Attention%20deficit_hyperactivity%20disorder Patient Education
Patient Education
- Provide information about ADHD
- Identify and eliminate the trigger factors that cause inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity
- Provide information about the disorder, common features, neurologic mechanisms and associated conditions
- Discuss the expected clinical course and intervention strategies including risks and benefits
- Review how it can affect behavior, learning, social skills, confidence and family life
- Inform parent/caregiver about other ways of learning management skills through support groups, advocacy groups and parenting skills training
- Parent/caregiver is encouraged to:
- Spend at least 10-15 minutes with child
- Assure child that he or she is not the problem but his or her behavior
- Have clear, concise household rules with use of reward and punishment
- Limit to giving 1-2 clear instructions at a time and child should be able to repeat instructions back
- Allow child to experience consequences of actions as consistent and predictable
- Give appropriate disciplinary measures for challenging behavior
- Have consistent schedules and structure in the child’s everyday activities
- Have a private, quiet place for homework or projects
- Allow the child to have choices
- Use of time-out to contain child's emotional dysregulation
- Discuss any concerns that they may have on themselves (particularly if parent/caregiver has ADHD) and on the child
- Parent skills training
- May be done through reading books and individual counseling, or in formal classes
- Family therapy
- May be advised for families with extremely disruptive children or presence of significant family pathology thought to be related to the child’s presenting problem
- For child, tailor ADHD education to age, gender and educational level
- Include discussion of the child’s strengths and attributes
- A referral to a child psychiatrist or ADHD specialist may be needed if there is at least moderate impairment with the child’s persisting behavioral problems
- If a child with ADHD has a coexisting condition, the parent/caregiver should encourage relevant healthcare professional to provide treatment plan and feedback
- Do not assume teacher has knowledge of ADHD
- Provide information relevant to teacher/school about how ADHD may affect the child in the classroom
- Should include intervention strategies and environmental modifications for dealing with behavior issues
- School personnel is encouraged to:
- Have an orderly and predictable classroom
- Have clear and concise rules
- Have classroom strategies eg written notices for homework, schedules
- Have very interesting multi-sensory learning activities
- Use of positive reinforcements for good behavior
- Establish parent-teacher communication
- Inform parents regarding programs on parent education and training
- Help students with self-monitoring, self-reinforcement and development of compensatory/adaptive strategies
- Provide feedback to the child and his/her parent/caregiver and physicians