ADHD awareness week september 13-20
ADHD awareness week is september 13-20,
but ADHD awareness day is september 19
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"No," "Stop," & "Don't touch" appear to mean nothing to children with ADHD [due to their poor self-monitoring skills].
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Children with ADHD are sometimes overbearing with peers. They can't keep their hands to themselves & tend to poke, grab hit & touch other children. This aggressive behavior may result in physical fights with classmates, neighborhood children & siblings.
`
ADHD children simply do not stop to think before they finish through with a thought [ie: They were told to not go outside...an ADHD child hears the rule, understands it, confirms he/she understands it, then quickly & without any thought, they go outside. When asked 'why', they have no reply, because they truly do not know.]
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Resorting to punishments such as putting soap or hot sauce in a childs mouth for sassing, spitting & speaking inappropriately will not teach compliance. Spankings also will not teach compliance for a child with ADHD, but in turn make the child more angry. For instance, spanking an ADHD child teaches that it is acceptable to hit others when angry.
`
Many children with ADHD have great difficulty paying attention. This means they have difficulty filtering out unimportant stimuli. ADHD children left alone or unattended, usually ends in the child doing an act that he/she normally would not have done.
`
Many children with ADHD tend to act younger than their chronological age. They usually are immature & as a result, tend to play better with younger children, often because they cannot successfully do what their peers do.
`
ADHD children tend to be very bossy [telling others how to play the game & insisting it be done their way], pesty & annoying [teasing & harassing]. They may throw HUGE temper tantrums when they don't get their way & be prone to fighing, arguing endlessly, lying & cheating. They may attemt & make friends, but are usually unable to keep them.
`
A child with ADHD may consistently interrupt conversations [because he/she's afraid they might forget what they want to say] or not pay attention to what others are saying.
`
Although an ADHD child will recognize the consequences of an earlier behavior, it does not necessarily mean he/she can prevent it from happening again in the future. Remember that a child with ADHD is often impulsive & lack any ability to control themselves in many situations.
`
Often ADHD children view their self esteem as poor compared to their siblings, classmates & friends, thus their self esteem plunges even lower. They hear the frustration in their parents' voices. They regard themselves as bad, or trouble makers & often see themselves as stupid [sometimes because a parent implies or tells them they are] & different from other children. They can not & should not be compared to other children in or near their age that do not have ADHD.
`
After a recent study in the state of Virginia, it showed that people need an average of 4-8 hugs daily for our bodies to maintain, survive & grow. An ADHD child needs a minimum of 1 per hour [24+ daily].
`
ADHD children typically have problems with fine motor skills &/or gross motor skills. Children with poor fine motor skills may have problems with writing, drawing & coloring, for instance. It is not unusual for some 4th graders to be still drawing stick people, much like the ones 4-year-olds draw. Their coloring may still be uneven & they can rarely stay within the illustration's lines.
`
ADHD children tend to be very clumsy & uncoordinated.
`
ADHD children will more times than not, have nighttime wetting & still be in diapers at night. Bedtime wetters are often very sound sleepers.
`
Taking a timed test for most ADHD children is impossible because they work much slower than the average child. It takes them longer to get started on a project, to process the information, to organize needed materials & complete assignments. They need/require more time than their peers simply because they are not able to attend to the task in the same manner as the student who does not have ADHD.
`
ADHD is difficult to understand, but it is important that parents keep the characteristics of ADHD in mind when dealing with their child. While many children with ADHD might not exhibit all symptoms, some do & it is imperative that parents identify those symptoms their child displays. Parents & other caregivers simply cannot compare a child who has ADHD with other children & treat them the same. It is unfair to the child with ADHD. Never forget that ADHD is a developmentally disabling condition, in which many cases will last a lifetime.
`
For an ADHD child, what works one day with them, will not work the next & they can be so unpredictable. One week they are great, the next two weeks they're awful & then suddenly they're great again.
`
They are often destructive, often noncompliant & forever getting into things the average child their age wouldn't even notice or be interested in. They are unable to see a relationship between cause & effect.
`
ADHD children must have strict schedules & structure!
`
When they've done something that's unacceptable, give them 1 warning [ie: even though you told them yesterday not do ride in the road, when they do it the following day, they still need & must have 1 warning as was stated above, they are unable to see a relationship between cause & effect]. Share this method with other children in the household so they will understand ahead of time why the ADHD child always gets 1 warning & they do not.
