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joann10
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| Posted: July 18 2011 at 6:36pm | IP Logged
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I am really needing some advice in dealing with the day to day life with my sweet dd-Gracie-10. She is totally adhd in every aspect of that "label". Her behavior seems to be rubbing off on her younger brother and sister, which makes an even bigger challenge around here.
She is not on medication. We seemed to be able to keep everything under control, but I think with the lack of scheduling the summer has brought, we are slipping backwards fast.
There is a clinic close by that dealing with these issues but they don't accept our insurance, so it is out of the question. Are there any resources out there to help deal with this "backslide"? We are really all having a hard time dealing with it this summer.
Thanks for any advice or resources that you can come up with. 
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Servant2theKing
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| Posted: July 19 2011 at 12:52pm | IP Logged
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A few suggestions, based on personal experience, with many years of diagnosis/treatment for four different family members.....
There's a homeopathic combination remedy that might be helpful, called Calms Forte; it's available at Walmart (in an odd spot in the vitamin section/ check with the pharmacy if you can't locate it), as well as many sources online (best prices seem to be amazon and vitacost.com) Some people swear by Fish Oil (our dc couldn't tolerate it).
Summer does bring its own unique challenges. Children with adhd actually do better with structure and Summer lends itself to less of it. It might be helpful to make lists for her of anything you'd like her to be doing each day. This is even helpful for things she may need to do over a shorter timeframe. If you want her to feed animals, fold laundry and straighten her room in the next few hours, write or type it out so she can check things off as she does them. It's helpful with bigger jobs, like straightening her room, if you clearly identify the steps you want her to complete. Lists, with spaces to check off when the task is complete, have been a life saver in our household. A few minutes spent compiling a list can save much more time, and anguish, spent continually reminding a child.
Here's an example (pulling ideas out of thin air, but hopefully, you'll get the idea):
_____Feed animals
_____Cat
_____Dog
_____Chickens
_____Fold laundry and put away
_____Clean bedroom
_____Make bed
_____Pick up all books and put them on bookshelf
_____Put all clean clothes in drawers
_____Put dirty clothes in hamper
_____Put any toys in proper home
_____Vacuum
Setting a timer for individual tasks to be completed might be helpful, especially if you peg it with something positive that she'd like to do afterward. It's very important to give such children adequate time, with careful consideration of their true capabilities or limitations.
Here's a revised list with times and special privileges after tasks completed as an example:
_____Feed animals (30 min.)
_____Cat
_____Dog
_____Chickens
_____*Listen to book on tape
_____Fold laundry and put away (45 min.)
_____*Snack
_____Clean bedroom (1 hour)
_____Make bed
_____Pick up all books and put them on bookshelf
_____Put all clean clothes in drawers
_____Put dirty clothes in hamper
_____Put any toys in proper home
_____Vacuum
_____*Run through the sprinkler
It's also important to help her be successful. Children with adhd can easily develop a sense of discouragement if they sense they can't do anything right or if that's the message they always seem to be receiving from those around them. Some children with adhd actually do worse if they are continually bombarded with negative consequences for not fulfilling expectations.
We have found it can be helpful to limit sugar, certain food additives and junk food, as well as exposure to TV or electronic media. Many people dispute whether these factors contribute to adhd issues. We've seen firsthand that backing off on those triggers can definitely help our children function better. It may sound silly, but weather conditions (especially major changes in weather fronts or upcoming storms), humidity or a full moon all seem to play a large part in how members of our family function. While you can't change those factors, it might help your sanity to recognize when those factors are present and focus on other elements that you might have more ability to control (such as diet or media).
If things don't improve, you might want to locate a doctor your insurance will cover. I seem to remember reading that hormonal changes can effect adhd symptoms, depending on the child. Girls can be harder to diagnose and sometimes fall below the radar screen for adhd, but it's just as important for them to receive adequate assistance and/or treatment to help them navigate through the delicate seasons of pre-adolescence, teen years and young adulthood.
Praying with much empathy for you, your sweet Gracie and your entire family. HTH
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All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: July 19 2011 at 2:10pm | IP Logged
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I think you hit the nail on the head when you identified the summer lack of scheduling as a probable cause. I know around here, downtime can be deadly!LOL!
You could try making a schedule of fun things to keep her occupied during the day. Perhaps set it up sort of like a workbox system so that she can be fairly independant with it once you get it set up. Since it is summer break you could put in fun things like puzzles, little crafts kits, play-doh, legos, coloring books, art supplies, a favorite quiet-time toy, an iPod with an audiobook loaded up and ready to go, etc.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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Dove
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| Posted: July 27 2011 at 11:45am | IP Logged
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My ADHD child was more focused when on a low carb diet. This really helped a great deal. I could see a difference all day if we began with eggs at breakfast!
We also had this child do martial arts and this encouraged the development of self control and focus as well.
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Ann Seeton
hg2au.com
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Needing some advice--adhd
