ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

ADHD Treatments

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adhd treatmentEducation: Educate yourself as much as you can about ADHD and its management. Read books, talk to professionals, and research on the internet.

Medication: Stimulant medication (methylfenadate, amphetamines) and non- stimulant medications (atomoxetine) have been shown to be effective. Seek a qualified physician to evaluate use of medication.

Parent-training: Parent-training is an affective treatment for ADHD. Parent- training helps decrease parent/child conflict, child defiance, and disruptive behaviors. Parent-training also helps reduce parent stress and household stress in general. Parent-training strategies include contingency management, effective use of commands, transition planning, positive attending, behavior management plans, and various monitoring programs.

Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is helpful for adolescents and adults by helping them gain a better understanding of the nature of ADHD, its management, and how it has influenced who they are today. It is also useful to help with medication compliance.

School-based accommodations and interventions and Social-skills training

DEVELOPMENTAL RISKS

adhd development risks✓Academic under-performance 90% of the time
✓Retention in a grade from 25% to 50% of the time
✓Requiring Special Education in 35% to 60% of the time
✓Failure to graduate high school in 30% to 40% of the time
✓Less likely to attend college 20% of the time
✓Less likely to graduate college 5% of the time
✓Peer-relation problems 50% of the time
✓Delinquency in 25% to 35%
✓Substance-abuse/dependency 10% to 20%
✓Early sexual activity and teen pregnancy in 38%+
✓Increased risk for STDs in 16%
✓Greater health risk

 

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ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

ADHD Testing – Assessing ADHD

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Find a trained professional specializing in ADD/ ADHD with whom you feel comfortable. An evaluation for ADD/ADHD should be comprehensive. The evaluation should include taking a comprehensive history including; symptoms, medical history, social history, and family medical history. When evaluating a child, the evaluation should include observations of the child. Behavior questionnaires which provide an objective behavior sampling in at least two settings are generally utilized. In some cases, psychological and/or neuropsychological testing is used to rule out other concurrent cognitive, psychological, or learning problems, and to assist with treatment planning.

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Learning Your ADHD Child’s Triggers | ADHD evaluations | ADHD Coach Toms River New Jersey

What is Good Parenting?

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It is well known that parenting behavior has a significant impact on a child’s psychological health and behavior. Research has shown that there are certain parenting behaviors that are beneficial to a child’s well being.  These behaviors include being sensitive to a child’s needs, developing a positive parent-child relationship and encouraging and rewarding positive behavior.

When a parent responds sensitively to a child’s needs a child is more likely to demonstrate secure attachment.  This type of sensitivity can be seen when a parent interacts with a cooing or smiling baby.  Ignoring or acting aggressively to a cooing or smiling baby can lead to anxiety and insecure attachment.  But responding to the baby in a sensitive way the reflects the baby’s level of arousal and needs will help develop a securely attached baby.  Securely attached children are more likely to demonstrate positive behaviors as an adult.

When parents provide love and support to their children, children tend develop positive feelings of self-worth.  Research show that parents own mental health and attitudes toward parenting can impact their ability to develop this positive relationship with their children.  Therefore, it important for parents to be aware of their own psychological well being and attitudes and address any issues they may be having themselves.

Finally, there is a great deal of research to support the effectiveness of focusing on and rewarding positive behavior.  Often, as parents, we accidently do the opposite!  Without realizing it parents reinforce negative behavior by either giving in or paying a lot of negative attention to it, while ignoring our child when they are well behaved.  It is important for parents to consciously keep their focus on positive behaviors, provide attention to their children when ‘good’ behavior occurs and attempt to minimize attention to negative behaviors.

Participating in a Parent Management Training program can provide parents with the support, tools, and feedback to develop parenting behaviors that will lead to healthier children and a happier household.

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ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

Causes of ADHD

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Understanding the Diagnosis

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most over-diagnosed and under-diagnosed disorders. This is because many other disorders and problems can mimic the symptoms of ADHD. In addition, the majority of children who have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder also have other related problems.