`
Praise your child each time you see him/her doing something right. Watch for appropriate behaviors & praise as often as possible. They have shorter attention spans, so explanations must be simple & few words & praise must come often.
`
ADHD children must be supervised almost constantly.
`
Most children can be told the rules of the home & will apply those to their lives with minimal opposition, but an ADHD child cannot handle having all the rules told to them at once. They can only handle 1 or 2 at a time & nothing more, until those are mastered as it boggles their minds.
`
Not to brand your child as 'a child with ADHD', but those that they'll be in contact with continually, need to know [ie: school, peers, neighbors, friends, family, etc.]. In doing so your child will not be labeled as a troublemaker, a spoiled brat, a space head, weird, or whatever name people may choose to use.
`
Try to always encourage your child's strength, rather than criticizing their challenges.
`
Remind your ADHD child of the house rules daily & do not assume since you told them once, they know...because they don't!
`
ADHD children need 'hands on' [ie: rubbing their back, holding their hand, sitting them on your lap, etc.] in almost every situation.
`
"As a parent of 2 children with ADHD [both girls ages 9/Lauren & 4/Amy], it is absolutely the most exhausting task of anything I have ever dealt with before. They are the only 2 children we have, so people might assume, I've got everything covered & have easier days the older they get, but that's just not the case. This is by far the hardest 'job' I've ever had & every day gets harder, not easier. The older they get, the more their ADHD comes into play. Some days I feel like I can't go on & feel totally overwhelmed by all I've had thrown at me [sometimes literally], but I go on...for them. I feel like a horrible mother when I'm out with my girls & get the raised eyebrows from those onlookers that do not have a clue what it is like to walk in my shoes for the day. All I can say to them is, "put your nose back where it needs to be & walk in my shoes for a bit & you will surely see that even though my shoes might not be a great fit, they are what I've been given to walk out my life in, so strap 'em on & get to walking, then see how well you do...being me!" BJ, Virginia Beach, Virginia
`
Children with ADHD are sometimes overbearing with peers. They can't keep their hands to themselves & tend to poke, grab hit & touch other children. This aggressive behavior may result in physical fights with classmates, neighborhood children & siblings.
`
ADHD children simply do not stop to think before they finish through with a thought [ie: They were told to not go outside...an ADHD child hears the rule, understands it, confirms he/she understands it, then quickly & without any thought, they go outside. When asked 'why', they have no reply, because they truly do not know.]
`
Resorting to punishments such as putting soap or hot sauce in a childs mouth for sassing, spitting & speaking inappropriately will not teach compliance. Spankings also will not teach compliance for a child with ADHD, but in turn make the child more angry. For instance, spanking an ADHD child teaches that it is acceptable to hit others when angry.
`
Many children with ADHD have great difficulty paying attention. This means they have difficulty filtering out unimportant stimuli. ADHD children left alone or unattended, usually ends in the child doing an act that he/she normally would not have done.
`
Many children with ADHD tend to act younger than their chronological age. They usually are immature & as a result, tend to play better with younger children, often because they cannot successfully do what their peers do.
`
ADHD children tend to be very bossy [telling others how to play the game & insisting it be done their way], pesty & annoying [teasing & harassing]. They may throw HUGE temper tantrums when they don't get their way & be prone to fighing, arguing endlessly, lying & cheating. They may attemt & make friends, but are usually unable to keep them.
`
A child with ADHD may consistently interrupt conversations [because he/she's afraid they might forget what they want to say] or not pay attention to what others are saying.
`
Although an ADHD child will recognize the consequences of an earlier behavior, it does not necessarily mean he/she can prevent it from happening again in the future. Remember that a child with ADHD is often impulsive & lack any ability to control themselves in many situations.
`
Often ADHD children view their self esteem as poor compared to their siblings, classmates & friends, thus their self esteem plunges even lower. They hear the frustration in their parents' voices. They regard themselves as bad, or trouble makers & often see themselves as stupid [sometimes because a parent implies or tells them they are] & different from other children. They can not & should not be compared to other children in or near their age that do not have ADHD.
