Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Home Treatment

Many home treatment methods can help reduce your child's symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. The approaches differ for children and adults, but treatment for all ages emphasizes understanding the condition, establishing daily structure, and using support systems.

When your child has ADHD, working together can improve behaviour and functioning at home and school. In addition, it is important for you to recognize that helping yourself will also help your child.

Tips for self-care

• Take care of yourself. It is often challenging to raise a child with ADHD. Caring for your own physical and mental health is an important part of helping your child and will help provide the needed energy.
• Educate yourself about ADHD. Learn as much as you can about the condition and your child's specific symptoms. You will be better able to help your child if you understand the condition.
• Learn behaviour management skills. Children usually need help learning how to interact appropriately with other people. You can help your child by learning behaviour management skills. An important component of behaviour management is establishing natural and logical consequences for misbehaviour.

Tips for your child

Help your child develop healthy self-esteem. Behaviours caused by ADHD can affect a child's feelings about himself or herself. You can help your child develop healthy self-esteem by encouraging a sense of belonging, confidence in learning, and an awareness of his or her contributions.

Help your child be successful in school. The symptoms of ADHD can interfere with a child's ability to succeed in school. Promoting school success will help your child academically, socially, and developmentally.

Help your child accomplish tasks at home. Children with ADHD have more difficulty than other children in paying attention to instructions, and they frequently get distracted before they can complete a task. Your patience, persistence, and creative thinking can help your child learn skills and accomplish tasks at home and school.

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Author:	Carrie Henley Sabra L. Katz-Wise	Last Updated: August 31, 2006
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Mina Dulcan, MD - Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
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