Causes of ADHD

ADD/ADHD is a neuro-chemical disorder with a large genetic component. The genetic contribution to ADD/ADHD is 80% or more. It is now known that poor child management by parents does NOT cause ADD/ADHD. Other causes of ADD/ADHD that have been disproved include; food additives, allergies, sugar, milk in diet, excessive caffeine in diet, environmental allergens, family stress, excessive use of TV and video games, increased cultural tempo, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities. Although many of the previously-mentioned environmental and emotional conditions can result in other behavior/emotional difficulties, they do not cause ADD/ADHD. ADD/ADHD is a problem of the brain. Therefore, symptoms will be observed across time and across environmental settings.

Prevalence of ADHD

Prevalence of ADHDADHD occurs in approximately 5% to 8% of the childhood population, and approximately 4% to 5% of the adult population. Three times more boys have ADHD than girls. Among adults, the ratio is 2 to 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADHD Coaching is available online, by phone , and in-person by Jay B. Gordon, Ph.D. Neuropsychologist and staff ADHD Coaching Psychologists.

ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

What is ADHD?

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Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly known as ADHD, is a developmental disorder in both children and adults that impairs the ability to sustain attention and focus, resist distraction, and regulate behavior.

AN OLD DISORDER WITH A NEW NAME

Although the current term, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, has only been around since the 1980s, the disorder has been described under other names asearly as 1902. However, Attention Deficit/HyperactivityDisorder is still poorly named. ADD/ADHD is more a disorder of inhibition and self-regulation rather than a disorder of attention. If people with ADD/ADHD have a natural interest in a particular stimulus, they will have no difficulty paying attention to it. However, if they need to regulate and control their attention to something that is NOT of significant interest to them, they will find themselves having substantial difficulty.

We can help!

Cutting edge, effective, non-drug treatments are available to improve focus and attention, and to help individuals achieve greater success in school, careers and relationships. Most importantly, our aim is to improve your child or loved one’s self-confidence and feeling of well being for a happier, healthier, and more productive life!

ADHD Evaluation –

In order to develop the proper specialized solutions to the problems a person with ADHD and their family are confronting it is crucially important that there is an accurate diagnosis.

An accurate diagnosis will ensure a clearer understanding of the nature of the difficulties being experienced and/or observed. From this understanding individualized solutions can be found.

ADHD Coaching

Coaches provide education, teach proven strategies, utilize evidence based behavioral techniques, provide clear and consistent feedback, establish clear expectations and goals, break tasks down to parts, utilize cognitive strategies (ie self talk and thinking strategies), and develop appropriate environmental modifications. A coach establish daily behaviors which allow an individual to maintain persistence and motivation towards long term future goals, allowing hopes and dreams to become a reality.

ADHD Coaching is available online, by phone , and in-person by Jay B. Gordon, Ph.D. Neuropsychologist and staff ADHD Coaching Psychologists.

ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

Self-Regulation and ADD/ADHD

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In many ways, ADD/ADHD can be seen as a problem with self-regulation.  Self-regulation is one of the executive skills that an ADD Coach or Executive Skills Coach attempts to remediate.  Self-regulation involves regulating not only attention and focus, but behavior and mood.  Initially, deficits with self-regulation are addressed by others providing cues, reminders, structure and reinforcement to keep an individual motivated, persistent and on-task towards a future goal.  The goal of the coach is to teach strategies and new habits so that the individual with ADD/ADHD or a self-regulation weakness is no longer dependent on others to keep them motivated and on task.

Some strategies an ADD Coach or Executive Skills Coach may utilize are listed below:

-clearly defining the goal behavior

-breaking the task into parts

-schedule and plan when the identified goal behavior will be executed

-setting up a reward system, and utilizing self reward for successful execution of goal behavior

-Utilize productive self-talk

-Utilize self-monitoring strategies

-Practice self evaluation

-Utilize external cues and reminders

-Create interest and excitement in the tasks involved or goal behaviors

-Positive Mental Attitude (PMT)

-Utilization of mood regulation techniques such as relaxation training or cognitive reframing.