`
After a recent study in the state of Virginia, it showed that people need an average of 4-8 hugs daily for our bodies to maintain, survive & grow. An ADHD child needs a minimum of 1 per hour [24+ daily].
`
ADHD children typically have problems with fine motor skills &/or gross motor skills. Children with poor fine motor skills may have problems with writing, drawing & coloring, for instance. It is not unusual for some 4th graders to be still drawing stick people, much like the ones 4-year-olds draw. Their coloring may still be uneven & they can rarely stay within the illustration's lines.
`
ADHD children tend to be very clumsy & uncoordinated.
`
ADHD children will more times than not, have nighttime wetting & still be in diapers at night. Bedtime wetters are often very sound sleepers.
`
Taking a timed test for most ADHD children is impossible because they work much slower than the average child. It takes them longer to get started on a project, to process the information, to organize needed materials & complete assignments. They need/require more time than their peers simply because they are not able to attend to the task in the same manner as the student who does not have ADHD.
`
ADHD is difficult to understand, but it is important that parents keep the characteristics of ADHD in mind when dealing with their child. While many children with ADHD might not exhibit all symptoms, some do & it is imperative that parents identify those symptoms their child displays. Parents & other caregivers simply cannot compare a child who has ADHD with other children & treat them the same. It is unfair to the child with ADHD. Never forget that ADHD is a developmentally disabling condition, in which many cases will last a lifetime.
`
For an ADHD child, what works one day with them, will not work the next & they can be so unpredictable. One week they are great, the next two weeks they're awful & then suddenly they're great again.
`
They are often destructive, often noncompliant & forever getting into things the average child their age wouldn't even notice or be interested in. They are unable to see a relationship between cause & effect.
`
ADHD children must have strict schedules & structure!
`
When they've done something that's unacceptable, give them 1 warning [ie: even though you told them yesterday not do ride in the road, when they do it the following day, they still need & must have 1 warning as was stated above, they are unable to see a relationship between cause & effect]. Share this method with other children in the household so they will understand ahead of time why the ADHD child always gets 1 warning & they do not.
`
Praise your child each time you see him/her doing something right. Watch for appropriate behaviors & praise as often as possible. They have shorter attention spans, so explanations must be simple & few words & praise must come often.
`
ADHD children must be supervised almost constantly.
`
Most children can be told the rules of the home & will apply those to their lives with minimal opposition, but an ADHD child cannot handle having all the rules told to them at once. They can only handle 1 or 2 at a time & nothing more, until those are mastered as it boggles their minds.
`
Not to brand your child as 'a child with ADHD', but those that they'll be in contact with continually, need to know [ie: school, peers, neighbors, friends, family, etc.]. In doing so your child will not be labeled as a troublemaker, a spoiled brat, a space head, weird, or whatever name people may choose to use.
`
Try to always encourage your child's strength, rather than criticizing their challenges.
`
Remind your ADHD child of the house rules daily & do not assume since you told them once, they know...because they don't!
`
ADHD children need 'hands on' [ie: rubbing their back, holding their hand, sitting them on your lap, etc.] in almost every situation.
`
"As a parent of 2 children with ADHD [both girls ages 9/Lauren & 4/Amy], it is absolutely the most exhausting task of anything I have ever dealt with before. They are the only 2 children we have, so people might assume, I've got everything covered & have easier days the older they get, but that's just not the case. This is by far the hardest 'job' I've ever had & every day gets harder, not easier. The older they get, the more their ADHD comes into play. Some days I feel like I can't go on & feel totally overwhelmed by all I've had thrown at me [sometimes literally], but I go on...for them. I feel like a horrible mother when I'm out with my girls & get the raised eyebrows from those onlookers that do not have a clue what it is like to walk in my shoes for the day. All I can say to them is, "put your nose back where it needs to be & walk in my shoes for a bit & you will surely see that even though my shoes might not be a great fit, they are what I've been given to walk out my life in, so strap 'em on & get to walking, then see how well you do...being me!" BJ, Virginia Beach, Virginia
`
kiara, you've taught me so much, but have so much more to teach me through your adhd - i'm here for you through it all & will be by your side even when you're yelling, growling & kicking me, we'll work through it together - you're the light of my life & i love you more than words can say - you're a special little lady, that god plopped into my life & i thank him for you daily - you're special & loved, more than you know...mommy
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