Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children: Treatment
In this article
- Treatment for Young Children
- Treatment for Children and Teens
- Which medications are used to treat ADHD in children?
- Do ADHD medications have side effects?
- How does behavioral treatment work for ADHD?
- Can ADHD be treated with dietary changes or vitamins?
How does behavioral treatment work for ADHD? continued...
To get your child’s therapy started, the therapist will train you and your child’s teachers in child behavior management.
You’ll will:
- Be taught to see the child's behavior as a result of ADHD rather than as behaving badly
- Learn how to focus on good behavior and ignore tiny behavior problems
- Find out how to give clear and concise directions
- Make a system to reward good behavior and avoid bad behavior
The incentive programs may use rewards like tokens, tickets, or points. You and his teachers will be responsible for applying immediate and consistent consequences in the form of rewards or taking privileges away.
Can ADHD be treated with dietary changes or vitamins?
In the past, experts and parents of ADHD children hoped that dietary changes -- no food dye, no sugar, and no salicylates (found in pain relievers and many fruits and vegetables) -- could cure ADHD.
Some experts championed megadoses of vitamins and natural dietary supplements as a possible "cure" for ADHD. Some parents claim that a gluten-free diet helped to cure ADHD or improve the symptoms.
There's no denying that a well-balanced diet is important for good health. There are also many reports of ADHD symptoms being reduced by certain dietary changes. But scientific studies don’t support the idea that certain foods or not having enough of certain vitamins causes ADHD.