22 Jun What Makes ADHD Symptoms Worse in Kids at Home?
Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Excellent services, caring therapists.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
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Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
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I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
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Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
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Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
Thanks to both for a job well done... -
Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
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As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
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We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
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Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
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Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
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We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
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We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
THINGS YOU’RE DOING THAT COULD BE MAKING YOUR CHILD’S ADHD WORSE
What Makes ADHD Symptoms Worse in Kids at Home?
ADHD is a complex condition that often requires a multifaceted approach to treatment. So, if your child has ADHD, you’re probably already doing your best to help them feel better. But are some things you might be doing that could make it worse?
As it turns out, there could be! Everyone’s experience with ADHD differs; the same goes for how other treatments affect them. What works for one kid or adult might not work for another. That is why it is important to know what may make your child’s ADHD symptoms worse so you can make adjustments as needed.
Read on to learn more about each and get tips on making changes to help your child manage their condition better.
Overstimulating Your Kid or Student
Just like all parents out there, we aim to give our kids a lot of good experiences and activities. But we all need to understand that if our children have ADHD, giving them too many activities to stimulate them might be counterproductive and may negatively impact their growth.
Overstimulation can cause kids and students with ADHD easily overwhelmed or anxious. It can also lead to behaviors that are disruptive or hard for them (or you) to control.
Simple ways you can help prevent overstimulation include:
- Limiting the amount of technology available at home—turn off the TV, stay away from video games, and keep tablets locked up when not in use.
- Managing noise levels—make sure that sound levels are comfortable for your child (keep it low!) and have them wear noise-canceling headphones in especially noisy situations.
- Monitoring their physical activity—keep them active but don’t let them overdo it – plan limited amounts of physical activity throughout the day, and ensure they get plenty of rest.
Taking these steps will ensure that your child remains in a state where they can stay focused, relaxed, and well-managed – setting the stage for success!
Subjecting Your Child to Emotional Stress
It is never easy to see your child struggling to manage their ADHD, but how we respond to that struggle is key. Subjecting your child to emotional stress can exacerbate the symptoms and make it more difficult to process everything around them.
Stress in the home environment can manifest in several ways, including speaking negatively about them, comparing them negatively with siblings or peers, or using emotionally loaded language (shouting, name-calling). These behaviors can strain the relationship between you and your child and make it harder for them to communicate their needs.
Parents of children with ADHD need to remain consistent in their responses. If emotions are running high, take a moment to think and assess the situation before responding. Calmly establishing boundaries avoids further stress and encourages positive behavior from your child.
Practicing Inconsistent Discipline
Another thing you might be doing that is making your child’s ADHD worse is practicing inconsistent discipline. When disciplining children with ADHD, having a set of consistent rules and expectations is key. Doing so will help them focus and understand what behavior is acceptable and what is not.
Now that you know these, there are some things to keep in mind:
- Ensure your child understands the rules, expectations, and consequences each time before any disciplinary action is taken—this will help avoid confusion.
- Always follow the agreed-upon rules and consequences, building trust and encouraging cooperation.
- Give appropriate rewards when your child acts appropriately—it reinforces the desired behavior and helps create a positive environment.
- Remain consistent in your response, even if it’s something they’ve done multiple times before—inconsistent discipline breeds confusion and distrust in the relationship.
Inconsistent discipline can have negative implications for children with ADHD, leading to confusion, impulsive reactions, frustration, or an inability to focus on the tasks at hand. Therefore, practicing consistent disciplinary measures goes a long way in helping children with ADHD stay focused while still allowing them the freedom to express themselves authentically.
Lacking a Consistent Daily Routine
A consistent daily routine is essential for helping your child with ADHD manage their symptoms. Your child can feel lost and confused without a dependable schedule, leading to more outbursts and aggression.
Establish a Routine
To give your child structure and security, you should establish a daily routine that includes time for meals, play, schoolwork, chores, and leisure activities. Keeping the same everyday way is important for helping children with ADHD stay focused, organized, and on track.
Be Flexible
It’s important to remember that being rigid with the routine isn’t always best — parents should be flexible when planning family activities or outings that may require modifying the overall schedule. Adjusting the schedule from time to time allows children with ADHD to be successful in managing their symptoms while still having fun.
Having a consistent daily routine helps children with ADHD better manage their symptoms because:
- It provides a structure that aids in focusing on tasks by breaking them down into manageable parts.
- It helps reduce stress through the predictability of events throughout the day.
- It lessens distractions by creating boundaries around leisure activities.
Not Giving Your Child Opportunities to Burn Energy
Kids can be a handful — that is just part of being a parent. But if you have a child with ADHD, you may need to take another step to ensure that your child can express their energy healthily.
It’s important to recognize that physical movement is essential for kids with ADHD — it helps them burn off extra energy and remain focused on tasks. Your child might struggle with hyperactivity, restlessness, or impulsive behavior without the right exercise.
Ways to Make Sure Your Kid Gets Enough Activity
➡ Create incentives for physical activities: If your child loves the idea of competitions and rewards, then create different challenges and goals for them each day. It could be something simple like 10 jumping jacks or a mini-marathon around the backyard.
Allow your child some screen time — but make sure it’s active screen time: Play a dynamic video game together or even find an interactive app that requires the user to move around to progress.
➡ Incorporate more physical activities into everyday life: Do daily chores into physical tasks; this way, they can make progress while having fun too.
Remember — it’s all about allowing your kids to burn off some energy while staying focused and engaged in healthy activities. Try other things out until you find something they love doing!
Not Helping Your Child Develop Strong Organizational Skills
Did you know that failing to help your child develop strong organizational skills can make their ADHD worse?
It’s true—not helping your child with this critical life skill can lead to ADHD symptoms, like difficulty focusing and staying on-task, because they won’t have the necessary tools to help keep them organized.
Here’s what you can do:
- Model organization-lead by example and be organized yourself. Then talk to your child about how you stay organized so they can learn from you.
- Get your child a planner to keep tabs on their activities, which tasks need to be done, and when. It might take some training, but it’ll soon become second nature with consistent reminders.
- Make sure they clean up after themselves and their playtime, too—it might seem like a simple task, but clutter affects the brain negatively when it comes to focusing and staying on-task.
- Teach them basic filing skills, such as going through papers and organizing them into folders or filing cabinets for quicker access later on when needed.
- And lastly, encourage self-reflection by having them evaluate their organizational skills periodically so that improvements or tweaks can be made when necessary for better results.
- These techniques are great for developing strong organizational habits and managing ADHD symptoms over the long term.
Conclusion
When it comes to managing your child’s ADHD, there are lots of practices you can do to help your kid cope with their symptoms. It’s important to remember that ADHD is a condition that has to be managed, not cured.
That said, by addressing the underlying causes of your child’s ADHD, such as overstimulation, emotional stress, inconsistent discipline, and lack of a consistent routine, you can help to manage the symptoms and make your child’s life more manageable.
By being aware of the things that can make ADHD worse and by taking steps to eliminate those sources of stress and overstimulation, you can help to make life a little less chaotic for your child – and you. With the right strategies, you can give your child the tools and support they need to live a better life.
In this article, we will find out what makes ADHD symptoms worse in kids at home: overstimulation, emotional stress, inconsistent discipline, and lack of a consistent routine.
Craig Selinger
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