ScienceDaily (2008-10-15) — For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder tasks that require concentration such as doing homework or taking a test can be very difficult. A simple, inexpensive remedy may be a “dose of nature.” Check out the online article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081015120742.htm. I wonder how we could get this in IEPs and 504s….
Add comment October 18th, 2008
As I read through an article from the July 08 issue of the Atlantic, I was struck by a segment where they discussed Frederick Winslow Taylor. A man who changed how people worked through a series of timed experiments. Taylor went into the factories in Philadelphia, broke down the tasks people were doing into steps, timed each step, and then set up expectations for the steps based on the data. While the employees weren’t thrilled, the production dramatically increased. This same idea makes sense for homework! While not exactly fun, I’ve worked with several kids where we: outlined the homework, broke down the steps, and figured out an approximate time for each step. The kids significantly reduced the amount of time they spent on their homework.
Add comment October 16th, 2008
A presentation by Daniel Lewn, PhD at GWU taught me two research findings regarding pediatric sleep difficulties:
A child ten and under who has to be woken in the morning (does not wake independently) is sleep deprived.
Between 10-20% of children diagnosed with AD/HD actually are suffering from a sleep disorder. There is significant overlap in the symptoms, and it can be very hard to differentiate the cause.
General Sleep guidelines:
7-11 year olds need between 9.5 and 11 hours a sleep a night
12- 18 year olds need 8.5 to 9.5 hours a night. One study indicated that at least 13% of teens are chronically sleep deprived.
Add comment October 12th, 2008
www.handipoints.com is a great website for tracking chores and increasing motivation. As I regularly point out to those of you I work with, the only single variable that shows up in all “successful” child studies is that of children having chores at home. In other words, the responsibility of completing a task and the discipline of having regular responsibilities is a great way to increase independence. For computer-oriented kids and tired parents, this website is a great way to earn and track points for completion of tasks. And, it’s free.
Add comment September 10th, 2008
Eight Gold Medals!
Michael Phelps is clearly one of, if not the, greatest athlete in the world. And, he was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. His mother, a high school principal, tells media publications (Time, NY Times, Newsweek) that he had a difficult time as a child, and she cites one teacher as saying that he would never be successful. His mother stuck with him, getting him the help he needed, and also finding ways to help him feel more in control. (A client recently shared the following link with me detailing her story: http://www.facebook.com/ADHDMoms).
Those of us who regularly deal with ADHD are used to hearing that so and so couldn’t have attention issues because they concentrate on video games or tv so well. Phelps is the perfect example of using that hyper-focus element of ADHD to great benefit. Not only did the rigorous swimming schedule provide a great deal of structure, the exercise no doubt benefitted him in many ways. Phelps is just one of the many many successful adults with ADHD. He just happens to have won eight gold medals in the past couple of weeks…..
Add comment August 30th, 2008
One of the most common difficulty I hear from parents of anxious children and those with AD/HD is about the challenge of bedtime and falling asleep. Dr. Patricia Quinn just wrote a great article on this in ADDitude magazine (http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/print/1490.html). Dr. Quinn reviews the latest research (yes, kids with AD/HD do have a harder time than other kids with sleep, but that’s not a big surprise to any of us), and she gives some nice strategies including a realistic and consistent bedtime, avoiding sleeping pills, a dark room, and relaxation strategies.
For the anxious kids I work with, we often have to come up with specific strategies for talking back to worries. Once developed, the kids practice these at night initially with their parents help and later on their own.
The combination of AD/HD and anxiety presents the biggest challenge at bedtime as the impulsivity and severe worry feed off each other. In this case we utilize relaxation, imagery, and a variety of techniques to help the child relax. I always say to the kids, “When you’re anxious, you’re body becomes tense and fully awake, we have to figure out how to make it “bored” so you can go to sleep.” If you have any ideas or suggestions on techniques that have helped your child relax and sleep, please send me an email at Elisa@CognitiveTherapyforKids.com.
Add comment August 15th, 2008
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