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In the past, ADHD was known as ADD or attention deficit disorder. Doctors began to recognize that many children with the disorder also experienced hyperactivity. This led to diagnosis of two types of ADHD: inattentive type, which includes people who previously would have been diagnosed with ADD; and hyperactive-impulsive type, which includes people who previously would have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that typically appears during childhood. It’s characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and difficulty with focusing. ADHD symptoms can make it harder for children to learn essential skills at school and at home.
Inattention refers to the inability to sustain attention on tasks or play activities. It is often seen as difficulty finishing tasks, following directions, and maintaining focus. Children with ADHD are easily distracted or wander off task. They may have difficulty organizing themselves and their belongings.
Hyperactivity is excessive activity that is not appropriate for the child’s age. It is often associated with fidgeting, squirming, running about and climbing inappropriately. These behaviors are frequently noted in children in situations where they are expected to sit quietly
Impulsivity refers to actions that are performed without thought of the consequences. It is often seen as having little patience and interrupting others frequently.
What are your ADHD treatment options?
If you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), treatment can relieve many of your symptoms. Treatment typically includes medication, as well as counseling and support to help with school and social situations.
Your doctor will likely make several recommendations on lifestyle changes that can help improve your symptoms. These may include:
Getting enough sleep. Follow a regular sleep schedule and avoid caffeine and other chemicals that can interfere with sleep.
Eating right. Eating a healthy diet that’s low in fat and high in protein, fruits, and vegetables may help improve concentration.
Exercising regularly. Exercise is proven to improve mood and brain function, helping people with ADHD concentrate better and become more organized.
Practicing relaxation techniques. These may include yoga, deep breathing exercises, or meditation.
ADHD is generally treated with medication, education or training, or both. Medications used for treatment are called stimulants because they can increase alertness, attention, and energy. However, for people with ADHD these medications actually have the opposite effect — they calm them down and improve their ability to focus. Although stimulants are the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD, other options are also available.
ADHD Home Treatment
Home treatment for ADHD is a practical, comprehensive approach to helping your child with ADHD. Your home treatment plan may include:
Helping your child with ADHD follow routines. A daily schedule helps your child know what’s expected and when, which can reduce the need to constantly remind and redirect him.
Creating a positive learning environment. Make sure there aren’t too many distractions in your child’s environment. Providing a quiet place for studying and homework is one way of creating an environment that can be conducive to learning.
Establishing realistic goals. Work with your child to set small, achievable goals. When the goals are met, reward success — for example, by providing extra time for fun activities or a special outing or privilege.
A team approach to ADHD treatment works best. This means that the child’s parents, teachers, and doctors are all working together and following the same treatment instructions.
The main treatments for people with ADHD are counseling, education or training, medication, or a combination of treatments. Talk therapy and education about ADHD can help you understand how to cope with your condition. Medication helps many people who have ADHD lead normal lives.
If you or your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, it is important to educate yourself about the condition and its treatments. This information can help you make educated decisions about your or your child’s care.
The importance of sleep in ADHD treatment
Sleep problems are common in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These problems affect both the quantity and quality of sleep, as well as emotional functioning. For example, it has been found that children with ADHD have a higher prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS), sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and circadian rhythm disorders. These sleep issues can lead to daytime symptoms such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
In general, we know that sleep deprivation leads to an increase in daytime symptoms and impairment of cognition, which is another reason why getting enough sleep is so important for children with ADHD. It’s important to note that this relationship works both ways: ADHD symptoms often are disruptive to good sleep.
The role of melatonin
One way that parents can help their child who has ADHD get better sleep is to make sure they’re getting enough melatonin. This hormone helps us fall asleep and stay asleep by regulating our internal circadian rhythm. In addition to helping us fall asleep, melatonin plays an important role in brain development during childhood years.
Children with ADHD have been found to have lower levels of melatonin than those without the condition, which may explain the increased incidence of low quality or reduced total sleep time.
The importance of sleep in ADHD treatment
Sleep problems are common in children and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These include:
- difficulty falling asleep
- difficulty staying asleep
- daytime sleepiness
- nightmares or night terrors
People with ADHD also tend to have sleep apnea, which causes breathing difficulties during sleep. This can cause more serious issues, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Good nutrition can help reduce ADHD symptoms
Good nutrition can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in several ways. A healthy diet:
- fuels a child’s growing body and brain
- helps keep weight in check
- supports strong muscles and bones
- builds immunity to fight off illness
- may improve mental function, such as memory and thinking skills
- may prevent or reduce some of the short- and long-term health risks from ADHD
Professional treatment for ADHD
Getting professional treatment for adult ADHD is a complex process. Some people with ADHD have other challenges — such as learning disabilities, anxiety disorders, depression or substance abuse — that may need to be addressed before you can effectively treat the ADHD.
As an adult, it may be more difficult to handle challenges related to ADHD on your own. The good news is that you’re never too old to benefit from treatment, and there are effective treatments available.
Talk therapy. Talk therapy helps people with ADHD learn skills for managing symptoms and reducing their impact on daily life. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one popular approach. During sessions, a therapist will help you identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones. For example, a therapist might help you find ways to stop procrastinating or improve your listening skills in conversations.
Some therapists take a different approach by helping you focus on how your mind works. This type of therapy — sometimes called acceptance and commitment therapy — teaches the concept of mindfulness to help you become more aware of what’s going on in your mind at any given moment so that you can respond appropriately in challenging situations instead of reacting automatically in unhealthy ways.
The most common treatment for ADHD is medication combined with therapy or behavior modification.
Medication: Stimulant medication can help improve the symptoms of ADHD by increasing the availability of certain brain chemicals that are involved in thinking and attention. Although stimulant drugs can be very effective at reducing the symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, they don’t work for everyone
Behavior therapy: Behavior therapy teaches parents how to reinforce positive behaviors in their child and reduce the frequency of negative ones. It also helps parents learn skills for effectively communicating with their child.
Support groups: Support groups provide a forum where you can meet others who are facing similar challenges
Exercise: Exercise has been shown to help children with ADHD avoid some of the negative effects of inactivity such as weight gain or obesity. In addition to physical benefits, exercise may also relieve stress and anxiety.
Behavioral therapy for ADHD
What is behavioral therapy for ADHD?
Behavioral therapy for ADHD is a type of counseling that helps people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) learn to control their thoughts and behavior. It’s also called behavior modification or behavioral training.
The goal of behavioral therapy is to help people with ADHD change their behavior, learn new skills and develop better relationships with others.
How does behavioral therapy work?
Behavioral therapy involves three different types of treatment:
Parent training or coaching. This involves education, support and guidance for parents in helping their child with ADHD manage his or her behavior.
Therapeutic childcare. A childcare professional will work directly with your child in a daycare or other group setting to encourage behaviors you want your child to learn and discourage behaviors you don’t want your child to continue.
Social skills training groups. These groups involve children who have similar difficulties working together in a group setting to practice social skills they need help with, such as sharing, taking turns and following rules. The children are supervised by health care professionals who teach them positive ways to handle anger, frustration and other negative emotions.
Behavioral therapy may include:
Positive reinforcement: Your therapist will provide rewards when you successfully complete a task. For example, you might get a star for each day that you take your medications as prescribed, exercise or eat healthy meals. When you reach a certain number of stars, you might receive a small reward, such as a movie ticket or dinner out with friends.
Time management: You’ll learn skills and strategies to help you manage your time better. For example, your therapist might teach you how to use a daily planner or set up reminders on your smartphone to help you stay focused and organized.
Parent training: If your child has ADHD, parent training sessions can help parents learn ways to effectively discipline