quick clicks

preschoolers today articles

preschoolers today q&a

children today articles

children today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Understanding Attention Deficit Disorder

Part Two

By Dr. William Sears

Managing ADD

Usually because of lack of time, lack of knowledge or both, the mistake that's usually made in treating ADD is to just put a child on medication and nothing else. This is wrong. If medication is needed, it should always be used in addition, and not instead of, a total treatment package. Here is our five-step package for managing the child with ADD.

1. Feed your child foods that improve behavior and school performance. If your child goes off to school with junk food, expect junk performance. Send your child off to school with a healthy breakfast. Research shows that breakfast eaters generally make higher grades, pay closer attention and behave better in school than breakfast skippers. Best breakfasts for learning and behavior is one high in protein and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain cereal and yogurt, eggs and whole grain toast, whole grain pancakes and fruit. Ditto this nutritional advice for lunch. Feed your child healthy fats: those from vegetable oils, fish, nuts, avocados and flax seeds. Studies have shown that some children with ADD have insufficient essential fatty acids in their diet. Seafood and vegetable oils are valuable sources of nutritious fatty acids.

2. Develop behavior management strategies, such as impulse control strategies: "Think it through first" tools. Teach your child to say to himself, "Stop!" or "Count to 10," or "Imagine what will happen if you do it," or "Put yourself behind the eyes of the other person first." In essence, you want to teach your child to think through what he's about to do. For children with poor attention spans, break down instructions into one task at a time: "Brush teeth," "Put on your pajamas," or "Pick out a story," rather than overwhelming them with all three instructions at one time. Busy the bored child. In issuing directives, use what we call the one-sentence rule: Keep it simple. Long,

Want to see more?

• If you suspect your child might have ADD, or if you want to work out an individual management plan, check out The ADD Book, by Dr. William Sears and Lynda Thompson.
• Help! My 8-year-old daughter has major behavior problems. What can I do?
• How can I work with my son's teacher to keep him from acting out at school?
• Back to part one