3Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) are conditions that, due to chemical deficits, cause a person to have intense difficulties with sustained attention, focus and the ability to complete tasks. These disorders are most often inherited as they are highly genetic in nature. Thankfully, children with one of these disorders are being identified earlier so they can benefit from treatment. Some cases are not severe enough to warrant medication, but there are a good number of cases in which use of medication is crucial in the treatment process. It is worth mentioning that medications more recently made available have been proven more effective and to cause fewer side effects than older forms of medication. One of the most innovative forms of medications now available is a patch that is placed on the skin rather than taken orally. Patients have stressed that the benefit of this type of medicine is that it bypasses the digestive tract, making side effects such as decreased appetite, nausea and difficulty sleeping nearly non-existent. 
 Whether a child needs medication or not for their ADHD or ADD condition, there are many things that a parent can do to benefit the child enormously.
- Parents' Roles at HomeEducate your child about his specific disorder if he is old enough to understand that he has a problem. Doing so gives the child the answer to a question that has probably been in their mind for some time: "Why am I different than other kids and why can't I behave and follow directions?" His self-esteem can be lifted when he learns that not only is there an answer but there is help. Also, educating him means he can understand that he has a very important part in the treatment. While medicine is used, it does not do all of the work. There are many structured behaviors your child will need to engage in, and if he understands all of this, he can then be an active participant in the treatment and ultimately given credit for his success in treatment.Do your research to thoroughly understand the disorder completely. Answers can be found in books, through the help of support groups, counselors or psychiatrists and psychologists. Then you need to display an attitude that you will never give up on your child. Children with these disorders have been known to be intelligent kids. Once they find their niche in life, they almost always succeed.Begin to experiment with some rituals that can make life at home less chaotic, such as having your child get her clothes ready the night before school. Also make sure no homework is left undone and that her backpack is fully packed the night before. Most kids with these disorders have a great deal of difficulty in the morning, especially if there is a lag time in between the time they take medicine and the time it begins to work. Rituals which are performed every night like these can help to make mornings more tolerable.Make sure that your child gets plenty of sleep every night. Being overly tired only results in more exacerbated symptoms. Every kid functions better with adequate sleep. Having him get into bed at the same time each night also helps to reinforce consistency in behaviors, which is quite a challenge for kids with these disorders to learn.Make sure your child eats a good breakfast every morning. Some kids have unusual food preferences. It's more important that she eats something relatively healthy than to argue with her to eat a particular type of food. But once again, planning this the night before can be very helpful. If she takes oral medication every morning, making sure she eats well is important so as to avoid an upset stomach. Eating a healthy breakfast also helps the child to have sufficient energy to focus and think in school.Experiment with what works and what doesn't. It may be helpful if everything that your child needs to get ready in the morning is in the same room so that he doesn't have to move from room to room, increasing the chance for distraction. It may be helpful to keep the television off until your child completes all necessary tasks. It may be helpful to reward him when he manages to get ready in good time. Coming up with ideas such as these can more likely lead to success. Use whatever works for your kid.Parent Involvement in SchoolBe willing to be involved with your child's academics. Children with these disorders struggle with organization. It's not uncommon for them to complete an assignment but forget to turn it in, or to write down the homework but forget the book they need. Parents and teachers have found it helpful to come up with a system by which the teacher assists the child in writing down assignments and packing their book bag and the parent checks these at home to make sure that each assignment is completed and back in the bag, ready to go to school. Working together leads to the child eventually being able to be responsible for these tasks but they have to be taught more so than other kids.2. Sit down and assist the child in their homework and studies. Break the study time into 20 minute intervals so the child can have an occasional break. As mentioned before, eventually the child can be challenged to do more and more on their own once they get used to the routine.Get involved in conferences and don't be a stranger to your kid's teachers. Most of them are willing to help kids with special struggles and if they aren't, don't hesitate to go to the principal as there should be specific programs there to help kids with special needs.Don't emphasize the child's problems in an excessive way to others outside of the home. While there is no shame in either of these disorders, many children and sadly some adults still do not respect the truth about these disorders and can be very judgmental and downright mean to a struggling child. Your child needs positive support only. You can never give too much positive reinforcement to a child with one of these disorders.
