In diagnosing ADHD, sometimes mistakes are made and the child does not have ADHD at all! Let me give you just two examples. If a child has a milk allergy, then some of the symptoms are quite similar to ADHD such as hyperactivity. Another example is where a child is extremely intelligent and gifted and starts to act out at school. The reason is that he has become bored and is looking for something to do while he waits for the rest of the class to catch up! While he does that he may be distracted, squirm and become impulsive. This then is one of the problems in overdiagnosing ADHD as the costs to society and family life are extremely high.
Let us assume that diagnosing ADHD in your child's case is correct, you are now faced with the challenge of how to treat it and make sure your child grows up to be a well-balanced adult. In the multimodel study organised by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a combination of child behavior therapy together with medication came out best especially for kids who were suffering from sort of oppositional disorder (ODD).
In diagnosing ADHD, lots of attention is given to features of behavior and how he or she behaves in certain situations and environments. It is not surprising then that child behavior therapy is now so highly regarded and that the results over time are realistic and long lasting. You may have problems in implementing some rules but the whole concept of child behavior therapy is based on a step by step approach centred round time and scheduling and routines at home.
There is a system of rewards and consequences and the child is praised a lot for good behavior. There are lots of behavior plans available on the Internet so that part is the easy bit ! You have to work out what are the most important behaviors that your child needs to function in school , at home and with friends. By focusing on the essential ones and working on them one by one, you can achieve an awful lot. The main point to remember is that everything is noted and improvement is always rewarded. Everyone needs praise and we adults crave it all the time ! If good behavior or any small success like in getting on both shoes in the morning, is not praised, this may lead to a low self esteem and a certain amount of frustration.
These then are the problems and challenges in diagnosing ADHD and in establishing ground rules in the home if you opt for child behavior therapy. The great thing is that they will work for the whole family and will be an anchor in the stormy sea.
Robert Locke is a Health enthusiast who specializes in Children's Health. He has written extensively on ADHD. Discover what ADHD Alternative Therapy is available. Find out how ADHD behavior therapy can save your sanity.
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