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Treatment
Options for ADHD |
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Putting
the Pieces Together It is considered "best practice"
for children with attention difficulties to have multiple interventions
simultaneously to provide the best emotional and behavioral outcomes.
Successful interventions include educational support, medication management
as needed, parent training, and behavioral interventions at school and home.[1] The treatment for ADHD is similar
to a puzzle with many pieces that fit together. Medication and therapy
are often two large pieces of the puzzle, along with several other important
pieces including assessing children to further explore their academic needs,
establishing school accommodations, increasing communication between school
and home, utilizing behavioral plans in the home, providing group
interventions, incorporating nutritional plans, exercising, and using biofeedback.
A therapist who specializes in working
with children with ADHD creates a treatment plan with the family to provide
the most comprehensive assistance for a child given their specific needs (in
a sense, helping to put these various pieces together for the most complete
picture). In addition, therapy is utilized to provide support for
parents in establishing behavior plans that work in conjunction with school
officials and set accommodations to best support the child's growth, academic
success, and appropriate behaviors in his or her multiple environments.
Therapy is also a place to discuss various emotions that usually arise for
children who commonly experience poor academic performance or difficulties
socializing with peers. Group therapy interventions can be
incredibly helpful in treating ADHD since children with attention
difficulties often struggle greatly in their social interactions with others.
Seventy-five percent of children with learning disabilities have been found
to show some difficulties in social skills which interferes with their
ability to learn.[2] Research on social skill
instruction demonstrates that quality interventions: 1.
focus
on social and emotional learning strategies that encourage reflection and
self-awareness 2.
create
opportunities to practice effective social skills both individually and in
groups 3.
adjust
instruction strategies to address social skills deficits 4.
tailor
social skills interventions to individual needs.[3] Medication
is often considered an extremely effective and viable treatment option for
ADHD.[4] Many parents often have
concerns about medications including possible side-effects and other parents
worry about what medicating their child really means. I find that
children who tend to have the best response to medication are often those
connected with physicians who are responsive to parents' questions and
concerns regarding medication. Often when a family feels comfortable
with their physician, informative and helpful discussions regarding topics
such as the pros and cons of medication as well as the best approaches to
mitigate side effects, can take place.
Parents who work closely with a professional to examine a child's
response to medication can dramatically help to minimize side effects and
support a positive outcome with medication. I also strongly recommend
that parents do not alter medication dosage or stop medications without first
discussing this with their physicians. This behavior occurs frequently
and greatly decreases the benefits that medication can have as a viable
treatment option. There are several alternative approaches
outlined below that have been found to be effective in treating attention
difficulties.[5] Parents who are more interested
in alternative approaches can find consulting with a naturopathic physician
or a nutritionist specializing in ADHD to be helpful. Nutritional
interventions can include basic changes such as making sure a child: 1.
eats
breakfast every morning 2.
has an
adequate level of protein at each meal 3.
limits
high-sugar juices and sodas 4.
decreases
caffeine and energizing carbohydrate intake in the evenings In addition, having children tested for
heavy metals and their absorption of various essential minerals can be beneficial
as children with attention difficulties often have irregularities in these
areas. Biofeedback is another alternative treatment option that has
been demonstrated to be effective for some children with ADHD to normalize
brainwave patterns that impact concentration and learning. There is
also clear research demonstrating the powerful impact that exercise can have
improving attention and learning. [1]CHAAD: Children and Adults with Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Understanding AD/HD: How is ADHD treated? Retrieved July 23, 2007 from
Chadd.org Web site: http://www.chadd.org/Content/CHADD/Understanding/Treatment/default.htm [2]Kavale & Forness (1995); as cited in Steedly, K. M.,
Schwartz, A., Levin, M., & Luke, S. D., (2008). Social skills and
academic achievement. Evidence for Education, vol 3, issue 2. [3]Steedly, K. M., Schwartz, A., Levin, M., & Luke, S. D.,
(2008). Social skills and academic achievement. Evidence for Education,
vol 3, issue 2. [4] Monastra, V. (2005). Parenting Children With Adhd: 10
Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach [5] Monastra, V. (2005). Parenting Children With Adhd: 10
Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach |