Dr. Sabina Dosani - Calm Your Hyperactive Child: Coping with ADHD and other behavioural problems

CAREFUL NOW

All the ideas here are intended to help you, inform you and provoke your thinking. This is for general information, to give potentially harassed people some encouragement and aid, and should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice from your own doctor or other specialist. Medical science is constantly evolving and changing, and though every effort has been made to provide up-to-date, accurate information, neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible or liable for any loss or claim arising out of the suggestions made in this book. Everyone is different and we dont know your specific circumstances, or those of your child. If in doubt, you should always consult your doctor for specific advice.

Copyright Infinite Ideas Ltd, 2008

The right of Sabina Dosani to be identified as the author of this book has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published in 2008 by

Infinite Ideas Ltd

36 St Giles

Oxford, OX1 3LD

United Kingdom

www.infideas.com

All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of small passages for the purposes of criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP, UK, without the permission in writing of the publisher. Requests to the publisher should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Infinite Ideas Limited, 36 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LD, UK, or faxed to +44 (0)1865 514777.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 9781905940486

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Designed and typeset by Baseline Arts Ltd, Oxford

Printed in India

Brilliant ideas

Many parents wonder how specialists can tell if their child has ADHD. The journey to a definitive diagnosis can be an angst-ridden roller coaster, depressing, confusing and exasperating.

Kids with ADHD often have difficulty controlling their anger. Anger is scary, for kids and adults, as it can mean someone is out of control.

Many children with ADHD find it difficult to change plans when facing setbacks. Discover how to help them be more adaptable to changing conditions.

If the only exercise your child gets is pushing her luck, then she needs to get moving. Studies show that exercise has a positive effect for children with ADHD.

Its human nature to notice when things have gone wrong. Noticing the bad stuff 24/7 has instantaneous, forceful and long-lasting negative effects.

Youve seen it used on television, but cant make it work at home? Heres how to make time out work for you and your ADHD child.

You dont need me to tell you that ADHD is 24/7. Many parents are able to manage their childs symptoms at home but get stuck when venturing out of comfort zones.

Want your child with ADHD to be a little star? A packet of little stars could do the trick.

Many kids with ADHD have handwriting that is, frankly, shocking. Untidy, uneven letters, smudges, crossings out and splodges of correction fluid often blight imaginative work.

Children with ADHD need to hear things and get feedback on their behaviour far more often than kids without ADHD.

ADHD is a family affair. One child may have the diagnosis but, more often than not, brothers and sisters also suffer. There are things families can do to lessen the impact.

Impulsive children struggle to plan ahead. Timetables, predictable schedules and consistency in the face of misbehaviour are key to living happily with ADHD.

Children enjoy choices. Just like adults, they appreciate having some say in what goes on in their lives.

If your child has reacted badly to a stimulant drug, or not reacted at all, dont despair. There are other drugs that may help, and one of them is atomoxetine.

They may not be a universal panacea, but its worth sorting facts from fiction when it comes to Ritalin and the other stimulants.

Most children who take stimulant medication enjoy improvements. It can take a little fine-tuning to get the dose right.

When stimulant medication is ineffective, other drugs are considered. Antidepressants are sometimes used as an alternative for treating ADHD.

If your childs ADHD is raising your blood pressure, an antihypertensive drug may just be the answer. But its not for you

The right nutrients can help children (and their parents) think faster, be better co-ordinated and balanced, and have improved concentration.

Stimulant drugs like Ritalin dont have to be taken every day to be beneficial.

Its easy to tell if children have a fever. Just pop a thermometer in the mouth. Measuring ADHD isnt so easy.

If your child does something well, and you recognise and reinforce that behaviour using a few kind words, he or she is likely to do it again.

To be an effective caregiver of a child with ADHD you need to learn to practise forgiveness. Its incredibly hard, but has awesome power.

Many teenagers with ADHD have difficulty with homework because of shorter attention spans, restlessness and poor concentration.

Kids with ADHD have extraordinary pressures: school can seem twice as tough, its harder to make and keep friends and they often feel everyone is at them for bad behaviour.

Choose a parenting style that reflects a commitment to your childs independence without compromising on rules and fair play.

Wouldnt it be fantastic to swap the feeling of being overwhelmed for calm control? Imagine parenting your child effectively, seemingly in direct proportion to your ability to relax.

Bouncing off the wall after fizzy drinks or brightly coloured sweets? Eliminating additives from your childs diet could drive down levels of hyperactivity.

Parenting a child with ADHD is exhausting. Everyone who looks after an ADHD child feels drained from time to time and needs regular breaks to be effective.

Children with ADHD are much more likely to have a host of other medical conditions. Around two-thirds of clinically referred kids with ADHD do.

Support groups can literally be a lifeline. Other parents can share strategies, information, advice and support, and they really know what youre going through.

If the only activity your child can concentrate on is playing video games, dont despair. Finding out about the lesser known benefits of console games will offer some consolation.

If your child is only eating rubbish or rushes about at a rate that burns three times the energy shes taking in, its time to address the culinary crisis.

When children have ADHD, their behaviour is a bit like the sea always changing, flat and calm one minute, wild and crashing the next.

Playing games can develop confidence and self-esteem, both of which are likely to be lower in children with ADHD. So let the dice, and the good times, roll.