Parenting a Child With ADHD

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that usually arises in childhood. Living with ADHD is crucial, but with the right support, they can live a healthy life. The symptoms of ADHD are impulsivity, hyperactivity, and lack of focus.In this article, you may get to know how parents can help their child with ADHD.  

How to help your child with ADHD?

Living with an ADHD child can be annoying. As a parent, you have to understand that your child is acting weird willingly; their behavior is linked to ADHD symptoms. They have a lack of cognitive functioning, means they don’t have the ability to think and control their impulse. However, living with ADHD can also be frustrating for your child as well, with right support and compassion, you can help your child to live a stable, healthy life. 

How a child with ADHD impact the family?

A child with ADHD impacts the whole family and other siblings as well. Children with ADHD don’t listen to the instructions of their parents and are not able to complete their tasks. The impulsive nature in ADHD also interrupts others while talking, demands for attention, and speaks without thinking and making others embarrass. They have difficulty sleeping and roam around in the house and cause danger for themselves. They misbehave with their siblings and blame them for every consequence. This impacts the whole family. 

Strategies that can help parents with ADHD child

Here are some tips by which parents can help their child with ADHD.

1. Understanding ADHD

It’s important to have knowledge of ADHD to understand the situation of your child. Learn more about ADHD through healthcare experts, books, social platforms, and podcasts. By learning new strategies, you can help your child be more energetic and focused.  

2. Create a routine 

Maintain a routine for everything in your home, such as meals, bedtime, playing time so that your child will learn the organizing skills. By following the same routine everyday reduce the stress, so that they can perform better. 

3. Stay organized

Children with ADHD have problems with executive functioning, so it’s difficult for them to stay tidy and maintain things in order. Help your child by reminding them to do homework on time.

4. Create a peaceful environment 

Set a place for your child, such as a room, playing area, or a private place. Giving a private space will help their mental stability. 

5. Work as a team 

Teachers, parents, and healthcare professionals should work as a team. Teaching ADHD child to learn organizing skills that may help them to improve focus. Children with ADHD need special care, and instructions at school as well. 

6. Promote healthy habits 

Encourage your child to eat healthy food, follow a specific sleep pattern, and remain physically active. Ask your child to avoid unnecessary sugar and preserved food items, and check their symptoms regularly. 

7. Communicate clearly

Maintain clear, specific, and brief conversations with ADHD child; this will help them understand the directions clearly. 

8. Help your child to cope stress 

Taking deep breaths, doing exercise daily, and yoga may help ADHD children to reduce stress and sleep better. Furthermore, yoga may help them in concentration. 

9. Help your child to socialise

ADHD children have difficulty in social interactions because of the intense, impulsive nature. Teach your child to stay calm, and become a listener, focus on facial expressions and body language and then interact with them smoothly. 

10. Keep your child-parent relationship positive 

Spend time with your child, give them cuddles, so that they can feel secure and warm, and do fun activities with your child. They need love and attention, compliment them on little things this will help improve the relationship with your child. 

11. Talk together about ADHD

It’s not your child’s fault if they have ADHD, talk about it with your child so that they can cope with it in a better way.  

12. Avoid scolding or lecturing 

If you start blaming and scolding or giving them negative responses, this may increase their misbehavior instead of reducing it.  

13. Join support groups 

You don’t have to deal with it alone, talk about it with people who are facing similar problems. Join support groups where parents with ADHD can share and receive advices, you may get benefit through this. 

14. Self-care 

Parents are the role models for the children, you cannot take care of your child if you are not taking care of yourself. Take some time for yourself and do things that make you feel calm and enjoy, it can be going on walks, meeting friends etc. 

Do your own assessment of ADHD ? 

ADHD is a genetic disorder, it can be possible that you, or any of the family member might be suffering from ADHD. If you are diagnosed with ADHD get your treatments, so that you may focus more better on your child. 

Nurture Your Child’s Mental Health at Children Psych 

Your child’s mental well-being is important. Children Psych is the leading platform that offers best physiatric services for children and adolescents. We offer a variety of evidence-based treatments that include psychotherapy, group therapy, and more. Book your consultations today!

Final Thoughts 

It’s challenging to deal with ADHD children. ADHD children have problems with attention, impulsivity, and focus. It can be annoying for teachers and parents to deal with ADHD children because they cannot focus on instructions, and not perform well at school, and receive negative calls from teachers. ADHD children also affect the other family members, being a parent, you have to understand that it’s not their fault. ADHD is treatable, and parents can benefit from medication and therapies.