Tip #4 - ADHD/ADD Handbook

1. Introduction
2. What is ADHD/ADD?
3. Causes of ADHD/ADD
4. Misconception about children with ADHD/ADD
5. Do children outgrow ADHD/ADD?
6. What can be done to help children with ADHD/ADD?
7. Strengths of adhd children
8. What parents can do?
9. What teachers can do?
10. How people with ADHD/ADD cope: success stories
11. Career for people with ADHD/ADD

By Lee Swee Huat

8. WHAT PARENTS CAN DO?

8.1. Improving Attention Span:

1. The ADHD/ADD will have extremely good attention span for things that interest him; Unfortunately these interests does not include homework and academic classes
2. Train longer attention span by slowing increasing the period of lesson / homework from 15 minutes to 30 minutes to 45 minutes
3. Coffee, "chick of essence", Effalex and Ritalin also helps to improve attention span. Ritalin is of course the strongest of these 4 items, but care should be taken to observe possible side-effects such weight-loss and possible "explosive" behavior.
4. Adequate sleep is another factor that may helps to increase the attention span
5. Heavy physical activities / exercises also helps improve concentration but this last only about 2 hours (one ADD adult attained his PhD through 3 1-hour exercises each day!)
6. Colourful items and things that moves also help to improves the attention span of the ADHD/ADD child by arousing his interest; Multi-media teaching aids on the computer are thus suitable for the ADHD/ADD child
7. Improving listening skills may also helps to improve attention span; Some "sound" therapy (e.g. Tomatis method or similar therapy) focus on using sound to improve the sensory integration skills of the ADHD/ADD child
8. Background music also helps to improve the attention span of the ADHD / ADD child (although it may be distracting for some people); Music keeps the right active/creative brain occupied, while the left brain focus on detailed and analytical work which requires attention
9. Proper nutrition / multi-vitamins also help some children with ADHD/ADD improves their attention span; This is especially when their body cannot properly absorb the required vitamin and have other nutritional related problems
10. Reduce the amount cakes, soft-drinks chocolates, sweets, etc. for ADHD / ADD children. These items may cause the child to have mood swings from very hyperactive to moody and depressed state
11. Teach your ADHD/ADD child how to relax (e.g. through progressive relaxation techniques, mediation, music, tai chi, etc.). These also help to improve concentration and attention span.

8.2. Educational Considerations:

• Get approval for extra time during examination using the doctor's recommendation. Apply at least 6 months ahead to ensure approval can be granted in time.
• Engage a private tutor or peer tutoring at school
• Chose classes that has a low student-teacher ratio
• Problem-solving skills
• Social skills training
• Training in positive self-talk; e.g. I did that well
• Organisational skills training
• Use word processor or computer for schoolwork
• Consider enrolling your child into a Montessori class where he can learn things using 5 senses (seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting).
• Find the best and "interesting" teachers who can help the ADHD/ADD child develop interest in the subject being taught
• Highlight & mark up books; Prepare summary of what you read (this is a more active form of reading)
• Choose subjects / topics which provides hand-on experience or real-life application (as contrast with a class that covers only theories)
• The ADHD / ADD child will find it difficult get into the university or tertiary education unless he has found ways to overcome the difficulties that he had encountered in his earlier schooling years:
  • Current academic system is not designed to suit the ADHD/ADD child
  • The ADHD/ADD child learns better through hand-on experience (e.g. apprenticeship, etc.)

8.3. Teach your child problem-solving skills:

• Get the child to ask "What is the problem?"
• Get your child to think of 3 possible solutions
• Get your child to examine if each of the 3 possible solutions is a good or bad solution
• Get your child to pick the best solution
• Get your child to try the best solution to see if it works (repeat from step a) if required)
• Teach your child to ask the right set of empowering questions, e.g.:
  • "What can I do to solve this problem?", "What can I do to prevent similar problems from happening?", etc.
  • Don't ask yourself: "Why am I such a jerk?", Why is everybody picking on me?", "Why is this happening to me?", "Why am I so stupid?", etc.