What Not To Do With A Child With ADHD: Things You Should Avoid

Raising a child with ADHD can be a challenge at times, as normal rule-making and household routines can sometimes be thrown out the window. Depending on the severity of your child's ADHD symptoms, different approaches should be adopted to your daily routine.

You have most likely read many articles discussing what to do and what parenting strategies to utilize, but what about what not to do with a child with ADHD? Keep reading to found out more for things that can make ADHD symptoms worse, foods that should be avoided, and how sleep can impact symptoms of ADHD.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects over 6 million children worldwide. Children who have been diagnosed with adhd can struggle with difficulties in school, issues within interpersonal relationships, and low self esteem.

The three subtypes of ADHD include:

• Inattentive presentation: involves difficulty with organizing or finishing a task, paying attention/staying focused, or following instructions or conversations. This individual is easily distracted and typically will forget details of a daily routine.
• Hyperactive/Impulsive presentation: this individual tends to fidget and will engage in impulsive behaviors on a frequent basis. It is difficult for this individual to sit still for long periods of time. They also might display impulsive behaviors, which can include interrupting others, jumping or climbing things constantly, speaking at inappropriate times, and having difficulty taking turns.
• Combined presentation: involves symptoms of the above two subtypes.

What makes ADHD symptoms in children worse?

Individuals with ADHD tend to have impairments in skills such as executive functioning, staying focused and motivated during tasks, and often issues with self control. A number of factors can contribute to a child's ADHD symptoms, making them worse or even better. Keep reading to find out more.

The following factors can make a child's ADHD symptoms worse or more prominent:

• Taking on new challenges without adequate support from parents or caregivers
• Being punished or criticized regularly for behaviors that are not within their control
• Suffering with co-morbid emotional, cognitive, or behavioral problems along with ADHD
• Stressors within the environment
• Lack of appropriate treatment

What should ADHD kids avoid?

As a parent of a child with ADHD, it is crucial to identify factors that you think might be making your child's ADHD symptoms worse. This can include candy, poor sleep, overstimulation, stress, and certain foods.

Poor Sleep

When children with ADHD do not get an adequate amount of sleep, it can really impact a child's life, from their daily functioning at school to how they behave at home.

Sleep is an important aspect of a child's functioning, whether they have ADHD or not. When a child with ADHD does not get enough sleep, their symptoms of ADHD might be exacerbated throughout the day. Lack of sleep can affect core symptoms of ADHD, such as inattention, hyperactivity, and restlessness.

The most common sleep issues children with ADHD experience include difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and difficulty waking up.

Therefore, ensuring that your child is getting quality sleep is important and this process begins well before they are in lifting up the covers to get into bed.

Parents, click here for ADHD bedtime routines and their impact on symptoms.

Overstimulation

Children with ADHD might jump from one task to the next, or get bored easily with what they are doing. Although you want to keep your child stimulated, making sure to not overstimulate them with electronics such as television, iPads, video games, and the computer is key for regulating behaviors.

When you limit electronic use or decrease television time, you are discouraging your child from engaging in impulsive behaviors. You also create the opportunity for your child to engage in activities outside of the home and get physical exercise, which can serve as a great outlet for your child to let out built-up energy and reinforce more positive behaviors.

Stress

Research states that increased stress can make ADHD symptoms worse and even lead to the development of chemical changes within the brain.

Stress is known to affect the same part of the brain as ADHD- the prefrontal cortex. When an individual is under a lot of stress, whether it is the stress from school, friends, or home life, it can have a negative impact on an individual's functioning.

Dr. Murray states, "stress changes the functioning abilities of the brain. There is a decrease in the executive functioning abilities of the brain, often seen in the person's ability to organize information and activities, and to manage emotions."

If you believe your child is encumbered by stress, where their ability to function properly in everyday life is compromised, consider taking your child for mental health treatment. Mental health professionals are trained in a multitude of therapies that can help your child manage their emotions and symptoms of adhd.

