Looking for ways yo help your ADHD kid? We have 5 simple ways you can help your ADHD child.
As a parent we are always wondering what can I do to help my child with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)? How can I help make my child’s life better? How can I help their ADHD?
I found that ADHD is cause by a combination of genetics, problems with the central nervous system and environmental influences. One of the biggest influences is what we put inside our bodies. The reality is that modern day we eat a lot more processed food full of chemicals, artificial flavorings, additives and way too much sugar. Most professionals will tell you that the exact cause of ADHD is not clear, but the food you feed your ADHD child can affect their behavior. The reality is that scientists cannot tell you exactly what causes ADHD, therefore you cannot control whether your child gets ADHD.
I don’t have answers, but I can share some things you can do to help mitigate how severe your child’s ADHD symptoms and behaviors are.
Get Kids Outside
Nature and fresh air are one of the best things that have helped my ADHD kids. Letting them get outside and play in nature with no boundaries, schedules or expectations has done wonders in helping with anxiety, concentration, focus and more. Kids with ADHD spend so much of their time trying to fit in, trying to stay inline at school, trying to fight their natural urges of impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Giving ADHD children an outlet where they can run, jump and explore nature without having to fit or conform within certain boundaries is a gift to ADHD children.
Say No to SUGAR
Sugar is highly addictive and directly related to affecting ADHD. Although the jury’s still out on the exact affects of sugar and hyperactivity, it has been shown to contribute to increased symptoms and behaviors. Even if your child doesn’t have ADHD, reducing sugar can have benefits for the entire family. The biggest culprits of sugar that you should avoid are candy, which is loaded with sugar and artificial colors which studies have shown to promote ADHD”s hyperactivity. You should also eliminate soda from your child’s diet. Sodas contain a lot of the same sugar and sweeteners of candy that enhance symptoms of hyperactivity and distractability/focus. The combination of high-fructose corn syrup and caffeine have been shown to increase aggression and social withdrawal in ADHD kids.
It may feel like these kids have so much stacked against them, they deserve a break and the happiness sugar, candy or soda brings them. But you need to think about the aftermath, uncontrollable behavior and plummet of energy that comes with sugar too. The human body can only process so much sugar a day and most kids lunches have more sugar than they should have in the entire day! Make smarter choices. If you are strong about your choices, your kids will be too.
Less Time on Electronic Devices
Get More Sleep
It is common for people with ADHD to have sleep issues. If they have anxiety issues too, they will surely have sleep problems. Sleep deprivation makes children irritable, impatient, less efficient and of course makes it harder to concentrate and focus. Many studies have shown that lack of sleep can worsen ADHD symptoms including emotional controls, which can lead to more problems in school. If your child has trouble sleeping, try creating a bedtime routine, keeping their room dark, using a white noise machine and limiting the amount of sugar/caffeine in their diet, especially close to bedtime.
Not to prove my earlier points are right, but increased exercise can help in improving sleep patterns, especially exercise in early morning or during the day. You should try to avoid it too close to bedtimes. Exercise also has the added benefit of relieving stress. We started walking our dog early in the morning with my ADHD son. On the days we walked he always had a better day at school, focused more and never got sent home any pink slips (for getting into trouble) on those days. Another big help is if children stay off screen time 1-2 hours before going to bed.
A recent study showed that teens who should be getting 8-9 hours of sleep are only averaging 5-6. Imagine how much nicer teens could be if they had less electronics, a good sleep routine and more hours of deep sleep. Can you tell I have a pre-teen ADHDer in the house and am looking for ways to survive?
Looking for some sleep tips? Try essential oils for ADHD kids.
Limit BPA Exposure
This one I’m on the fence to believing about the severity of affect it has on children. The Mayo clinic has found a link between ADHD and BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA is the starting materials for most plastics.
I’m also not about to go testing their hypothesis either, so if you are still doing it, STOP HEATING UP FOOD IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS. These plastic containers were not meant to be heated and when they do it leeches out toxins that go into the food and directly into the brain when consumed and enhances ADHD symptoms. And the latest thing is that you should try to buy cans that are BPA free too… something I never knew. And lastly, this one is the shocker. When it’s available ask for your receipt to be mailed to you. I don’t know how many times I have let my kids play with the receipts while they are still hot from the printer at the cash. I never knew that the receipts are covered in BPA. THe printers do not use ink, but instead they heat up plastic full of BPA which makes it able for the numbers and words to show up on receipts.
Be Positive
All kids go through so much, but ADHD kids seem to have a more difficult go. It’s easy when you are frustrated to just yell or criticize… I surely have. Try to strike a balance in your feedback. Point out some positives first before negatives, praise the efforts rather than the results or compliment them on something they have done, even if it doesn’t seem like the biggest accomplishment to anyone else. All of these aspects will go far in helping them to create a positive environment and build confidence.
Do you have any tips for parents how to help ADHD child? Share below.
