Most forward-thinking teachers and instructors understand how to meet the special needs of children with ADHD. Unfortunately, many parents don’t.
ADHD is an acronym for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children with ADHD struggle with attention problems, as well as hyperactivity. Teachers are trained to help ADHD kids deal with their personal obstacles and meet their learning potential. However, parents can often find it difficult to keep children safely occupied after school hours.
If your child has ADHD, the first step to choosing the right after school activity is to understand how he or she is affected by the condition. If your child is interested in sports, you need to know if he or she is put off by fierce competitiveness, or is overly competitive. Is it easy for your child to get along with teammates? Does your child vocalize emotions, or is communication a problem?
Physical exercise is beneficial to all children, and perhaps more so for children with ADHD. Exercise can use up the extra energy and help stimulate the brain. Team activities offer kids to learn valuable social skills and discipline. If your child shies away from team sports, you may want to look at activities like swimming, dancing, cycling or gymnastics. Martial arts are a great alternative, as they teach self-defense techniques along with discipline, patience and self-control.
Some kids tend to gravitate towards fine arts rather than athletics. There are wonderful after school opportunities for artistic kids with ADHD. Acting or improv classes provide a great form of creative expression and exercise. Drama classes can also provide the child with ample opportunity to develop social skills. Music, art or dance can help a child with ADHD keep busy and entertained, while providing a valuable sense of self-worth and accomplishment.
Scouting is another good after-school option. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and other community-oriented clubs teach children social skills and personal values. Like all children, kids with ADHD love to take part in special interest projects, and help with community efforts like park clean-up projects.
Whatever after school program you choose, be sure to monitor your child’s progress periodically. Ask your child’s coach, instructor or counselor for help in assessing your child’s development. If you feel that he or she is not benefiting from the program, you may need to consider changing the activity.
Any after school program that increases your child’s self-esteem is good, but certain activities may be detrimental to the development of a child suffering from ADHD. Excessive television use should be avoided, as well as certain computer and video games. These activities involve no interaction and can leave your child feeling more all the more isolated. Kids with ADHD can sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between good and the bad messages, so they may be inclined to exhibit inappropriate actions or act out contrary messages. On the other hand, group activities that require a child to sit and wait patiently for his or her turn might not be a success.
Children with ADHD are normal kids facing above average challenges. It is important to allow them to take part with their peers in regular after school programs. Take the time to review options with your child, and choose after school activities that are fulfilling, challenging and above all, rewarding.
Patricia Williams
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/adhd-after-school-84990.html
#1 by trufaery06 on June 4th, 2009
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Are there other parents out there with ADHD children without medication in elementary school?
My son is ADHD and in school, third grade, and I feel targeted because I stopped giving him medication. I know I'm not the only parent out there with a ADHD child not on medication. How have your childrens schools dealt with behavior/distraction problems?
My son is in therapy and has been for years. He also has been on almost all the add medications and has adverse violent aggressive behavior on them. And I am not against medication but these meds are METH and they do have serious side effects such as sudden death.
#2 by grungegirlbutohsogothic on June 4th, 2009
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I don't have a child with ADHD, but I think not medicating is best, so kudos! It just means he needs special attention to deal with his problem, not a pill. They are targeting you because they think you're making it harder for them…don't let them get to you. And if they give you any crap, just tell them you have to raise your son until he's grown, they have to learn to teach him for a year. If you can learn to do what he needs, surely they can. KUDOS!!!
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#3 by Charlotte Z on June 4th, 2009
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I have ADD, and there's nothing wrong with medication, as long as it's used in conjunction with therapy. If your child had any other disability, wouldn't you give them the medication that would help? ADD is a chemical imbalance that can be rectified using medication- just like diabetes, and you wouldn't dream of trying to fix diabetes without insulin (a chemical). Trying to fix a chemical imbalance without adding chemicals just doesn't make sense. I knew a lot of kids growing up whose parents didn't "believe" in medicating their ADD children, and the kids suffered for it. They just couldn't concentrate in class, and were socially awkward. It was so sad knowing that even a low dose of medication would help them become much more confident and successful.
You may have decided to stop medication because your child had a bad reaction to it. I had bad reactions to some medications. Ritalin, for example, made me jittery and got rid of my appetite entirely. Adderall, however, helped greatly.
You should go to an ADD/ADHD specialist and talk to them. They can help you come up with a plan to help your son, regardless of whether you decide to continue with no medication or not. You can also look for a local chapter of CHAADD (Children and Adults with ADD). They have support groups for both you and your son.
I really hope you change your mind on the medication front, but let me just clarify that I don't think you're wrong or a bad mother or anything for refusing medication. I just think that medication for ADD has gotten a bad reputation recently because it's over-prescribed and given to children that don't actually have ADD, which causes bad things to happen. I hope I helped.
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http://www.chadd.org/
#4 by 2275c on June 4th, 2009
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so how does he do without meds? have you restricted his diet? no processed foods, no sugar – that will have a direct impact on behavior. does he get enough sleep? diet and sleep will help with behavior issues.
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#5 by PRINTS on June 4th, 2009
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My son had ADHD and the medications were not nearly as readily prescibed, then. In fact, I had a teacher tell me he would outgrow it over the summer. I had my son checked for food sensitivities and found out how I could manage things through diet. I eliminated sugar and other things he was sensitive to, as well as peanut products – a real problem for some children in regards to the behavior issues and compliance, tantrums. Try looking up ADHD and food sensitivities, ADHD and candida, ADHD and leaky gut. Try eliminating sugar and things with sugar in them, possibly dairy and possibly wheat products. The rule of thumb is that whatever the favorite foods are, may well be the problem foods. Try Omega 3's. Read books by Dr. Doris Rapp. Additionally, try very hard, to praise and notice the things your son does well. ADHD children so often hear all the things they do wrong, it sometimes gets easy for them to just fall into that trap. Rather than pointing out the bad things, point out whatever good you see. It will pay off. Spend time talking to him, too.
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