SESSION 1 Understanding ADHD

TIME OUT FOR PARENTS AIMS TO: better understand ADHD and its affects on your child enable you to better manage your child’s behaviour increase your confidence in the skills and abilities to ‘parent’ develop an even better relationship between you and your child

TIME OUT FOR PARENTS AIMS TO: teach skills for helping to raise children’s self-esteem work out the best way to effectively discipline your child to provide greater support where you would like it

SESSION PLAN What is ADHD? Social, emotional, physical and academic difficulties How the ADHD brain works Attention deficit behaviours

WHAT IS ADHD? ADHD = Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADD = Attention Deficit Disorder Hyperkinetic disorder Deficiency in attention motor control and perception (DAMP)

THE HISTORY OF ADHD 1945 Heinrich Hoffman first described ADHD behaviours American Psychiatric Association uses the term attention hyperactive disorder.

ADHD BEHAVIOURS Inattentive Hyperactive Impulsive

SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL AND ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES

HOW THE ADHD BRAIN WORKS

THE PRINCIPLE CHOICE OF PARENTS OF ADHD CHILDREN Accept the condition Come to terms with specific difficulties that won’t change and work round them Help the child feel a valued member of the family OR Make no allowances Be critical and hostile Apply more and more force

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” Reinhold Niebuhr

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ATTENTION DEFICIT BEHAVIOURS Inattention Poor short term memory Disorganisation

ATTENTION DEFICIT BEHAVIOURS Did you realise they were part of ADHD? Which behaviours do you find the hardest to manage?

ADHD IS A ‘HIDDEN DISABILITY’

“Children who suffer from ADD usually have normal or above normal intelligence. They possess the potential to learn but the immature chemical and metabolic system in their brain means they often have little control over their symptoms. They may try very hard to do the right thing, but struggle because they don’t have the self-control to manage things other people usually take for granted.” Dr Harry Nash

REFLECTION Started to understand what ADHD is and how the ADHD brain works Thought about what it is like to have a child with ADHD and the behaviours that are associated with the condition

REFLECTION We have a choice to either accept or reject the condition and this will affect the way we deal with our child’s behaviour Considered some of the social, emotional, physical and academic difficulties that a child with ADHD will have and thought about some ways we can help

FOCUS FOR THE WEEK Write down 10 things you love about your child and tell them Keep an account of how many negative things you say to your child this week and make sure you say at least as many positive things

NEXT WEEK We will look at attention deficit behaviour management strategies, hyperactive behaviours and strategies to help these

SESSION 2 Managing hyperactive behaviours

SESSION PLAN Behaviour management strategies Hyperactive behaviour Managing hyperactive behaviour

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Unfortunately there is no magic solution for parenting a child with ADHD

PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT Routines Consistent rules Giving clear instructions

HYPERACTIVE BEHAVIOURS

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MANAGING HYPERACTIVE BEHAVIOURS Routines Consistent rules Giving clear instructions Daily activities to increase alertness and to calm Reward good behaviour Don’t reward undesirable behaviour

‘DRIVEN BY A MOTOR’

YOUR CHILD’S ‘ENGINE SPEED’

SLEEP Keep a track of your child’s sleep patterns and problems

REWARD GOOD BEHAVIOUR Children with ADHD need lots of praise!

DON’T REWARD UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOUR

RELAXATION Practice relaxation with your child and you both benefit!

REFLECTION People with ADHD have difficulty filtering out irrelevant information We have learnt the importance of routines, consistent rules, clear commands, rewarding good behaviour and not rewarding undesirable behaviour We have tried one method of helping our child and ourselves to relax

FOCUS FOR THE WEEK Note the hyperactive behaviours that are of particular concern Identifying strategies you might be able to use to manage them

NEXT WEEK We will look at impulsive behaviours and strategies to help with this

SESSION 3 Managing impulsive behaviours

SESSION PLAN Impulsive behaviours Managing impulsive behaviours Demands and anger Treatment options Thinking positively

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT AT SCHOOL Children with ADHD need predictability, structure, short work periods, more individual instruction and positive reinforcement

IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS Someone who has ADHD often says or does the first thing which comes into their head

THE ADHD BRAIN Limbic system (Thalamus amygdala) Emotion Cerebral cortex Thinking Emotional – Thinking Link

UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT

MANAGING IMPULSIVE BEHAVOUR Routines Consistent rules Giving clear instructions Daily activities to increase alertness and to calm Reward good behaviour Don’t reward undesirable behaviour Plan ahead Consequences and sanctions

PLAN AHEAD

CONSEQUENCES AND SANCTIONS Children with ADHD don’t learn easily from consequences

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MANAGING CONSTANT DEMANDS AND ANGER “No” “Stop” “Don’t touch”

THE ANGER CYCLE

BOTTLED UP

FIREWORKS

TREATMENT OPTIONS Psychological interventions should always be the first line of treatment, then pharmacological treatment is considered.

ADHD AND MEDICATION

ADHD AND DIET

THINKING POSITIVE – COPING STRATEGIES Anger management ‘Me time’ Sleep Support groups Choose your battles

THINKING POSITIVE Many negative characteristics of ADHD can have a positive side

REFLECTION What have you enjoyed most about the course? What is the main thing you have learnt from the course? Name one hope that you have for your family’s future

THANK YOU FOR COMING