Parenting Children with ADHD Information, Coaching and Counselling in Ottawa
We are a group of independent psychotherapists, counsellors and coaches in Ottawa, who also work(ed) Carleton University, Algonquin College and at CHEO primarily work with adults with ADHD as well as provide services for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD and/or is experiencing inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, anxiety, or depression, we encourage you to read the following information about parenting and to book an appointment.
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. This means that the onset of ADHD symptoms occurs in childhood and persist throughout adulthood. There are three types of attention disorders: inattentive, impulsivity/hyperactivity and combined. Children with ADHD and ADD (without hyperactivity) often exhibit symptoms which impact focus, attention and the understanding of time. Hence, the disorder often affects a child’s ability to successfully meet social and academic demands. Individuals with ADHD may also have co-existing disorders which can include anxiety and depression.
What Causes ADHD?
ADHD is predominately influenced by an individual’s genetic makeup. Previous research has suggested that other causes of ADHD may include dietary and environmental factors, like lead exposure and pesticides. However, a recent study has found that environmental effects have an insignificant impact on ADHD development (Larsson et al., 2013). Therefore, this disorder should purely be considered genetic, neurological, and biological (Sarkis & Tuckman, 2015).
ADHD Executive Function
Executive functions are the set of higher-order processes which allow you to appropriately respond to the environment and engage in goal-orientated behaviour. ADHD is considered an Executive Function Deficit Disorder (EFDD). This means that children with ADHD have under-developed executive functions (e.g. working-memory, problem solving and planning), which affects numerous aspects of life. Shoda, Mischel, and Peake (1990) found that preschoolers’ executive function positively correlated with academic success. This is because academic tasks typically require several executive function-based steps.
ADHD Symptoms in Children
Children may exhibit various signs and symptoms of ADHD. The symptomatic behaviours that are apparent in childhood mirror the symptoms experienced by adults with ADHD. If you are unsure whether or not your child has ADHD or ADD, consider the following questions:
- Does your child have difficulty initiating tasks?
- Does your child take longer than their peers to complete tasks?
- Does your child struggle to sustain focus and attention?
- Is your child forgetful?
- Does your child fail to maintain social interactions?
- Is your child experiencing academic underachievement and/or inconsistent grades?
- Does your child frequently experience anxiety?
*** The following questions have been designed to help you gain a better understanding of the signs and symptoms associated with ADHD. It does NOT serve as a replacement for a clinical diagnosis.
Helping your ADHD Child
The first step involves getting a proper evaluation. A psycho-educational assessment can help in numerous ways. It will investigate whether your child has ADHD, and/or the symptomatic behaviours associated with the disorder. Assessments will also examine the possible presence of a learning disability and mental health disorder.
After an appropriate assessment, the most effective thing you can do is to enhance your understanding of the disorder. Developing a knowledge-base will allow you to make proper parenting modifications and accommodations for your child. For instance, parents can learn to modify their behaviour through mindfulness. Mindfulness is an extremely successful approach for symptom management in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Thus, advancing your knowledge of the disorder will make you better equipped to handle your child’s ADHD.
How Your Child’s ADHD Affects You
To manage ADHD symptoms effectively, children require parental stability and responsiveness. This is very difficult to maintain. Hence, parents often experience burnout. Burnout and stress can be managed through therapeutic intervention. At Bmindful we offer counselling and psychotherapy to help parents understand their struggles, develop coping strategies, and promote healthy changes. Contact us to book an appointment.
Online Resource:
Lectures by Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D.
References:
Barkley, R. (2013). Taking charge of ADHD: The complete, authoritative guide for parents (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Publications.
Larsson, H., Chang, Z., D’Onofrio, B., & Lichtenstein, P. (2013). The heritability of clinically diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder across the lifespan. Psychological Medicine, 10, 2223-2229. doi: 10.1017/S0033291713002493
Sarkis, S., & Tuckman, A. (2015). Natural relief for adult ADHD: Complementary strategies for increasing focus, attention, and motivation with or without medication. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Shoda, Y., Mischel, W., & Peake, P. K. (1990). Predicting adolescent cognitive and self regulatory competencies from preschool delay of gratification: Identifying diagnostic conditions. Developmental Psychology, 26, 978-986. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.26.6.978
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