UNLOCKING THE SECRETS #1.

Unlocking the Secrets to Good Behavior.

ADHD Secret #1: Parenting Techniques Must Be Adapted to Kids with ADHD.

For the parents of a child with ADHD, simple, everyday tasks turn into battles-from getting the child out the door in the morning to getting him to bed at night. My son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 6, so I remember what it was like to have a daily tug of war with an attention disordered child all too well. Parents look for help everywhere.  They may read one book after another and hear a parade of behavioral experts speak who give them parenting tips that don’t seem to work. The more books they read and experts they seek out, the worse their child’s behavior seems to get.

In my practice and in my work with my own son, I discovered a number of techniques and strategies that can help parents improve the behavior of a child with ADHD.

ADHD Secret #1: Parenting Techniques Must Be Adapted to Kids with ADHD.

What works for adolescents with ADHD may not work for a 7 year old with this diagnosis. Likewise, if a behavior modification technique works for 95% of children, that doesn’t mean it will be effective for the 5% of kids with ADHD.

The time out is a classic example of a behavior modification tool that is often misused with children who have ADHD. Timeouts are often recommended to help children with ADHD learn to control impulsive behavior such as talking back, hitting or hyperactivity.  However, standard application of this popular intervention may not work in the presence of ADHD.

Parents are usually told to apply 1 minute of timeout for each year of age, thus 6 minutes for a six year old.  For a child this young with ADHD, this may be too much time.  Psychologists suggest applying the 30% rule to kids with ADHD and learning disabilities, which means that social-emotional development for these kids may be 30% less than their peers.  Thus, a 6 year old should be considered to react more like a 4 year old.  Therefore, 4 minutes would be more appropriate.

Parents are often told to add a minute to the timeout for each minute a child does not sit quietly.  This may work for the majority of children, but it may cause the child with ADHD to have a “melt down.”

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