Getting the Right ADHD Treatment for Children in Toronto
ADHD in Children
Contrary to popular belief, the right treatment for children’s ADHD in Toronto is not just about medication. There are other modes of treatment that are effective with aiding kids in increasing their attention span, controlling negative impulses which lead to harmful behavior, and curbing hyperactivity. These include a holistic approach: getting well-balanced meals, enough physical play and exercise, and becoming better social beings.
All of these form part of a proper treatment plan for ADHD, which extends to showing better school performance and a reduced sense of frustration and stress. Medications are merely tools – they are not the cure. They only become most effective if used with other adjunct treatments which address the underlying behavioral and emotional issues.
Starting Treatment at Home
Parents are the natural role models for their children. By becoming a positive influence on your kid’s diet, exercise, and daily activities, you can help him control ADHD symptoms better. This means that apart from therapy and medication, treatment for children’s ADHD in Toronto begins at your home. We have collected some basic techniques below.
Some believe that it is still necessary to seek some form of outside treatment for your child to benefit from any form of therapy or treatment for ADHD. However, we know that effective treatment means being thorough and consistent. Keep reading below to find out more about the types of things that you can do at home to help to treat your child’s ADHD.
Physical Activity and Quality Sleep
The Importance of “Green Time”
Green time” can hugely benefit children with ADHD by seeing less symptoms. This simply refers to time spent for physical play outside of the house. Half an hour a day of green time per day can do wonders.
In general, committing to exercise can be helpful to your child. This is because physical activity boosts the levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain. These neurotransmitters are responsible for regulating attention and focus. This means that popular ADHD medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, work in the same way as simple exercise does. The upside is that you won’t need a doctor’s prescription and your kid won’t be endangered with any side effects.
Getting Much-Needed Zzz’s
Having enough sleep is important for kids. Even for those without ADHD, children undergo tissue repair and relaxation during slumber. Imagine how much more important this is for kids diagnosed with this condition. If you are having some trouble getting your kid to bed, consider decreasing their medication dosage. This is because sleep difficulties are common side effects of stimulant drugs.
There are a whole myriad of ways in trying to seek proper ADHD treatment for children in Toronto. If all else fails – or if you are beginning to doubt your efforts as futile – do not give up. Instead, ask for professional help. Therapists and specialists can assist you in coming up with the best treatment plan for your child.
Seeking Professional Assistance
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy has been showing great success in ADHD treatment. Also referred to as behavioral modification, it benefits the child if used with other forms of therapy (during which case medications may be necessary). When used as co-treatment, it can work well enough to let you lower the dosage of your child’s medications.
The therapy basically includes reinforcing positive behaviors with praise and reward, as well reducing negative behaviors with consequences and by setting limits. The concept is that you encourage new, better behavior by rewarding the child’s struggles towards positive change. For instance, if a hyperactive child is able to raise his hand in class before talking, praise him and recognize the effort on his part.
Catering to Your Child’s Unique Needs
Specialists can help parents like you customize a program for their child with ADHD. A cognitive-behavioral therapist is a good example of such specialists. He can focus on addressing the problems at hand and then coming up with practical solutions for everyday concerns. He can help in setting up a behavioral modification program for children at school and at home, guiding everyone who is involved with the children’s care along the process.
The key to therapy is patience. Improvement of your child’s symptoms will not happen overnight, and ADHD is a very notorious, fickle condition. Your kid may be very sweet and well-behaved this morning, and later the same day, he may fall back into old habits and patterns. Don’t give up hope – this does not mean that therapy isn’t effective. It just takes a lot of patience and time. You will see, in the future, that it will definitely improve the symptoms of ADHD.