Relieve ADHD symptoms

For a general understanding of ADHD symptoms and treatment options, please see the booklet, Information on Treating ADHD (PDF 139KB).

Medications top
Behavioral Modification
Environmental Modification

1. Medications

If the child/youth/adult’s ADHD is causing significant impairment to the individual’s emotional, social and academic/work functioning, a trial of medication may be suggested. A trial of medication is meant to determine if the medication will be of benefit. A trial can last from two to three months in which dosage and time of medication is adjusted. The medications are used to assist with concentration, focus and impulse control. Most individuals tolerate medications very well, although some may experience side effects. The majority of side effects are dose and time related and easily remedied. Deciding on the medication depends on the type of side effects experienced.

Concerns about medication(s) should be discussed with your health care professional.

Medication: For more information, see the Fact Sheet developed by the ADHD Clinic.

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2. Behavioural modification

Three steps to change your child’s behaviour:

Define the problem in a positive way
Instead of talking about the problematic behaviour of your child try to talk specifically about the desired behaviour.
Set reasonable goals
To prevent overwhelming your child, break the goal into several smaller sub-goals. When your child accomplishes one sub-goal, help them work towards another until the goal is achieved.
Work towards the goal
Children like to be praised and will respond to immediate rewards and consequences. Use specific comments about the level of progress and avoid generalization about the child’s behaviour.

Encouragement
Establish a system to encourage your child. Some ideas involve giving the child a star or sticker that he or she can collect. These stars or stickers can then be traded for specific activities they choose. It is a good idea to have a table that lists out the number of stars rewarded for each task well done and how many stars are needed for each activity. For example, a child may receive two stars for cleaning his room; with two stars, the child may choose what kind of dessert the family will have at dinner that night.
Discipline
Immediate consequences for ADHD children are very important because with no immediate consequences, they will forget what has happened. A “three strikes timeout” is a good option in which a child is given two chances (two strikes) to do something inappropriate (with a reminder of alternate behaviour), and if the child does the same inappropriate action for the third time, he or she is then put in a quiet place with minimum stimulation for their timeout period. More serious behaviour such as aggression results in immediate timeout for the child. It is important that during the timeout period, the parents do not interact with the child.

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3. Environmental modification

Increase predictability

Have a consistent schedule and warn the child about upcoming changes.
This will make it easier for the child to remember what to do and when to do it. The schedule needs to be where they can see it daily. Changes to the schedule may disrupt their routine, so it is important to remind the child about the upcoming changes.
Remove unpredictable noise and traffic
To help your child remain focused and on task it is important that he or she have a place where there are minimal distracting noises, events or objects. For example, a little corner in the dining room may be a good place for the child to do some homework when the dining room is not in use.

Increase structure

Have a place for everything.
Boxes with labels on them can be very useful in helping the child stay organized.
Use lots of timers and alarm clocks.
Time may be insignificant to a child with ADHD. Timers can help a child realize the importance of time by allowing them to see the clock hand approaching zero. Alarm clocks can be used as reminders.

Increase clarity

Define rules, consequences and rewards.
Discuss with the child the rules, the consequences of breaking the rules, and rewards for following the rules. Post the rules, consequences and rewards in a place where it is easily visible.
Help the child understand the steps of a task.
A child with ADHD may have problems completing a task. This may be because they do not remember how. One of the many ways a parent can help the child is by writing down the steps of a task like a cooking recipe. For example, write on a poster board exactly what the child has to do in the morning when he or she wakes up, such as brush teeth, comb hair, wash face, get dressed, eat breakfast, etc. For non-readers, include pictures of the task on the schedule, as reminders of what he or she needs to do.