SESSION 1

Understanding ADHD

TIME OUT FOR PARENTS AIMS TO:• better understand ADHD and its affects on

your child

• enable you to better manage your child’s behaviour

• increase your confidence in the skills and abilities to ‘parent’

• develop an even better relationship between you and your child

TIME OUT FOR PARENTS AIMS TO:

• teach skills for helping to raise children’s self-esteem

• work out the best way to effectively discipline your child

• to provide greater support where you would like it

SESSION PLAN

• What is ADHD?

• Social, emotional, physical and academic difficulties

• How the ADHD brain works

• Attention deficit behaviours

WHAT IS ADHD?

• ADHD = Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• ADD = Attention Deficit Disorder

• Hyperkinetic disorder

• Deficiency in attention motor control and perception (DAMP)

THE HISTORY OF ADHD

• 1945 Heinrich Hoffman first described ADHD behaviours.

• 1987 American Psychiatric Association uses the term attention hyperactive disorder.

ADHD BEHAVIOURS

• Inattentive

• Hyperactive

• Impulsive

SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL AND ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES

HOW THE ADHD BRAIN WORKS

THE PRINCIPLE CHOICE OF PARENTS OF ADHD CHILDREN

• Accept the condition• Come to terms with

specific difficulties that won’t change and work round them

• Help the child feel a valued member of the family

OR• Make no allowances• Be critical and

hostile• Apply more and

more force

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”Reinhold Niebuhr

BREAK

ATTENTION DEFICIT BEHAVIOURS

• Inattention

• Poor short term memory

• Disorganisation

ATTENTION DEFICIT BEHAVIOURS

• Did you realise they were part of ADHD?

• Which behaviours do you find the hardest to manage?

ADHD IS A ‘HIDDEN DISABILITY’

“Children who suffer from ADD usually have normal or above normal intelligence. They possess the potential to learn but the immature chemical and metabolic system in their brain means they often have little control over their symptoms. They may try very hard to do the right thing, but struggle because they don’t have the self-control to manage things other people usually take for granted.” Dr Harry Nash

REFLECTION

• Started to understand what ADHD is and how the ADHD brain works

• Thought about what it is like to have a child with ADHD and the behaviours that are associated with the condition

REFLECTION

• We have a choice to either accept or reject the condition and this will affect the way we deal with our child’s behaviour

• Considered some of the social, emotional, physical and academic difficulties that a child with ADHD will have and thought about some ways we can help

FOCUS FOR THE WEEK

• Write down 10 things you love about your child and tell them

• Keep an account of how many negative things you say to your child this week and make sure you say at least as many positive things

NEXT WEEK

We will look at attention deficit behaviour management strategies, hyperactive behaviours and strategies to help these

SESSION 2

Managing hyperactive behaviours

SESSION PLAN

• Behaviour management strategies

• Hyperactive behaviour

• Managing hyperactive behaviour

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Unfortunately there is no magic solution for parenting a child with ADHD

PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT

• Routines

• Consistent rules

• Giving clear instructions

HYPERACTIVE BEHAVIOURS

BREAK

MANAGING HYPERACTIVE BEHAVIOURS

• Routines

• Consistent rules

• Giving clear instructions

• Daily activities to increase alertness and to calm

• Reward good behaviour

• Don’t reward undesirable behaviour

‘DRIVEN BY A MOTOR’

YOUR CHILD’S ‘ENGINE SPEED’

SLEEP

Keep a track of your child’s sleep patterns and problems

REWARD GOOD BEHAVIOUR

Children with ADHD need lots of praise!

DON’T REWARD UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOUR

RELAXATION

Practice relaxation with your child and you both benefit!

REFLECTION

• People with ADHD have difficulty filtering out irrelevant information

• We have learnt the importance of routines, consistent rules, clear commands, rewarding good behaviour and not rewarding undesirable behaviour

• We have tried one method of helping our child and ourselves to relax

FOCUS FOR THE WEEK

• Note the hyperactive behaviours that are of particular concern

• Identifying strategies you might be able to use to manage them

NEXT WEEK

We will look at impulsive behaviours and strategies to help with this

SESSION 3

Managing impulsive behaviours

SESSION PLAN

• Impulsive behaviours

• Managing impulsive behaviours

• Demands and anger

• Treatment options

• Thinking positively

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT AT SCHOOL

Children with ADHD need predictability, structure, short work periods, more individual instruction and positive reinforcement

IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOURS

Someone who has ADHD often says or does the first thing which comes into their head

THE ADHD BRAIN

Limbic system (Thalamus amygdala)

Emotion

Cerebral cortexThinking

Emotional – Thinking Link

UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT

MANAGING IMPULSIVE BEHAVOUR• Routines• Consistent rules• Giving clear instructions• Daily activities to increase alertness and to calm• Reward good behaviour• Don’t reward undesirable behaviour• Plan ahead• Consequences and sanctions

PLAN AHEAD

CONSEQUENCES AND SANCTIONS

Children with ADHD don’t learn easily from consequences

BREAK

MANAGING CONSTANT DEMANDS AND ANGER

“No” “Stop” “Don’t touch”

THE ANGER CYCLE

BOTTLED UP

FIREWORKS

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Psychological interventions should always be the first line of treatment, then pharmacological treatment is considered.

ADHD AND MEDICATION

ADHD AND DIET

THINKING POSITIVE – COPING STRATEGIES

• Anger management

• ‘Me time’

• Sleep

• Support groups

• Choose your battles

THINKING POSITIVE

Many negative characteristics of ADHD can have a positive side

REFLECTION

• What have you enjoyed most about the course?

• What is the main thing you have learnt from the course?

• Name one hope that you have for your family’s future

THANK YOU FOR COMING

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