Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychological condition that is usually known to affect children, teenagers, and transits into adulthood as well. ADHD is characterized by the child’s/adult’s inability to pay attention, lack of impulse control, and trouble connecting with the people around them. There are no known causes of ADHD, but the condition has been attributed to genetic predisposition, brain injury which involves damage to the frontal lobe, problems the mother faces during pregnancy, and malfunctioning of the areas of the brain that control the person’s attention span.
After the child has been diagnosed with ADHD, the parents have to ensure that the child receives the required medical attention and therapy. However, in addition to these factors, the parents have to lay certain ground rules to ensure that the child receives all the support that is needed to lead a normal life.
Raising a child with ADHD isn’t similar to usual child rearing, which is why the traditional child-rearing practices do not work well. It can be an arduous task managing a child with ADHD, which is why the following tips can come in quite handy.
Behavioral management therapy
Parents of children with ADHD have to adhere to the two major principles of behavior management therapy. The first rule requires you to encourage and reward good behavior, which is called positive reinforcement. The second rule is to remove the rewards by following bad behavior with the required consequences, which will ultimately result in the removal of bad behavior. It is imperative that you teach your child the difference between good behavior and bad behavior, and emphasize that all behaviors have consequence, which can be pleasant or unpleasant. These principles should be instilled in the child and you will have to lay emphasis on how essential it is to adhere to these at home, in school, and in social situations.
Define rules, but allow flexibility
You need to maintain consistency when it comes to the rewarding good behavior and discouraging bad ones. However, this does not imply that you have to be extremely stern with your child. It is essential for parents to understand that the child with ADHD might not be as responsive to change as regular kids would. You need to allow them to learn from their mistakes and internalize good behavior. Moreover, do not try and stop your child’s behavior if it is slightly odd and is completely harmless. You need to accept your child’s quirky personality instead of trying to change it.
Learn to manage aggression
It is common for children with ADHD to have aggressive outbursts. This is where you have to step in and make the child understand that the behavior is not acceptable. Opting for a “time out” is an easy way to give yourself and your child some time to blow off steam and calm down. Also, you need to explain it to the child that “time out” is a period to cool off and reflect upon their negative behavior. This proves to be quite helpful in dealing with the child’s behavior. However, you will need a stricter intervention in case the behavior gets destructive, abusive, or intentionally disruptive.
Raising a child with ADHD is not an easy task, and the parents need to focus their teaching to help the child understand the consequences of their actions and controlling their impulse. As a parent, you will need to be patient, empathetic, affectionate, strong, and energetic.