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Foods to avoid

Certain foods can make your child's behavior worse and exacerbate symptoms of ADHD. The following foods and ingredients should be avoided to promote a healthy lifestyle and set your child up for success. There are healthy diet plans for kids with ADHD that you can find online or ask your child's therapist for advice.

Sugars and candies.

Consuming sugary foods can cause blood glucose spikes and crashes, which can impact one's energy levels. Some parents have linked sugar intake to hyperactivity in children with ADHD.

Sugar and artificial colors are the main ingredients in brownies, cakes, candies, and frostings, which can be a bad combination for children with ADHD.

According to studies, both sugar and artificial colors may have a small effect on a small number of children with ADHD, particularly on their hyperactivity symptoms. Therefore, limiting the amount of sugar or candy your child consumes may impact their ADHD symptoms.

With that said, limiting sugar intake can also reduce risks of developing diabetes, obesity, and teeth decay in children.

Artificial additives

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that some artificial food colors may affect ADHD symptoms in a small number of children..

Many processed and prepackaged food items can contain artificial coloring, flavors, and preservatives.

These can be found in the following products:

• Cookies
• Breakfast cereals
• Candy
• Soft drinks
• Fruit punches
• Some vitamins for kids

High-fructose corn syrup and caffeine

Whether your child has ADHD or not, you should consider eliminating soda from your child's diet. 

Additionally, energy drinks and other drinks that include caffeine can cause children to display hyperactive behaviors that are similar to those seen in an individual with ADHD. Discover more about how caffeine affects the behavior of kids with ADHD.

Other simple carbohydrates

Sugar is known as a refined or simple carbohydrate. Simple carbohydrates are also known for creating rapid changes in blood sugar levels. Researchers indicate consuming simple carbs in moderation.

Children with ADHD should eat the following simple carbohydrates in moderation or eliminate them entirely from their diet:

• Candy
• White bread
• White pasta
• White rice
• Honey
• Potatoes without skins
• Chips
• Potato fries
• Sodas
• Sports drinks

When raising a child with ADHD, it is recommended to discuss any treatment plans with your child's pediatrician or a medical professional. Your child's doctor or a mental health professional will have the best recommendations when it comes to what diet your child should follow as well as adhd parenting tips.

How to best manage a child with ADHD?

Every child is different and what one child is struggling with can be different from what another child has difficulty with. Children who have been diagnosed with adhd might struggle with low self-esteem, self-control, school anxiety, difficulty with social relationships, and poor school performance.

Research indicates that the following behavioral strategies can be adapted to help manage your child's symptoms and mitigate behavior problems.

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Give praise and rewards for good behavior

Utilizing positive reinforcement to encourage your child to engage in positive behaviors is one of the most effective and useful discipline strategies out there for managing children with ADHD.

In addition, children who receive rewards for positive behaviors learn about and continue to engage in more acceptable behaviors.

Give clear directions

Giving your child simple instructions to follow and clear expectations will increase the likelihood or your child engaging in and following through with a task. Clearly defining and outlining tasks is an essential step in promoting positive change.

Develop routines

Children thrive when they consistently stick with a daily routine. As parents, having a daily schedule for your child to follow will make a difference in your family's life, as it will teach your child the importance of creating habits and setting expectations, as well as improving ADHD related symptoms.

Researchers recommend the following with regard to routines:

• Create a morning ADHD checklist for tasks that need to get done
• Encourage your child to use a daily planner (depending on age)
• Have an established time and place for homework assignments
• Factor in breaks for your child

Help your child build strong social skills

As a parent, it is important to model appropriate and positive behaviors that you want your child to engage in. Be sure to include special time for bonding to help maintain a strong parent-child relationship.

Encouraging your child to develop friendships and engage in play with other children at the park, on play dates, and in school is critical to your child's social skills development.

Sometimes making friends can be difficult and for some kids it can come easier than it does for others. If you believe your child needs help developing their social skills, consider pursuing social skills training for your child to learn various strategies for making friends and in turn, living a more fulfilling life!