6 Alternative Interventions For Treatment and Management of ADHD in Kids

Does your child suffer from Attention-Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder? Are you looking for alternatives of treating and managing the condition as opposed to use of medicine prescribed by the psychiatrist?

Being told that your child suffers from ADHD feels like a bad dream and the first thing you will ask your doctor is for medication to cure the condition. Unfortunately, there is no real cure for ADHD. It is also important to understand and avoid triggers. Since continuous use of medicines isn’t healthy, you will need non medicinal alternatives to calm your child at school and at home.

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Here is a list of the non-medical treatment alternatives for your child:

Help from parents and teachers

Because of the child’s hyperactive condition, you can start by rewarding your child if they are able to sit still through dinner or any activity for some time. This will motivate them and they will increase their sitting time gradually. You should communicate this to the teachers as well for successful cohesive efforts.

Exercise

When your child gets many opportunities to exercise or play, they are better able to focus on a task and they are also capable of reorganizing their thoughts. Exercise also releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones.

Exercise is also important for coordination and you can encourage your child to take part in sports or games like swimming, playing tennis, baseball, or chess. Simple exercises when in class such as holding and squeezing a squeeze ball on a string while in class helps in keeping your child engaged and attentive in class for a longer duration. Medication for managing the condition may help, but exercises engage the whole body and deprives attention from other things around them.

Sleep

You can agree that putting a child suffering from ADHD down is a big challenge. Sleep disorders are common in children suffering from ADHD and even though you may be advised to treat this with melatonin, it may not be the right decision to make for a little child.

It has been noted that extra sleep for your child reduces the feeling of impulsiveness and restlessness. Therefore, you need all the help and tips for putting your child down. Some of the effective measures include setting a consistent time to sleep even on weekends, developing and sticking to a soothing ritual to slow your child down e.g. bathing and reading, and finally keeping the room cool and darker. These will help your child fall asleep faster.

Music

The structure and rhythm in music can help in honing attention as well as strengthening social skills. Function execution is enhanced in children who play musical instruments because they incorporate different areas of the brain to play and this makes them better in other activities.

Meditation

One way of enhancing mindfulness is meditation. Meditation sharpens focus, improves self-control, and raises awareness of what is happening. This will be a tougher tip especially with your child, but with time and your support, they will be able to concentrate. There also are parent-child trainings for meditation and mindfulness. You can enroll in one for your peace of mind and for your child to learn how to control anxiety and impulsiveness.

Omega-3 fatty acids

You have probably heard about this severally. A diet rich in omega 3 helps in reducing the ADHD symptoms.

In conclusion, as the primary caregiver for a child suffering from ADHD, you may find yourself stressed out with time. The high medication bills and having to deal with other people and work can easily bring you down. These strategies are effective in ensuring that your child leads a healthier life.

Author Bio

Miranda Myers is an ADHD specialist who has worked with children and adults suffering from ADHD for decades. She recommends these tips as well as investment in a squeeze ball on a string for attention.