When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, doctors automatically want to give medications, but there are other ways. I do admit that some people do need medications, but trying the natural approach first would be better. Like I stated in my earlier blog, I believe that the increase in technology has caused ADHD numbers to skyrocket and all we need is to stop using it as excessively.
I could not find data to back me up on this, but I'm sure that if you asked a parent whose child is newly diagnosed with ADHD if they let them use apps or have an iPad or something similar, they would say yes. It may originally be harder because it requires discipline, but once the technology withdrawal period is over, a huge difference will be seen. To make it easier, I am going to list some fun ways that I believe ADHD can be prevented and treated:
1. Limit, don't stop, phone or tablet use. This may sound like it goes against everything that I am saying, but it's not. So many new research studies are coming out about technology giving children different skills and with the world becoming more technologically savvy, they will need this. Therefore, phone and tablet use should be limited to a maximum of thirty minutes per day.
2. Don't stop at limiting time. Limit the amount of games allowed on a tablet as well. Constant hyperactivity and jumping from one game to another should not occur. Tell children that they are only allowed to play one game per day.
3. Extend use if the app is educational. I think technology is great in the sense that it can make learning more fun for children. Try a Duolingo app which teaches children different languages or a brain teaser app. For smaller children, use apps that teach the alphabet and numbers or math.
4. Find the "real" version. There are many apps that kids use that we remember as a board game or something done on paper. Buy a crossword puzzle book. Buy Chess or Checkers so children can physically move the pieces. Play pictionary or the Game of Life. Go old school and go to Toys R Us and find new games or old ones that you remember as a kid.
5. Buy toys. Whatever happened to Legos or Barbie dolls or arts and crafts? All kids may be talking about how they want an iPod for Christmas or a new Kindle, but stick to the basics. Get a real, physical toy. If a child plays with them, it has to stimulate the imagination part and creative skills of their thinking.
6. Have quiet time. There should be a time in the house everyday where no electronics can be used. No phones, tablets, videogames, or television. This forces children to figure something else out to do and will keep their attention focused on that and not worrying about which piece of technology to jump to next.
7. Participate in sports. A great distraction to technology is being physically active. I couldn't find any studies supporting this, but if a child is on any sports team and is used to a structured schedule, that is a step in the right direction. With ADHD, you want to take steps in the opposite direction. That means less hyperactivity in the sense that they are not jumping from activity to activity and they are staying put and focused on one thing.
8. Keep the technology away from other activities. If your child is on the football team or softball team or in dance, keep the devices at home. Everyone gets water breaks or times when they are sitting out and that is when they run to see if they got a text message or just to check and see if any new activity is going on. Without their phones or iPods there, they can't do that. This keeps their minds focused on what they are there for, the sport.
9. School comes first. Many times children with ADHD struggle in the classroom setting to pay attention or not interrupt. This, in turn, affects their school performance and grades. When a child comes home from school, the first thing that they should be doing is their homework. Don't even give the option of watching TV or playing videogames or using an app. Make homework and school the first priority before anything else so that your child knows they won't be allowed to have these luxuries if they do not try hard or do well in school.
10. Be patient. If you and your child are not used to habits like these, it will be very hard to get used to them. Don't just cut cold turkey. Take it slow, and start with these suggestions one at a time. Integrate something new every few weeks and within a few months you should hopefully begin to see an improvement!
No comments:
Post a Comment