The above mentioned strategies can take time to master.  But with the proper assistance and practice they can go far in helping an individual with ADD/ADHD achieve their personal goals.

ADHD Coaching is available online, by phone , and in-person

 

ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

Why Smart People with ADHD Make Poor Decisions

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Parents, friends and spouses can become confused and frustrated when someone with ADHD can appear to be so smart in some situations, but still make such poor decisions in other situations.  The problem is that people with ADHD have an impairment with the executive functions.  Some of the executive functions include task persistence, sustained attention and emotional regulation.  Often, individuals with ADHD can reason adequately to solve a problem.

They know what to do. BUT, they just don’t do it when it is time to execute their solution or plan needed to reach their goal!

ADHD is not a knowledge or skill deficit.  It is an execution and self-regulation deficit.  This is why  explaining alone will not be helpful.  Neither will lecturing, nagging or yelling.

When it is time for  ADHD individuals to execute their plan so they can reach some future goal, their reasoning brain becomes hostage to their emotional brain.  The stimuli in the environment trigger thoughts and feelings that override their reasoning brain.  The promise of immediate gratification  which is calling to them right then and there, overrides the part of the brain that had a longer term goal in mind just moments earlier.

An ADHD coach can help  individuals with ADHD overcome their executive functioning weaknesses.  The first step is to have a good understanding of why the problem is occurring in the first place. It is important to take a disability perspective and to work to develop new habits and environmental accommodations that will help  ADHD individuals actually execute what they know they need to do. Review some of these strategies in more detail in future posts.

ADHD Coaching is available online, by phone , and in-person.

ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

How to Help Someone with ADHD Make it all the Way to the Finish Line

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Goal directed persistence is a core weakness for individuals with ADHD.  Reaching long term goals can be problematic.  They have difficulty sustaining their attention and delaying gratification in order to reach a future goal.  The excitement and pleasure of some more immediate event present right here and now cannot be resisted.  The ADHD individual knows what they should do, but just doesn’t do it.  They become distracted, side tracked, lose motivation or change their plans.  These difficulties are frustrating for the ADHD individual and for their loved ones and can lead to underachievement, low self-esteem and depression.

Goal setting is an important first step needed to help an ADHD individual persist toward a future goal. Goals can include attaining a good grade on a test, completing a project, maintaining a neat room or work station, or completing a long term work project.  When an individual writes down, verbalizes and commits to a future goal, he or she is more likely to reach the goal.

The following are some strategies to help someone stay on track and maintain persistence and motivation in order to reach a future goal:

-Break tasks into parts and identify specific behaviors needed to reach each part.

-Commit to completing the specific behaviors intended.

-In advance, say out loud the exact behavior that you plan to do.  For example, “I will write my homework in my planner.” or “I will study for a half hour after work/school”.

-Reward yourself when you do follow through with the committed to behavior.  Parents, spouses and loved ones can reinforce the completion of a behavior by using praise.

-Externalize cues.  Write the goals down and post them at the point of performance.  This will create an environmental trigger to cue you to perform the behavior.

-Start with easier goals to create opportunities for success.

-Intersperse less boring or challenging activities with the intended behavior.

-Seek help, tutoring or education if there is a skill deficit and you lack the exact knowledge of how to perform a particular behavior.

-Limit distractions in the environment where the behavior is to take place as much as possible.

-Learn from successes and failures.  Review why you did or did not meet a goal to develop interventions for the future.


-An ADHD coach can help set up and fine tune strategies to help you reach your future goals.

ADHD Coaching is available online, by phone , and in-person.

ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

What Can Parents with Daughters of ADHD do to Help Their Daughter Thrive Socially

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The first step to helping your daughter thrive socially is to carefully evaluate exactly why your child is having her social difficulty.  Is she breaking personally space, having tantrums, interrupting, not waiting her turn,  missing social cues due to inattention, annoying other children with off task or silly behavior?  Or is she socially shy or insecure?  The intervention will depend on your conceptualization of the problem.  So first investigate.  Talk to teachers.  Talk to your child.  Observe.  Once the source of your daughter’s difficulty is found a skills training model can be useful.  Provide opportunities to practice the behavior you want (ie waiting ones turn) and use a great deal of positive re-enforcement.  An ADHD child will require more structure, more cues, more immediate feedback and larger re-enforcement than a typical child.  Make sure your child has opportunities for success. Find her strength, encourage them and provide opportunities to express them.  Limit distractions as much as possible and attempt to place your daughter in an environment which will minimize or social difficulties (ie having only one child over at a time and playing a game or in a setting that minimizes your child’s difficulties).

How do we get people to take their daughters for diagnosis earlier?

If your daughter is struggling socially, behaviorally, emotionally or academically, familiarize yourself with the symptoms of ADHD.  If you have suspicions your child may have ADHD seek a professional ADHD evaluation.

ADHD Coaching is available online, by phone , and in-person.

ADHD Tips - ADHD coaching

What can Parents with Daughters of ADHD do to Help Their Daughter Thrive at School/Academically?

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Obtain a thorough evaluation by a professional with experience diagnosing and treating ADHD

Education:

Educate yourself as much as you can about ADHD and its
management. Read books, talk to professionals, and research on the internet.

Medication:

Stimulant medication (methylfenadate, amphetamines) and nonstimulant
medications (atomoxetine) have been shown to be effective. Seek a
qualified physician to evaluate use of medication.

Parent-Training/Coaching:

Parent-training or coaching is an affective treatment for ADHD.

Parenttraining/coaching helps decrease parent/child conflict, child defiance, and disruptive behaviors.

Parent-training/coachingalso helps reduce parent stress and household stress in general. Parenting strategies includecontingency management, effective use of commands, transition planning, positive attending, behavior
management plans, and various monitoring programs.

Psychotherapy:

Psychotherapy is helpful for children, adolescents and adults by helping them gain a better
understanding of the nature of ADHD, its management, and how it has influenced who they are today.
It is also useful to help with medication compliance.

Social-skills Training:

Accommodations and environmental changes.  Some strategies to help your daughter with ADHD achieve include:

-Organizing information and note taking: Students with ADHD
require extra assistance to organize and prioritize their homework.
At home, parents can help organize and prioritize assignments and
record important dates onto a home calendar.
-Providing a quiet environment: Make sure that the homework environment is quiet with
minimal distractions.
-Maintaining a routine: Routine brings order and order assists in the facilitation of focus.
Homework should be completed at the same time each day in the same quiet environment.
-Break into parts: The academic rule of thumb is that there should be 10 minutes
of homework added on for each grade level, i.e., 4th graders should be able to handle
40 minutes of homework each night. However, for a child with ADHD, 40 minutes may
be too long to sustain attention on one given subject area. Therefore, homework should
be ‘chunked’ into smaller segments.
-Manage time and set goals: After helping your child break their homework into smaller
segments or chunks, set time completion goals and accuracy goals. Use a timer to
externalize the time cue and provide the additional structure.
-Rewarding: Use positive reinforcement. Keep your attention focused on positive behavior. Set clear reward for homework completion and even for completion of each homework
‘chunk’ discussed above.
-Consequences: Adhere to the plan and set up realistic consequences for not completing the
homework.
-Communicating: Communication between the teacher, parent, and child is critical. Establish
a weekly or even daily report card which reports missing assignments, test grades, and up
coming projects and tests; and

Seek professional help: Know when it is time to ask for assistance from professionals

ADHD Coaching is available online, by phone , and in-person.