| So little Johnny, or sweat Madison, are having trouble | | | | weaknesses. Examples would be bringing your |
| concentrating and tend to daydream occasionally | | | | child’s teachers onboard in a meaningful way to |
| during their first grade reading assignments. Does this | | | | adapt their classroom environment to their unique |
| mean they have attention deficit hyperactivity | | | | strengths and weaknesses. For instance implementing |
| disorder? The answer is probably no. If the word | | | | interactive learning sessions rather than simply |
| occasionally was changed to regularly and their | | | | expecting the child to learn from reading and testing. |
| daydreaming occurred regularly over at least a six | | | | Another example would be making sure your |
| month period and lead to difficulty in school and | | | | child’s teachers understand the condition and are |
| problems at home the answer likely would be yes. | | | | sympathetic to your child’s needs. If not do your |
| Thus in determining how to treat ADHD much will | | | | best to find another teacher! |
| weigh on the severity of the condition as well as the | | | | How to treat ADHD is a complicated subject with |
| type of attention deficit disorder diagnosed. | | | | many possible alternatives but the statistical finding |
| The conventional wisdom in addressing how to treat | | | | stating that just over eight out of every ten children |
| ADHD is usually a combination of prescription | | | | with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder |
| medications such as Ritalin or Adderall along with | | | | underachieve academically should be enough to |
| behavioral therapy or counseling to help the youngster | | | | motivate concerned parents to seek help for their child. |
| learn to cope with the disorder. Ritalin, Adderall, and | | | | For those parents struggling with the challenges |
| Cylert are considered stimulant medications and work | | | | associated with an ADHD child finding an effective |
| deep within the brain to balance neurotransmitter (brain | | | | treatment option is a good first step. As briefly |
| messenger) activity. The brain chemical most | | | | discussed above the most common form of treatment |
| prominent in the treatment of ADHD is dopamine, and | | | | are prescription stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and |
| increasing dopamine activity is thought to raise the level | | | | Cylert. While effective, all stimulant medications come |
| of activity in areas of the brain responsible for | | | | with a number of serious label warnings. The risk of |
| controlling attention and impulsive behaviors. | | | | side effects, or perhaps the lack of success with |
| Children tend to respond well to behavior therapy that | | | | stimulant medications, has prompted many to |
| rewards them for controlling impulses and learning how | | | | investigate other options. A couple examples of this |
| to focus. As adults we tend to think of rewards in | | | | are cognitive behavior modification therapy and/or |
| terms of monetary or tangible gain but for a child a | | | | homeopathic natural remedies. Homeopathic natural |
| simple hug, a gold star or an understanding gesture, | | | | remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to |
| from a parent, teacher, or sibling may be enough to | | | | address such problematic symptoms as inattention, |
| encourage them to focus better. | | | | distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and |
| Another helpful tool in learning how to treat ADHD can | | | | hyperactivity and can be used both as a standalone |
| be creating a learning environment that minimize | | | | treatment or as a compliment to other nonprescription |
| distractions, along with an ADHD child’s other | | | | alternatives. |