Some children can take a shower, brush teeth, and get into pajamas in 30 minutes, but maybe your child can’t. Be Realistic.Ī common source of parental frustration is the length of time it takes a child to complete tasks. Have her write words about or draw illustrations (or use pictures from magazines) of the things that need to be accomplished that day: feed the dog, go to soccer practice, and help prepare dinner. Make the routine clear by creating a chart or poster with your child. Another strategy is having someone sit in the room with him, reading a book or engaged in another quiet activity it provides reassurance to the child. Try doing homework at different times, or breaking it into small pieces. If this is the case, experiment with your child’s schedule. Some families, for instance, find that heightened emotionality and impulsiveness make finishing homework in the evenings tough. Establish Your Own Routine.Ĭreating routines that work with your child’s unique needs is critical to managing evening chaos. “Parents will need to experiment to know how late in the afternoon they can administer a short-acting stimulant that will wear off just in time for the child to be able to fall asleep,” advises Nadeau. Talk with your child’s doctor about prescribing a short-acting evening medication, often referred to as a “booster dose.” Keep in mind, however, that timing of an ADHD medication dosage is critically important. “Short-acting medication can be used to improve focus, as long-acting medication is wearing off.” “It’s hardest to focus when you’re tired at the end of the day, and this is especially difficult for kids with ADHD,” says Nadeau. Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., co-founder of the now closed National Center for Girls and Women with ADHD, agrees. However, many children have trouble focusing in the late afternoon and evening, when their meds wear off. Longer-acting medications to treat symptoms of ADHD, such as Ritalin and Concerta, are generally preferable to short-acting medication stimulants like Focalin because they don’t require dosing during the school day. Baked chicken seasoned brown rice carrot sticks and steamed broccoli or another deep-green vegetable watermelon for dessert.Fresh fruit salad to start broiled salmon or other fish baked sweet potato or white potato steamed green vegetable sugar-free, dye-free ice cream for dessert.Mixed-greens salad with dressing made with canola oil whole-grain pasta and meat sauce whole-wheat roll seasonal fresh fruit salad for dessert low-fat milk.Stevens suggests the following dinner options: “It takes in roughly 40 to 50 nutrients and makes more than 100,000 chemicals! If it doesn’t get the right nutrients in the right amounts, it won’t function normally.” “The human body is the most amazing chemical factory ever designed,” says Stevens, author of 12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child (Avery). Providing nutrient-rich foods is the goal. A meal will help maintain blood sugar levels, which can establish focus and attention. If your child gets home early in the evening - say, five or six - after playing sports or doing an extracurricular activity, consider having dinner on the table as soon as he walks in. Similarly, what you serve for dinner - and when you serve it - can impact your child’s evening behavior. Stevens, founder of Nutrition in Action, Inc.Ī nutritious snack could be whole-grain crackers with natural peanut butter and an apple a slice of cold turkey or ham and an orange or a banana and nuts (walnuts are particularly nutritious, because they contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may improve ADHD symptoms). “Avoid snacks that are high in simple sugars and fat instead, choose foods that are high in nutrients,” advises Laura J. After a long day at school, where lunch may have been a bag of chips and a juice, the last thing kids need is more junk food. Have a healthy snack ready when your child walks in the door. Too much sugar and artificial coloring, for instance, can make some children with ADHD more hyperactive. Some studies indicate that nutrition affects children’s behavior and may reduce or increase the symptoms of ADHD. You can manage these chaotic periods with the following ADHD daily schedule strategies from experts, all of which have been road-tested by parents and kids. For parents of children with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD), the hours from school dismissal to bedtime can be overwhelming. Rush-hour traffic, hungry kids, and mountains of homework make weeknights stressful for any parent.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |