We have received several questions from parents with ADHD children wondering how they can make daily life easier for their children and for themselves.
In this article, we list things that can make a difference for the whole family.
ADHD is hereditary, environmental, and biological (body chemistry). It's not known for certain how it develops, but ADHD has a genetic connection in some individuals. If parents or grandparents have ADHD, it's more likely that children will develop symptoms.
However, research is not clear on whether it's actually a genetic predisposition or similarities in lifestyle and diet that cause ADHD to develop.There are also those who believe it is linked to or triggered by trauma. Gabor Maté delves deeper into this topic in the book Scattered Minds.
People with ADHD have difficulty filtering impressions and processing information.
Children with ADHD are often very sensitive, their emotions can be right on the surface, they get easily bored, forget things, lose things, and have difficulty listening, which can be a lot for parents to handle.
How can we then support these children?
1. Diet
The first thing to review is diet. Diet continues to show connections with ADHD, as it's affected by chemical food additives, wheat, refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, and there's a link to food allergies.
Most parents find it makes a difference if their children do not eat gluten (especially wheat), white sugar, conventional dairy products, canned food, deli meats, and artificial sweeteners as well as unnatural colorings.
For many, it's a great help to remove these "triggering" foods and replace them with healthier foods like clean, nutrient-rich food with good fatty acids.We understand that it can feel challenging at school. If it's not possible to make changes at school, then it's all the more important at home.
Children with ADHD can have difficulty with certain textures and tastes of food, which is why eating disorders are more common. This is related to sensory sensitivity to smell and taste as well as all the tactile impressions that are constantly ongoing.
Then it can be important to experiment with different types of food and not get fixated on the child having to eat up a certain type of food you serve. You can test things out together.
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2. Routines & tools
Just as important as dietary choices is having routines. Making sure the child gets to eat and drink at regular times.
Children (and adults) with ADHD can easily forget or deprioritize basic needs like sleep, food, drinking, rest, and physical closeness. ADHD medication can also suppress appetite.
Hyperfocus
Children with ADHD have an even greater tendency to completely forget basic needs when they are in hyperfocus. At the same time, it can be a source of conflict when they are disturbed during their hyperfocus.
Hyperfocus occurs when they find something really interesting and fun that they want to do, which gives a dopamine boost that contributes to more focus, which feels good on all levels.
Then it can be of great help with:
Time aids (timer or egg timer) that make time visual for the child so they can see how much time they have left of what they are doing.
A weekly schedule for the whole family that makes everyday life predictable. "Now I'm doing this, then I'm going to do that, and for this long I get to spend on it."
Dopamine
There is usually difficulty regulating neurotransmitters like dopamine, noradrenaline, cortisol, and/or adrenaline, which play a major role in the body's hormones.
People with ADHD wake up in the morning with an empty "dopamine tank" that may need to be refilled in order to tackle things that are harder to motivate themselves to do.
Then it can be supportive to focus on things that provide dopamine, especially at the beginning of the day. This could involve getting to play some games at breakfast, tinkering with something, or jumping on a trampoline to have the energy to go to school.
Motivation systems
Motivation systems can be a great help for things that are "boring"; cleaning the room, doing homework, etc. You can collect points that lead to a goal of getting to do something fun.
Example: Emptying the dishwasher gives 10 points. Doing homework gives 30 points. "When you've collected 50 points then"... we go to the park, play soccer, play board games, or something else fun that the child really enjoys.
3. Movement & exercise
It's important for children to move their bodies, especially for children with ADHD. Getting to practice a sport they enjoy or just cycling, running in the forest, playing, swimming, kicking a ball, or jumping on a trampoline.
They need to be allowed to let their bodies express themselves. Exercise releases beneficial hormones, including endorphins - the "feel-good hormone" - which reduces conflicts over time. Dopamine is also released, which provides a rewarding feeling, and serotonin which gives a sense of satisfaction and calm.
The interaction between the right and left brain hemispheres doesn't always work 100%, which is why children with ADHD can have coordination problems, providing yet another reason to exercise. Improved communication between the brain hemispheres increases concentration.
Children (and adults) generally need to spend time outdoors in the middle of the day to get light into their system, which improves relaxation and sleep in the evening. Everything is connected.
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4. Love-bomb & relaxation tools
The child needs to be allowed to "be" in their body and relax. This is extra important when perhaps 10,000 thoughts are racing through their head. Some describe it as a spinning lottery wheel in the head.
It has also been described as a "Ferrari brain" with bicycle brakes, so things can go quite fast between thought and action. Children with ADHD can often be told that they are troublesome, disruptive, talk too much, and act too quickly.
Constantly receiving criticism leads to poor self-esteem and self-doubt; "there's something wrong with me" which leads to greater stress, more restlessness, and worse concentration.
Battered children with ADHD can become adults with little self-love.
As parents, you can support your children and tell them that they are okay just as they are, that they are always welcome, and "love-bomb" them. While also giving them tools to relax within themselves.
Tools for calm and peace can include, for example:
Relaxation exercises
Mindfulness for children
Massage and hugs
Tapping (also known as EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique)
Various stress-reducing aids like a stress ball
Calming music
Yoga
Nature walks
Time with a pet
5. Sleep
Sleep, or we can call it recovery, is very important. As a parent, you can help by ensuring that:
The bedroom is quiet, dark, and comfortably cool at night.
Make sure the child has plenty of time before bedtime to wind down.
Turn off all screens (phone, computer, tablet) at least 1-2 hours before sleep.
Put on calming music.
Give the child light massage or touch when they've laid down.
Use calming essential oils (scent) like lavender in the bedroom.
6. Supplements
Certain supplements have been shown to make a difference for people with ADHD, as potential nutritional deficiencies can cause problems in the body, and supplements support hormones and neurotransmitters.
The supplements most commonly mentioned are:
Omega 3 (fish or algae oil) – Omega 3 supplements appear to reduce ADHD symptoms, improve learning, and reduce anxiety.
Zinc & Magnesium – Low zinc levels are associated with poor neurological function and lack of attention, among other things.
B-complex – Children with ADHD usually need more B vitamins to maintain focus, counteract stress, and balance energy and hormone levels. A natural multivitamin containing all the B vitamins and zinc also works well.
Good gut bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) In English: Probiotics – Some studies suggest that ADHD may be linked to problems in the digestive tract. Sugar, certain medications, and chemicals kill the good bacteria in the gut, which may then need to be replenished.
If you want to read more about children and supplements, you can do so.
Please share your thoughts on this - what has helped your child?
