Raising a kid with ADHD can strain your marriage, but if you have the proper steps to deal with the condition, the relationship can be saved from being broken. A happy marriage is one of the best gifts that you can give to your child. Studies suggest that a child may develop good friendships and romantic relationships when they grow up.
“For kids, ADHD can interfere with their school work, their relationships with other people, and how they view themselves in the world. These symptoms can persist into adulthood, causing work and relationship problems,” writes Dr. Kathleen Smith, PhD, LPC, a mental health journalist for popular websites like New York Magazine, Thought Catalog, Salon, and Slate.
preparing to raise a child is something that can be exciting as well as frightening. Many parents and expectant parents look for counseling, books, magazines, and even advice from other parents for the common Do’s and Don’ts of parenthood. But how can we tell whether or not we are good? Are we confident enough that we’re going to be great parents? How can we tell that we have been parenting well? Is it by the actions and behaviors of our children or the accolades we receive?
The human nature in us will want to compete or even go as far as to criticize the parenting skills of other parents. Although this is almost unavoidable, it is important to note that parenting skills and tactics should be dealt with on a case by case basis.
How can we be the best parents we can be? Well, yes, providing the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter is a given, but any childcare specialist, parents, and even children will tell you that’s just not enough. How, then, can we really delve into our parenting niche? Here are some tips on how to be the best parent you can be.
Upon knowing that your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), parents may feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness and frustration. “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) involves a biological (usually genetic) set of traits that interfere with executive functioning (including self-regulation) found in roughly 8% of boys, 3% of girls, 5% of men, and 2% of women,” wrote Michael Karson, PhD, JD.
Parents might nitpick about pregnancy and their child’s habits, diet, and activities just to analyze which part they did wrong. It is extremely futile to traverse this route because the exact cause of the disorder is still unknown.
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, can push through symptoms that can pose a lot of challenges. In fact, kids with ADHD can be demanding and taxing to parents.
According to clinical and school psychologist George Kapakla, Ph.D, who is also the author of the book “Parenting Your Out-of-control Child: An Effective, Easy-to-use Program for Teaching Self-control,” and two other books, kids with ADHD have the tendency to lose track of things. So, here are some practical tips for parents with ADHD kids:
Children with ADHD undergo a lot of stress in their daily lives. They have difficulty focusing and following instructions and are afraid of being scolded by teachers or other authority figures. All the emotional stress can sometimes exhibit itself in the same way as anxiety disorders. The two conditions have so many similarities that often, parents don’t realize that their child may also be suffering from anxiety on top of ADHD. Thus, it is essential to be aware of the connection between both disorders.
Having a child with ADHD is challenging. It entails added patience and understanding in relating
to your child. You also have to educate yourself further about your child’s condition. You have to
do all these for you to help your child to reach his or her full potential.
Establishing physical and emotional bonds between you and your child is an integral part of parenting. It instills compassion, warmth and affection in your child. When you show your love to your child through hugs, kisses and cuddles while growing up, they become more stable emotionally and even mentally – increasing their confidence and self-respect in themselves. All kids benefit from emotional bonding, and all the more for kids with ADHD.
Early in life, children are exposed to numerous things and scenarios that usually result in increased levels of stress, restlessness, and anxiety at a young age. It is a known fact that meditation is a great tool to find solace and balance despite the hectic schedule of everyday life. The question is how you encourage your children to practice meditation regularly.
Trying To Accept The Fact That My Son Has ADHD (And How I Was Able To Help Him Just In Time!)
“There is nothing wrong with my son! Who are you to tell me that there is something wrong with him – that he lacks focus, is inattentive, and very hyperactive? He is just five years old! All the kids are like that! How dare you isolate my boy like that!”
That was me a year ago and I was speaking with my son’s Kindergarten teacher. She was telling me that my boy has difficulty reading because he is easily distracted and can’t focus on school lessons. She also mentioned that he fidgets all the time and that my son is very hyperactive.
More than two-thirds of the sufferers of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD have co-existing disorders such as disruptive behavior disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, tics, and Tourette Syndrome. The existence of one of these conditions complicates the treatment plan. Most children with ADHD will manage to adapt, but having one of the associated disorders makes it more likely that they will fail to finish their education. The best line of defense is an early diagnosis because the consequences of an undiagnosed or untreated coexisting condition can be severe.
Most children with ADHD will manage to adapt, but having one of the associated disorders makes it more likely that they will fail to finish their education. The best line of defense is an early diagnosis because the consequences of an undiagnosed or untreated coexisting condition can be severe.
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Diagnoses
Because ADHD is difficult to diagnose and because of the possibility of co-existing conditions, when presented with a possible case of ADHD, the doctors will conduct various investigations and analyses before determining whether or not the child has ADHD and/or other disorders. The investigation will include interviews with parents, the child, teachers, and caregivers. The doctors will seek to discover if the symptoms are a result of environmental factors such as relationship problems in the home. They will also explore family history to understand whether or not there is a previous history of any of the disorders.
This isn’t to say that every mental health professional you hire is going to consider or review the same things, and most of us know what a doctor is, but here is an interesting article about the difference between a therapist and a psychologist. Just know that whoever medical expert you speak with, the fact remains that any disorder can coexist with ADHD, but some are more common. Over 50% of ADHD sufferers have a disruptive behavior disorder.