Sara Elliott Price - ADHD: How To Parent A Happy, Healthy Child With ADHD

Copyright 2018, Sara Elliott Price. All rights reserved.

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Disclaimer: The material contained in this book is provided for informational purposes only. Always consult your physician or health care provider before the use of any programs, advice, or information contained in this book. Using the information and advice in this book is at the sole discretion of the reader. The author and publisher are not liable for any damages resulting from use of any advice or information provided in this book.

The information in this book is not intended as medical advice and is not intended to treat or cure any medical conditions. The reader assumes full responsibility for any choices made based on the information in this book. Neither the author nor the publisher guarantees the accuracy, quality, suitability or reliability of any information contained in this book.

Introduction

I f youre reading this book, the chances are that youre worried about your child. Maybe he or she has been diagnosed with ADHD and youre unsure where to go from here. What does the future hold? How can you make a difference?

Or maybe youre just wondering whether your child has ADHD because theyre playing up or acting out a lot. Maybe they cant sit still for two minutes. Or maybe they seem to be in a daydream most of the time. Is it just natural behavior for kids, or something more? How can you tell, and what should you do about it?

Once you start looking at ADHD youll probably have even more questions and concerns. Can a child really have it when theyre not hyperactive? Is ADHD the same as ADD? Is it true that ADHD is something kids grow out of, or do adults have it too? What about medication does it work, and is it safe?

In this book were going to be looking at all these questions and providing answers. But of course we know that the real issues worrying most parents are about how you and your child will cope with the condition. How do parents learn to handle the impulsiveness, energy and lack of focus? Will he have friends at school? How can you help him make the most of his abilities?

Lets take one thing at a time. Well start with the basics of symptoms, testing and diagnosis. Well talk about medication and other therapies. Then well move on to basic strategies and simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference.

It may seem overwhelming at times, but you have a vital role to play in helping your child.

Chapter 1: The ADHD Basics

A DHD is one of the most common disorders in children today. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about nine percent of American children have been diagnosed with the condition. Millions of other families are facing the same problems as you! And every parent and caregiver wants to know about their child the symptoms, the diagnosis, the therapies and not least the outlook.

As weve seen in the Introduction, there are plenty of questions about a condition like this and they all need answers. So well start at the beginning and explore what is (and what isnt) ADHD.

Whats in a name?

First things first: lets get the abbreviations out of the way. ADHD stands for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Quite a mouthful no wonder its shortened to a bunch of letters! You may also know it as ADD, Attention-Deficit Disorder, without the hyperactivity. In fact, you may often see it written as both names together, ADD/ADHD.

Why the two names? Well, it was thought to be two separate conditions with certain traits in common. Then in 2013 the American Psychiatric Association reclassified them. The two conditions are now seen as the same disorder but with slightly different variations. Thats why ADD is no longer the correct name, and in this book well just be sticking to ADHD.

Did you know that not everyone who has ADHD is hyperactive? The high-energy symptom is just one part of the disorder. Thats why it seems pretty confusing to drop the more descriptive tag of ADD, which doesnt mention hyperactivity. But as well see later, experts are able to tell which kind of ADHD your child has, so dont worry about the hyperactive part if it doesnt apply.