What Can Be Done To Help Decrease
Behavior Problems Due To ADHD In Children?
Your child has signs of ADHD.
You are concerned about some of his behaviors.
Part of you feels some of them are on purpose.
It seems he can behave appropriately at times,
so why can’t he do it all the time?
This article is part of a series that addresses the following questions you need to know about ADHD in Children.
- What is ADHD?
- What are the causes of ADHD in children?
- How can you tell if your child is energetic,”hyper” or has ADHD?
- Who can diagnose ADHD and what do (or should) they consider when making the diagnosis?
- If my child is diagnosed, how do I know if their behavior is the result of the ADHD or something I can influence?
- What can I do to respond to ADHD behavior before trying medication or in addition to it?
- What ADHD treatments are available?
- Can ADHD medication “cure” it?
This article answers questions 5 and 6. The first article in the series, “What Is ADHD, And What Are Causes Of ADHD in Children,” answers questions 1-4. The last article in the series, “Should My Child Use Medications For ADHD Managment? Are There Any Other ADHD Treatments That Work,” answers the last two questions.
If My Child Is Diagnosed with ADHD, How Do I Know If Their Behavior Is The Result Of The ADHD Or Something I Can Influence?
People often think that if a child has a medical condition that affects the child’s behavior, such as ADHD, that they need different parenting tools. That’s incorrect. It’s actually more important for parents of children with behavior disorders to become even more skillful at using the research-based, universally-effective parenting tools, such as those taught in The Parent’s Toolshop®. These tools can reduce or eliminate problem behaviors that can be influenced. What’s left is usually the result of the behavior disorder.
What can I do to respond to ADHD behavior before trying medication or in addition to it?
The first place to start is in the area you can control the most — what’s happening at home when parenting this child.
Rather than just excusing away those behaviors, you will actually want to continue teaching the child skills and behaviors, so they can become fully-functioning, well-adjusted children who have few difficulties in school or work. They may even, with time, not require medication.
You’ll just need to have realistic expectations about how long it might take to see progress. Using effective parenting tools and applying the Universal Blueprint® will, at the least, not make matters worse and usually help speed progress.
Illness, developmental disabilities, autism, food allergies, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are examples of medical conditions that influence children’s behavior. These children might truly have a limit to how much they can control their behavior when these factors are present.
Read as much as you can about the condition and specific strategies to use for that disorder. Most are compatible tools to add to the Universal Blueprint®. If there are recommendations that go against some of the basic principles of The Parent’s Toolshop®, discuss your concerns with a trained professional who can explain whether there is a valid reason for using that approach.
Look at the results one parent had when they used the Universal Blueprint® with a child diagnosed with ADD:
I have read numerous articles, magazines, and books which addressed parenting
issues, attended lectures, and met with counselors in the past. Yet, I have
never attended a class a thorough, well-organized and interesting as The
Parent’s Toolshop®. I gained so much more than I ever expected when
I signed up for this class. The most rewarding aspect was seeing positive
results at home with my son, who is diagnosed with A.D.D. These techniques
really work!! I have more confidence and like having a book which I can
use to refresh my memory on those days I suffer from memory loss and slip
backwards to my old ways – Rebecca Streeter
If you want more information about ADHD in children and practical skills you can teach your children to improve problem areas such as: ADD children’s difficulty in paying attention, ADHD children managing their hyperactivity, and how you can teach ADD/ADHD children to be less impulsive, get the “Helping Kids Live With ADHD” deluxe audio training package, featuring two interview with David Zidar, an ADHD specialist.
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Jody Johnston Pawel, LSW, CFLE is President of Parent’s Toolshop® Consulting, where she oversees an international network of Toolshop® trainers. For 30+ years, Jody has trained tens thousands of parents and family professionals worldwide through her dynamic workshops and hundreds of interviews with the media worldwide, including Parents and Working Mother magazines. She is the author of the award-winning book The Parent’s Toolshop®, and countless multimedia resources that support and educate parents from diverse backgrounds, plus other adults who live or work with children. You can find them at her award-winning website, www.ParentsToolshop.com.
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