Living with ADHD: How to Help Your Child Thrive

A common neurodevelopmental condition affecting children, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) typically spans a child’s life into adulthood. It presents challenges to concentration, focus, and impulse control. 

While the symptoms of ADHD are common in all children from time to time, they’re more frequent, more intense, and more pervasive for those with the disorder. It can lead to problems socializing, at home, and at school. 

As a parent, there’s much you can do to help your child thrive despite the distractions of ADHD. Partnering with our team at Abdow Friendship Pediatrics in Rockville, Maryland, is a great place to start. Our doctors specialize in ADHD care, serving as a support team for you and your child. 

The challenges that ADHD presents

On the surface, describing the symptoms of ADHD often seems to describe childhood in general. But there’s something important to keep in mind: Your child isn’t different or abnormal, they simply display normal behaviors longer and more intensely than others. 

You may first recognize ADHD when your child seems to cling to actions and attitudes that others their age have outgrown. While every child’s ADHD has unique characteristics, common signs include: 

• Trouble getting along with others
• Resistance to sharing
• Prone to daydreaming
• Problems with focus
• Easily distracted
• Poor attention to detail
• Forgetful
• Fidgety or restless

The type of ADHD presentation in your child tends to influence the specific combinations of behavior you’ll observe in them. 

How to help your child thrive while living with ADHD

One of the most important points to remember is that ADHD is a proven medical condition. This can be difficult when their actions sometimes seem like problems with motivation, laziness, or insolence. 

Understand the condition

ADHD means your child’s executive functions behave differently. It’s normal to compare their thought processes with your own. In fact, you’re searching for a common ground that simply may not be there. Their young brains often interfere with their own intentions. 

Know your role

Keeping these points in mind may help when you’re faced with resistance. Three key parental roles that are important for every child are: 

• Structure and routine in their daily lives
• Positive reinforcement for target behaviors
• Consistent limits

While these goals are easy to write down, it’s much harder to put into practice with a precocious and energetic child with ADHD. The condition itself often pushes back against the behavioral restraints that challenge routine and limits at seemingly every angle. 

Work with your pediatrician

Managing your child’s ADHD becomes easier when you have expert help. We can arrange behavioral therapy if it’s beneficial for your child. 

We can also recommend medications that may help harness some extremes of behavior, but medication alone won’t keep your child on track. You can expect moods that are more measured and reduced impulsivity. This makes working toward ADHD progress goals easier for everyone. 

We personalize an ADHD management plan for your child’s unique needs. Book a consultation with Abdow Friendship Pediatrics by phone or online today. Get ready for the new school year by planning your visit today.