a toddler with ADHD is extremely exhausting – it is best to accompany him to sleep. If the toddler has trouble falling asleep, parents can read him a book. A back massage with relaxing music is sure to calm the child.

Tips for parents of children with ADHD

Toddlers with ADHD need above all order, consistency and routine. How can you help your hyperactive child?

• Make the outside environment tidy – introduce order and routine. Children with ADHD like to have a fixed schedule for the day and to know what awaits them, when it is mealtimes, homework time, rest time and bedtime. This gives them a sense of security and constancy.
• Be a tolerant and patient parent! A child’s tiresome behaviour is also tiresome for the child himself – the toddler has difficulties at school, cannot find friends, feels lonely, finds it difficult to succeed and feel satisfied.
• Limit the amount of stimuli and keep him or her calm! When your child is doing homework, turn off the television. When the toddler is eating, let him not sit in front of the computer. The general rule is: “As few distractors as possible – distractions!”.
• Use simple messages! Be specific and clear – instead of saying “Clean your room”, it is better to say “Make the bed” or “Put the clothes in the cupboard”.
• Plan – hyperactive children are easily thrown off balance by the unexpected and sudden.
• Anticipate and work in small steps – break tasks down into simpler, less distant activities and reward your child after each one to encourage motivation and a desire to keep working.
• Organise your child’s workspace – it should be comfortable, quiet, with few objects around to distract the toddler. Ideally, your child’s workspace should consist of a desk, a chair and a lamp. Zero posters, utensil bins, teddy bears, toys, etc.
• Praise your child for every little progress! External rewards mobilise your child’s efforts.
• Seek professional support for your child from psychiatrists and child psychologists as well as local educational and psychological counselling centres.
• Do not blame yourself for failures and setbacks. Even the best parent loses patience and erupts into aggression.
• Be able to admit your mistake and apologise to your child when you lose your temper.
• Introduce a bedtime ritual – dinner, bath, reading a story, sleep. This will make it easier for a hyperactive toddler to fall asleep.
• Feed your child regularly. Avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar, preservatives, artificial colours and caffeine – they can further stimulate an already anxious child.
• Adapt the pace of work to your child’s mental and physical abilities.
• Think about enrolling your child in extra activities where they can use their excess energy and learn social rules. This could be swimming pool, football, tai-chi, cycling, etc.
• Organise your child’s time by using utensils such as diaries, calendars, notepads and pin boards.

Knowledge communicated in an interesting way is more easily absorbed. In addition, in the case of attention deficits such as ADHD, underlining or pointing to the most important parts of a text, for example, can be a helpful technique. It is useful to use charts, tables and other tools to organise knowledge and help select the most important information for the child to focus on.

While introducing a time structure for learning and homework, do not forget to set aside time for other activities, especially those that are enjoyable for the child. One day a week should be a day without homework – let’s make sure to relax!

Parents of hyperactive children should be aware of their child’s needs. A child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder wants support to be able to focus on one activity and see it through to completion. He wants to know what will happen next. He needs time to think and doesn’t like to be rushed. When he/she cannot do something, he/she wants an adult to show him/her a way out of a difficult situation. Needs clear messages, precise instructions, reminders and tasks where they won’t get lost. It loves praise and is aware that it is tiring for those around it. Above all, however, it wants to be loved and accepted!

Help for children with ADHD is not limited to medication (e.g. methylphenidate, atomoxetine). Medication only reduces the severity of the symptoms, but does not abolish the causes of the disorder. Parents should be alert to problems secondary to ADHD, such as school failure, low self-esteem, speech disorders, specific difficulties in reading and writing (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysorthography). Each child with ADHD needs individual therapy. Currently, the treatment of hyperactivity includes various forms of therapy – compensation classes, behavioural therapy, speech therapy, sensory integration method, educational kinesiology, music therapy, story therapy, occupational therapy, etc. The best results are achieved when the parents’ environment and the educational team work together.

Sources

• https://portal.abczdrowie.pl/dzieci-z-adhd-jak-mozna-im-pomoc