by Katie-Ellen

Created on: November 01, 2009   Last Updated: November 03, 2009

Don't give instructions with multiple requests or commands in one application:

This may seem to take time but in the end, it works, and if something works, stay with it until it becomes a pattern sequence they can relate to, particularly in areas of self organization.

Create patterns to follow:

This became the greatest lesson I learnt, for it contributed to consistency at home and a sense of routine where my son wasn't able to create his own. Hence, once something was patterned, he could follow the sequence that had been set and work with it as part of daily routine.

Regulate where your child is at versus where they are not at in school:

Keeping communication open between home and school is vital. If you can, take your child through readily available books of spelling, grammar, maths or their particular area of weakness at home at the level they are up to versus the school curriculum level, it's worth the effort. Make it fun and in a space they can absorb the information in.

Look at their diet; limit intake of preservatives, additives and colourings:

This does play a part. Observe when your child may be more hyperactive than other times after consuming certain foods or drinks, colourings, additives or preservatives and try to limit them in their diet.

Work with them, not against them in behavioural/social interaction management:

They don't have a natural built-in radar as to how to behave in social and public situations no matter how good your parenting skills are. It needs to be created in a different way to what parents would normally guide their children through. It can be like taking a chimpanzee to the shops or other outing. It's just part of the package of who they are. It's Important to work on patterning what is ok and what isn't; calmly and repeatedly. If I didn't do something to bring some sort of balance, it would have made life so much harder for my son later on. And I'm very thankful that I did.

Teach them to stop, look and act or to stop, think and take action:

And here I blew it, and in retrospect (so easy), this I regret! if I'd been able to look forward in some sense to see the consequences I would have integrated this way of learning to stop, observe what is happening and then to take action in a way that contributes to a solution. Down the track I had to work much harder at integrating this positive thinking and acting process.

Love them through thick and thin, the highs and lows, the quirkiness, intelligence and humour, balancing it in with care of other family members and life:

Retain calmness and humour wherever possible: ADD/ADDHD is not your fault, and it certainly is not their fault. I was told it simply meant that soon after conception chemicals in my son's brain didn't mature. Something that did help was kinesiology exercises and the interaction of front and back, left and right sides of the brain. It was worth a try and had a positive effect in many ways.

Down the track my son chose a career in something he was passionate about. It took him much longer to study the course than other students but he finished it and is happy in his field; he matured in his time, particular to him. It will always be part of him but is more finely integrated.

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