- Child ADHD -
Let’s face it, being a parent is hard work!
You wanna get it right. More than anything, you want your children to be happy and independent; and you want them to succeed at school.
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And yet you may have noticed your son or daughter seems to be “different” in some way. They have additional challenges or behaviours that are deemed “unacceptable” in a traditional school setting.
Behaviours that are typical for a young ADHD child, which you may be seeing, include: hyperactivity, trouble focusing, daydreaming, being disorganized, having a short fuse, being impulsive, constantly interrupting, difficulty reading social cues, feeling the need to constantly fidget or move.
When you put all these traits together, it’s easy to understand why kids with ADHD struggle in a typical classroom setting; and more often than not become a “problem” for the teachers.
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Not only that, but your atypical child may have started slipping behind his or her peers in terms of the standard benchmarks and educational milestones.
Your job as a parent just got a whole lot tougher.
now is the time to set things right.
Build on Strengths
The good news is, children with ADHD have a long list of strengths that often go unnoticed (strengths that are not typically recognized or acknowledged in a classroom setting).
Strengths like: passion, creativity, multi-tasking, curiosity, boundless energy, adventurous spirit, risk-taking, intuition, calmness amid crisis, innovation, and an ability to hyper-focus on topics that deeply interest them.
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LifeWorks coaching recognizes your child’s strengths (which become the foundation for their self-esteem and self-confidence), while at the same time addressing the behavioural, emotional and social challenges they face.
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STEP 1: COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT
The first and most critical step is getting an accurate diagnosis and ruling out co-morbid conditions that are typically associated with ADHD such as: learning disabilities, stress, sleep disorders, mood disorders, anxiety, behaviour issues, vision problems, etc.
A proper assessment involves: a detailed history of schooling, health, family, social life and environmental factors (with input from child, parents and teachers); in combination with a series of diagnostic questionnaires (DSM-V, DIVA-5, LW School Skills Assessment); behaviour rating scales; and possible observation.
STEP 2: INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN
Once the key “trouble areas” have been identified, a personalized treatment protocol will be implemented with specific strategies and weekly exercises to help your child develop new skills and competence.
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STEP 3: ONGOING SUPPORT WITH MID-WEEK “COACHING”
Typical therapy/counselling is done once per week, however in the early stages of therapy young children tend to need reminders and additional support as they seek to master new skills. With LifeWorks coaching, your child will receive the extra guidance they need with mid-week “check-ins” (at no additional fee).
STEP 4: COLLABORATION & TEAMWORK
As the saying goes “it takes a village to raise a child” but even more so with an ADHD child. To ensure your child has the right support system in place, collaboration with parents and teachers is paramount and regarded as a priority. Not only will you receive weekly updates, but parents and teachers will be given suggestions on how they can best support a child’s progress at home and in the classroom.
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STEP 5: MONITOR PROGRESS & RE-ASSESS SKILLS
Each week your child’s progress will be assessed; and if necessary new strategies will be implemented to reinforce skill acquisition. The goal of coaching is to ensure the newly learned skills become fully integrated and automatic.
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STEP 6: CELEBRATE “WINS”
The final step in the coaching cycle, especially with young children, is taking time to celebrate and acknowledge their success and victories, as a way to reinforce confidence and self-esteem.
ADHD Coaching - 6 Steps
An accurate diagnosis can save a life; an inaccurate diagnosis can wreck one. For many people, the day they are first diagnosed is a tipping point that will have a profound impact on how the future will unfold.
Dr. Allen Frances – chair of DSM-IV Task Force
ADHD in young children - the classic symptoms
Inattentive
* difficulty paying attention to lessons, peers or activities
* easily distracted
* loses track of personal items, conversations, tasks
* does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
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Hyperactive
* overabundance of energy; “wired”
* fidgety - frequently squirming or tapping; can't "sit still"
* often climbs or runs about at in appropriate times
* struggles to play (or take part in) leisure activities quietly
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Impulsive
* doesn’t think before acting; makes many poor decisions
* lacks inhibition (self-restraint)
* often blurts out answers or talks excessively
* has difficulty taking turns or waiting
