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Guiding parents and teachers to navigate the challenges of ADHD

ADHD is a medical condition marked by developmental delays in children and teens, and often leads to challenges in parenting. It tends to be greatly misunderstood by medical and therapeutic providers, who may develop treatment plans that rely on medication as a sole source of treatment to the exclusion of behavior management training in parenting. Parenting interventions are effective, recommended, and have been proven to improve symptoms for children and teens. Most experts agree that ADHD is much (cont'd below)

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Leading Articles about Managing ADHD

Experiences for Kids with ADHD

Outdoor Adventure Camp Experiences for Kids with ADHD

By John Willson

The great outdoors is a natural treatment center for ADHD and makes for incredible experiences for kids with ADHD. In…

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Rewards Systems: Why They Work and How to Start One

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The Power of Rewards Systems Whatever the goal, rewards are tremendously uplifting and motivating for anyone. If you’re trying to…

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Linda Roggli

If I Had Known — Lessons from a Mom of an ADHD Adult

By Linda Roggli

We all want to do the best for our children, but sometimes we just don’t know how. When her son was young, Linda Roggli didn’t know, either. But now that her son is grown, she knows how she’d handle a “do-over.” Thankfully, we can all benefit from her words of wisdom …

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By Barbara Coloroso

Bullying is a familiar topic in the world of complex kids, and internationally renowned parent author and educator, Barbara Coloroso,…

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Surprising Strategy for ADHD Management: Celebration

By Elaine Taylor-Klaus

Have you ever noticed that what you most need to focus on tends to appear in your life repeatedly? It’s…

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teacher training and ADHD

How to Handle the Rebound When ADHD Medication Wears OFF in Kids!

By Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster

How Can I Help My Child ConcentrateMedication rebound – it’s real for kids with ADHD. So, what should a parent…

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Ask 3 Questions to Get the Best ADHD Treatment for Kids

By Phil Anderton

Brian, a pensioner now, has one leg clearly shorter than the other, the result of childhood tuberculosis. He wears a…

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The 3 Legged Stool of Success for ADHD Kids Part 3: Self-Improvement

By Jerome Schultz

We are honored to have Dr. Jerome Schultz as a Guest Expert and are thrilled to provide his wisdom in…

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Parenting A Child with ADHD

Parenting A Child with ADHD: 2 Steps to Lighten the Load

By Elaine Taylor-Klaus

Learn To Thrive I am inspired by every opportunity I have to spend time with a group of parents who…

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(continued) more than a ‘deficit of attention.’ Instead, ADHD can appear as a rather complicated collection of symptoms, manifesting somewhat differently for each individual. It may more easily be understood as a brain-based developmental delay in executive function. It can also be confused with or compounded by the many co-existing conditions that are common for people with ADHD, including anxiety, learning disabilities, depression, asthma, allergies, autism, Tourette syndrome, as well as newer (and less-well-known or researched) conditions, such as rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD).

Executive functions are responsible for how we think, feel, and act. They’re how we get ourselves to do (or not do) absolutely anything. Therefore, the symptoms that lead to an ADHD diagnosis are not just whether or not someone can pay attention, but whether they can self-regulate – whether they can decide what to pay attention to, stick with it, finish what they’re focusing on, minimize their impulses, and avoid getting distracted in the process. That’s what makes parenting so difficult.

The five areas most commonly reflected in ADHD symptoms rely heavily on executive function: attention (focus), impulsivity, organization, emotional intensity, and (sometimes) hyperactivity. Again, when kids, teens or young adults struggle with these issues, it can cause significant challenges in parenting.

Whether parents are trying to get life moving in the mornings or just help their kids and teens manage any or all of their responsibilities, ADHD is best treated by a combination of medication and ‘behavior therapy,’ otherwise known as parent management training, or behavior management training. With training, parenting can work with medication (when relevant) to teach children and teens skills in self-management, and ultimately improve outcomes for the whole family.