Author: Hoe Bing Lo
There is a perplexing state of affairs in today's society, there
lies a strong correlation between the affluence of a society and
the amount of disease that is present. There is also another
correlation that troubles many a people and that is with
affluence comes disease at an Earlier age.
Working with children and the parents of these children I often
get asked the question, 'Why are Children with ADHD on the
increase?'
The answer as you shall find is one that is both interesting and
challenging.
Children of today are really no more different from the children
of yesterday in terms of genetic makeup. However, if you examine
the issue more closely you will tend to find that many children
today have been given labels. For example, 'Oh, those are
children with ADHD' or 'Those are the children who can't sit
still.' Or 'That is the kid that always gets into trouble.'
These labels are not only destructive but also become a self
fulfilling prophecy as it is repeated adnauseum.
So as a 21st century parent or a parent with a child with ADHD
or a parent with children with ADHD, what knowledge framework do
you need to equip yourself with to ensure your children live out
their true potential?
Here is a quick reference list for thinking about ADHD
· ADHD is a source of great frustration because it is
misunderstood
· ADHD medications are a great short term time buying device
and should be avoided long term
· The above point goes for any sort of drug consumption. Think
about it for a minute. Unless you have a biochemical deficiency
in your body like Type 1 diabetes where your body fails to
produce enough insulin or any at all, why would you take an
external drug? A body that is in balance is totally healthy. It
is only when the body is out of balance that dis-ease symptoms
start to creep up.
· ADHD is a biochemical imbalance of the mind and body.
· The Head of Psychiatry in Harvard states that drugs for ADHD
simply mask the effects of ADHD. It does not cure ADHD. This is
an important point because a cure implies never to have to take
the medication. This means that once you start on medication you
will have to be on it for the rest of your life i.e. you have
medically acquired a dependency for a biochemical imbalance.
That is like stuffing all your rubbish (problematic behaviors)
into a closet (medication) where no one can see it. But if you
continue to stuff more rubbish into that closet, one day you
will not have enough space and need to do one of two things. You
either empty the rubbish (the natural conclusion) or you get a
bigger closet (i.e. change to stronger medication to control the
symptoms). The choice is obvious but sometimes when you don't
have the necessary tools to deal with ADHD you tend to think the
bigger closet is the only option.
· ADHD children are super sensitive to the emotions around
them. Often they pick up emotional cues from their parents
without realizing. Many parents come home frustrated or annoyed
from work, the child with ADHD picks this up and starts to
'cause trouble' by becoming restless. Parents frustration
increase because they just want some peace and quiet. They get
angry which in turn is picked up by the child who then
intensifies their activity. Things get way out of hand and some
sort of punishment is handed down to the child who has no idea
what just happened. The cycle repeats itself every so often.
· Our brains are wired emotionally. Positive praise is
interpreted as an analytical/thinking exercise. Negative
criticism including scolding, name calling, physical punishment
all go directly to the emotional brain of children with ADHD.
This means in order to ensure you get your message across in the
most optimal way, you need to learn how to communicate with your
ADHD children the way they like to be communicated with.
· Every negative comment requires 16 positive comments to
neutralize the emotion. Save yourself the frustration and
agitation by practicing positive communication.
The list is by no means complete. In dealing with children with
ADHD there are a certain set of behavioural principles to
follow. I will detail these steps in the coming weeks. I'll also
build on the list as you continue to learn about what appears to
be a mystical disorder known as 'Children with ADHD'
My best wishes to you and your children.
If you have any questions, simply write to me at questions @ the
adhd specialist . com (without all the spaces in between, this
is to decrease the possibility of junk getting into my mailbox
:P )
For more information, simply head over to
www.theadhdspecialist.com
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