ADHD-related Behaviour Issues in Children; and how to cope with it?
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), also known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves the brain’s self-management system. People with ADHD often face hardships performing mundane everyday tasks such as concentrating, following directions, managing their emotions, etc. There is a wide range of abnormalities within this domain, and every person going through ADHD present with a different set of symptoms.
ADHD lesser-known facts :
- People are often misjudged for being lazy or not putting in enough effort, even though it is proven that ADHD is a disorder.
- It was thought earlier that most teen boys suffered from it. But research shows adults and women can also get this disease.
- It is often an inherited disease. One in every four children with ADHD disease has inherited this disease.
What are the ADHD-related behavior issues in children?
As the name indicates, the critical problem in the behavior of the children who have ADHD is a lack of attentiveness and hyperactivity or impulsiveness. These behaviors can manifest in one or more of the following several ways:
- Facing difficulty paying attention
- Poor academic performance
- Unable to follow directions
- Appear as ignorant
- Make careless mistakes
- Can not seem to stay still, constantly in motion
- Rush into completing the task
- Emotional outbursts
- Interrupt a lot and yell out
- Trouble waiting in lines or sharing
These are a few of the everyday behavior issues with these children. They are most often punished for their misbehavior or throwing ‘tantrums.’ Parents may feel stressed or embarrassed by their child’s behavior and may even scold him without realizing that the child is suffering. It requires deep understanding and keen observation for parents to recognize that these issues are not a facade or laziness on a child’s behalf but an actual problem.
How do you cope with these issues?
Once parents realize that their child has ADHD, it becomes relatively easier to interact with and handle the child. There are multiple ways for parents to manage their children with the utmost patience and perseverance. This is the only way to help them and lead them to live a healthy balanced life.
· Learn about ADHD and your child’s condition
Parents and teachers need to understand the child’s condition. As stated above, every person manifests different situations, so parents need to understand ADHD as a disease and the symptoms that the child is explicitly showing. Deep knowledge of the issue will lead to comprehensive and well-planned management of specific cases.
· Team up with teachers and school for proper education
Since children face issues with concentration and learning new things, teachers and school staff should be aware of the child’s condition. Early in the disease, when a diagnosis of ADHD has not been made, the child may wrongly be punished for his non-serious attitude and inappropriate behavior in school. Therefore, proper coordination between teachers and parents is a prerequisite for appropriate education and teaching.
· Customize activities according to the child
Every child has a different attention span and learning graph. Teaching the child new things at short and repetitive intervals is more fruitful than long sessions for teachers or parents. Visual and auditory learning is better than textual learning. Give small, easy-to-follow, and repetitive directions to children. These simple techniques can improve the child’s learning abilities.
· Focus on your relationship with your child
As parents know that their child is suffering from a neurological disease beyond their ability to manage, you must treat them gently. Patience, understanding, and empathy are their topmost requirement. They may require validation and kindness from you. They may feel different from other children. Hence, parents and teachers should show empathy and compassion.
· Set realistic goals
Every child responds differently and may vary considerably in their management techniques. Some techniques work more on a group of children, while others may not respond as much. Parents should keep this fact in mind and set appropriate expectations for their children and management plans. They should keep trying in case one technique fails to improve conditions. One needs patience and time to understand the type of technique the child responds to fully.
· Support groups
Apart from regular visits to doctors about your child’s health, it is always recommended to join support groups where you can meet other parents who face similar issues. These support groups can be a great way to understand and learn about diseases and try out new and different techniques for your child. There are organizations and social media platforms specially made for ADHD patients.
REFERENCES:
Hasan, S. (Ed.). (2020, June). Parenting a child with ADHD (for parents) – nemours kidshealth. KidsHealth. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/parenting-kid-adhd.html
ADHD: Behavior problems in children: Learning issues: Child anxiety. Understood. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.understood.org/en/articles/does-adhd-raise-risk-mental-health-issues