News October 2022

ADHD Awareness Month

ADHD Awareness Month challenges us to look at what we thought we knew and develop a new, and maybe better, understanding of ADHD.

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Do any of the following sound familiar?

·         She can’t regulate her emotions and seems to ‘lose’ it.

·         He always finds an excuse to avoid doing his homework.

·         She just can’t follow instructions.

·         He always loses his belongings.

Hi, I’m Maree a Family & Relationship Practitioner at Centacare South West NSW.

For the last 7 years I have worked with families and children some of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD, as well as facilitating our Parenting Children with ADHD education program.

I get asked questions all the time from parents, carers and teachers.

·         What is Executive Function?

·         What does it have to do with ADHD?

·         What can I do to help a child with ADHD?

Are you are feeling frustrated or at a loss for direction on how to deal with behaviours and emotions associated with your child’s ADHD?

Just want more understanding of the role of Executive Function and why our ADHD children behave the way they do.

In a nutshell Executive Functions are the brain’s engine, they assist a person to;

·         Organise themselves and getting tasks started

·         Focus and pay attention

·         Recall information (working memory)

·         Self- regulate: Control or adjust their behaviour

·         Mange time

Children with ADHD can have delays in executive function, which may impact their ability to manage strong emotions and regulate their emotions on their own.

What can you do to help?

Be involved, learn all you can about ADHD and know how ADHD affects your child. Remember that every child is different.

·         Provide consistent support, routines and boundaries

·         Meet your child’s individual needs to set them up for success

·         Role model effective coping strategies for managing ‘big ’emotions

·         Help your child build strong relationships, effective social skills and maintain friendships.

Support aids like timers, visual cues, emotion coaching skills and demonstrating empathy can all help manage ADHD behaviours. You can also find more information at ADHD Australia

Final Thoughts

Raising children can be challenging and so rewarding at the same time.
You cannot expect to be perfect but with the right tools and support, parents can be positive, compassionate, strong advocates for effective child development.

Need help for your family? Click here to find a program