ADHD boy 5 years old

[Lettysolis]

I am new here and I would like some tips about 5 years boys with ADHD. What should I know first and how/where to start to help him.

[sheila1kerry]

I just posted about a programme on BBC1 about doctors and drugs. Great piece on ADHD, i wish i had known this when my boy was young ( he is 28 now and amazing but i still remember the difficult years. Stay strong , it does get better as they get older, it is trying to find ways to cope when things are bad. You may find some answers in this programme.

Sheila1kerry

[Lishkps]

Hello, my 5 year old boy has adhd. First i would make sure to get him evaluated for an actual diagnosis, so that he can get all the help he can at school, like an iep. I domt have alot of advice becuase we are still working on things at home and school. I imagine we always will be. I have started my son on fish oil based on some studies ive read, the epa has to be at least 2 times more than the dha preferably 4 to 1 ratio. I found a childrens one at my local heapth store. The only thing that i feel helps my son, is no distractions. One task at a time, and for us as a parent to remember to breath, and take a break when you need to. My son needs constant redirection, cant tell them something one time and expect them to do it or hear you. I have to tell him the same thing over and over again and then will ask him to repeat what i said, just to see if he actually heard me, and even then i have to practically stand over him through everything,to redirect him to do, or not do something. will repeat the same words over and over again. We use a magnetic reward chart that he likes, it doesnt work every day, because the rewards he gets bored of or some days his energy level is just so much that it wont work. But we have pictures of behaviours like listening, no chasing the dogs, no jumping on furniture, no yelling, no hitting. And finishing meals. And he has magnets that he gets to put next to each picture of behaviour for finishing his meal, or he will stop himself from chasimg the dogs and say " oh!no chasimg the dogs right mama?, do i get a sticker now?" And after he gets 5 stickers he gets a reward. So we have magnet pictures of the rewards, video game time, pizza, cookies, sometimes of we can afford it a trip to zap zone to ride the bumper cars, ice cream,time in our hot tub since its been winter... whatever will be motivating good behaviour. Things your child really likes. They can get stickers taken away if they do bad behaviour, but for us for the listening one he can get it taken away but gained right back if he does what i asked him. So it doesnt feel to them like its pointless if they are just getting stickers taken all day and not earned. We also will do 2 rewards a day sometimes. If its a really good day. Another thing that helps is talking calmly which doesnt always happen, but i try my best sitting and talking out why were not allowed to do things and why mommy got upset or this or that. I really dont have too much more i can tell you. I think its always going to be a work in progress. Your on the right track, and this forum is very helpful.

[Pennywink]

Dr. Russell Barkley is my favorite for ADHD info. Here's a lectur of his - it's long, but so good!

youtu.be/SCAGc-rkIfo(Not working as expected?)

This is also a list of school accommodations, but adapting them for home has helped us a lot:

russellbarkley.org/factshee...