Kids & ADHD – How Psychology Can Help
ADHD can make day to day life really challenging for kids and families. If you have a child already diagnosed with ADHD, they may or may not also have been prescribed medication to support them. Did you know however that there are benefits associated with non-medical support for kids with ADHD, primarily psychology. In fact, this hybrid approach to support (medication and psychology) can not only help reduce ADHD symptoms, but also improve day-to-day functioning and wellbeing for kids and their family. Psychology is also likely more readily accessible than medical treatment via a psychiatrist or paediatrician, both known to be in shorter supply and with waitlists.
How does psychology help with ADHD?
Treatment such as cognitive behaviour therapy can help with identifying ways to better support kids with functioning and transitioning between environments, be it home, school, sports or social settings. It can also be useful for helping kids (and their parents) with identifying the behavioural symptoms and thinking patterns that challenge them, including organisation (such as getting ready for school or going to bed), stress management (perhaps strategies for decompressing after the school day) and self-esteem (dealing with feelings that come with thinking or behaving a little differently to other kids).
What would sessions look like?
The first step is always to chat with one or both parents to understand your experiences and challenges. In most cases, parents already know the best ways they can support their kid with their day-to-day functioning, and it’s often a case of reviewing your current strategies, perhaps simplifying or realigning them, and agreeing a short-term focus to build on. After we’ve spoken with you, we’ll chat with your child.
How would the session with my kid be framed?
It’s a very gentle approach that’s focussed on building trust and rapport. We’ll want to know a little about the things your kid loves, and use that as a starting point. It might be a case of “Mum has told me that you’re having a good time at your footy training? Who’s your coach?”. We’ll work towards giving your kid 1 or 2 tangible takeaways to think about or do after their session – this might be something like reinforcing an order of the first one or two things to do to get ready for school in the mornings. Establishing success with some simple routines goes a long way to building confidence along with regulating attention, impulses, and energy levels that are often a challenge for kids with ADHD.
If you think this strategy might work well for you or your child and you’d like to make booking, email us at hello@combinedmindpsychology.com.au and we’ll be in touch.