A Smart, Safe Way to Help a Child with ADHD Issues
If your child is suffering from ADHD issues, you want to do your best to help him so he doesn't fall too far behind in school and in relationships with peers. In this article, you'll learn two simple things that you can do to help your child's brain function better, so he can learn how to cope effectively with the symptoms of ADHD.
Handling ADHD issues like outbursts, tantrums, inability to focus and hyperactivity can be a challenge, but know that this is also stressful on your child. When the brain does not function as it should, your child is compelled to act in certain ways that may get him punished for behavior that is not entirely under his control. But don't despair because there are things that you can do to help him gain better self-control.
The first thing to do is take a look at his diet. If your child is not getting good nutrition, then this makes it difficult for his brain to produce the relaxed awareness that allows a child to behave himself and make good decisions. Junk food or packaged food that is full of chemicals can make ADHD issues worse and is a set up for poor behavior.
One of the best things you can do is progressively cut out all the junk food. Eliminate sugary cereals, chips, candy, hot dogs and anything with high fructose corn syrup from your child's diet. Even if a packaged food does not have a lot of dyes and chemicals, if it is full of sugar, then this can affect your child's blood sugar, mood and his behavior.
Substitute simple, healthy meals for fast food and packaged food. The more nutrition your child gets from food, the more his brain will be able to produce the neurochemicals that create a calm, relaxed and happy state. Food is our medicine. Your child can't get the phytonutrients he needs to function optimally from junk food. For the most part, your child's snacks and meals should be made up of lean meat, fresh vegetables (especially the dark leafy varieties) and fruit, raw nuts, beans and healthy oils. For snacks, think an apple with a slice of cheese, celery smeared with protein-rich peanut butter or a bowl of mixed fresh berries.
Next, get a good at-home behavioral program that will teach you all about handling ADHD issues. An at-home program is usually made up of DVDs or CDs and a workbook that will show you how to teach your child to focus curb impulses and make good decisions. This is something that can be practiced at home, so when your child is out in the world, he will able to act on what he's learned. In addition to giving your child skills that he can use right now, such a program will give him strategies that he can use throughout his life.
An added bonus is that as your child begins to see that you are teaching him skills that are improving his life, your bond will deepen and his respect for you will grow. This is part of skills-not-pills approach that gets to the heart of the matter by teaching you and your child the best, most effective ways of dealing with ADHD issues and coming away with life skills that your child can use now and in the future.
The combination of nutrition and teaching behavioral skills is a smart, proactive and safe way to help your child get back on track, so he can enjoy his childhood, learn how smart he really is and feel good about him.
Dr. Sharmistha Barai a child psychiatrist can help you determine a treatment course that will work best for you and your child. It is best to get a treatment program set up and working so that you can focus your attention on other things within your life.
Dr. Sharmistha specializes in general psycho-geriatrics, child and adolescent psychiatry, drug and alcohol. She can definitely help you. For more reading, please visit here: https://sharmisthabarai.wordpress.com