Positive  strategies that work for ADD and ADHD people,as we present advice from others coping with ADD and ADHD,The writers all entered our "write about your successes" competition.

Quick links:

• Sound advice to get those jobs done
• Success to modify behaviour
• Natural Products have made a difference
• A wide range of techniques that work

I have learned though experience that preteaching is absolutely essential. Children (and I believe adults too) that have ADD/ADHD need to know exactly what is expected of them, how they are supposed to accomplish what is expected and what the consequences will be of getting the job done or not.

Often just saying," you need to go and clean your room," will be overwhelming. Cutting the big job into several small jobs is much easier to handle. Try asking the child to pick up the toys first, then after that is accomplished, move on to the next task.

Also, so important, is always remembering to give lots of praise.  Give so much praise that it becomes a well ingrained habit. I believe all people desire to please others and flourish when told how well they are doing. Employers would get so much more out of employees if they used more praise and I know our ADD/ADHD kids (and adults) crave being told they are doing things right! I think it is good when you have to criticize or discipline to start out with a praise or something positive.

You might say, "I've noticed that you've been doing a great job of rinsing your dishes and putting them in the sink. I appreciate that.Thanks.I have also noticed that the last 2 days you've forgotten to empty the kitchen trash can" and so on. It's make accepting the criticism much easier. When you praise people it makes people want to do an even better job. Likewise, if you yell, and/or verbally attack someone, they will do the same in defense. On a bad day you may have to look hard to find something to give praise for. But I have given praise for 45 seconds of being quiet and the results were positive. If I  have to criticise or discipline for something I try to follow up with at least 5 praises. Praising works so much better than criticizing, but sometimes that is necessary and has to be done.

So preteaching, giving lots of praise, praise before being critical or disciplining and giving at least 5 praises for each instance of criticizing or disciplining are the things that I have found to be very helpful and recommend to others.

Patty

I have found many ways of helping my ADHD son - one way which was very effective was using a stress-ballto help him to concentrate when performing mindtaxing-work, another was to reward him each time he was kind.  We do this by using 'catch me being good cards' - each one earns him either an immediate reward or he can build them up to reach a goal.  This one works well as they do need immediate rewards and sanctions but it also works well because he needs to learn to delay gratification.

Another success we have had is to use time-outs when he is being really difficult - we use the kitchen timer for this so that he can actually hear it  ringing out so he has multi-sensory reminders of when his time is up.  It also helps with hissense of time which is very poor -
Regards
Jan

A full ezine on behaviour modification is here

Having a son with ADD and dyslexia,I have found that Ritilan made him depressed and like
a zombie, so we trialed slow release ritalin which gave him sever stomache cramps,so I
have  been giving him 1 oil of primrose capsule, 1 omega 3 capsule,and 1 zinc,  B6 &
magnesium tablet daily, no side effects, and he seems a lot more focused and not so
compulsive,took a few weeks to take an affect ,I also gave him a capsule called OPC which
is an  anti-oxidatant for the first month.

We have been very concerned that he made no friends at school and was always the one to get into trouble ,he had a very low self esteem ,and has said he wished he was never born,coming from a 7 yr old this was very distressing for us as parents, he is attending a private school,which has smaller classes,but at times I feel they don't seem to understand his problems,so at the moment we are finding natural products helping.

Regards
Maureen
More on supplements here

I am glad to see ADD being looked at more holistically. My son has ADD and we have treated him with essential fatty acids, polarity therapy, reiki, relaxation techniques and diet modifications. He is now almost 11 and settling down very nicely. I am anxious to see what puberty brings in the next few years. He is an incredible athlete and does well in school. Although we have had many struggles and I'm sure nedication would have made some difference I am proud to say we have gotten this far without drugs.
Judey

More on  essential fatty acids here
More on diet here