It does not
surprise me how resistant parents are to using medication to help their ADD/HD
child.I know there is a lot of worry about how the medication will affect their
child. If you remember my post about ADHD as a neuro-developmental
disorder it may help you realize that there are several forms of
ADD/HD and different medications for each type. Here are a few more suggestions
for coping before medication is necessary:
§ Make sure your home is a
structured environment for you and your child. Everyone
has to be organized. ADD/HD children function best when there are very few
interruptions in their life. Organized and colorful bedroom, work study area,
etc. Lead to increased productivity.
§ Limit the amount of
preservatives in your child’s diet. Fast food and prepackaged
food all contain high amounts of sugars and preservatives the aggravate ADD/HD!
Keep the foods in your family’s diet as whole and natural as possible!
§ Allow your child breaks and
allow for play. Many ADD/HD students are highly kinesthetic or creative.
Make sure there are activities that they are involved in to help make school
seem less stressful.
A new
study came out that involved the opinion of the kids taking the
medications. It’s a very informative article and reinforces the blog link
above. The correct diagnosis matters.
Here are a few things to remember when you do decide to work with your doctor
on the medication issue.
§ Keep a careful log of child’s
behavior and grades. This helps the medical professional immensely towards a correct diagnosis. If you and
your general practitioner have exhausted the medications or you are not happy
with the results, ask for a recommendation for a neurologist that specializes
in the area.
§ Talk to your child. I find it
amazing how parents dictate and don’t talk to their kids! They are the ones
going through it! Talk to them about how they feel! It is absolutely not their
fault for what they are going through. You, the parent, are the support system!
No comments:
Post a Comment