Living With An ADD Child

Living With An ADD Child

What do you mean you didn’t finish your homework? What do you mean, you lost your coat again. What do you mean you can’t remember clean your room, and take care of the garbage all at once. Why is it your never doing what you’re told? These and oh so many other discussions or ones I have had with my son until I really begin understanding his disease. Yes I said disease.

Children and adults with ADD have a chemical imbalance of the brain. As on Social worker explained it, (who by the way has ADD herself) it’s like diabetes, it’s a disease that is treatable. I facilitate ADD support groups for parents and how I like to explain it, is, ADD is a like a bump in the road and until you find the right drug therapy or behavioral modification program, that bump is always be there. The other point as parents is really understanding where your child is coming from. You can do this by getting information on add and getting information from the Internet. Find a support group for yourself and your child. Just remember there is hope.

Hope what is that you say, especially if the behaviors are extreme. There are plans called Behavioral management plans and they do work. Giving ADD children immediate rewards to work for, instead of negative punishment, makes a big difference. Start buying and saving up small things for younger children and bigger things for older children and for longer goal planning. Set a chart, certain behaviors that are good will be rewarded. Put up reminders for the older children that can read. In the bathroom it’s brush your teeth, wash your hands after using bathroom, or use signs for younger children. ADD children are not able to do more than one thing at a time. When it’s time for bed tell them one thing at a time. You get into your pajamas now brush your teeth. This will save your sanity and keep an argument from happening cause they do not remember more than one thing at a time.

If you have teenager forgetting homework and things from school buy them a book organizer and write down everything they need everyday (or do it on the computer) so they have a checklist they can use before they leave for school or coming home. Have open clear communication with your child’s teachers. This will help both you and your child. Children with ADD are protected under the 504 for special education even if they are not in special education. But…. 504 will not protect the child from being kicked out of school for behavior problems. To assure this, you have to your child in special education and then your child will be protected under Idea and that a behavior modification plan will be put in place that will protect your child from being expelled from school for unwanted behavior.

Here is the Wrightslaw site: www.wrightslaw.com a very good site on Special education laws and covers all states. They have books and publications that are a must have you are having problems with the schools.

On to medications, there are all sorts of medications available, if and when you decided to have your child on medication a Dr. or Psychiatrist is the place to go. They will be able to evaluate your child and give you the best advise on what will work. Counseling is another alternative also, it will help your child to understand how to work with his disability and also help you understand that you are not raising a bad child.

Living with an ADD child is a challenge and a pleasure, they are usually very intelligent children and are quick to understand and learning in spite of their disability. You will both live through this and with the right help they will grow up and can be anything they want.

My son's main doctor is ADD, himself. He has helped me to understand what behaviors are being caused by the ADD and what is just normal teenage behavior and he also given me hope that there is still hope.

Sites available on the web to better help you understand your child’s disease:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/frankk/body.html

http://www.oneaddplace.com/

http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/1623.50152

http://www.chadd.org/

http://www.ldpride.net/work.htm

http://www.healthlinkusa.com/35.html

If you would like further information or just want somebody to chat with, feel free to email me.

Rev. Nora Seng