Helping a child with ADD/ADHD: What you need to know

Helping a child with ADD/ADHD: What you need to know

Children with ADD/ADHD generally have deficits in executive function: the ability to think and plan ahead, organize, control impulses, and complete tasks. So a parent must take over as executive, providing extra guidance while a child gradually acquires executive skills of their own.

Although the symptoms of ADHD can be nothing short of exasperating, it’s important to remember that a child with ADHD who is ignoring, annoying, or embarrassing you is not acting willfully. Kids with ADHD may want to sit quietly, clean their rooms or listen to their parents—but they don’t know how to make these things happen.

Having ADHD can be just as frustrating as dealing with someone who has it. Keep this in mind and it will be a lot easier to respond to a child in positive, supportive ways. With patience, compassion, and plenty of support, ADHD can be managed while enjoying a stable, happy home.

For those seeking a quicker and permanent long term solution, neurofeedback has been clinically proven to improve or eliminate the symptoms of ADD and ADHD.