Mind Over Matter | 30 Mar, 2019

Mind Over Matter | 30 Mar, 2019
  1. My 8-year old son is suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He is a fun loving boy. He learns quickly but makes many careless mistakes. At times, he is very, very talkative and gets angry quickly. He gets distracted very quickly as well. How do we deal with this?

(Name withheld)

Ans: Children with ADHD function well with clear routines and schedules within the house and outside too. They require clear-cut instructions and help with carrying out their tasks. They also need positive feedback with their work. While planning their routine, make sure to keep fun activities and avoid screen time and video games. Try and keep them away from junk food, sugar, caffeine, etc. Adequate sleep is very essential. No matter what, try and stay calm. Reacting to situations will make matters worse.

  1. My daughter is 7 years old. She is not studying properly at all. She is unable to concentrate in her studies and is quite slow. She takes a long time to complete her homework. I feel that she does not have any problems understanding and that she is just lazy. But how do we improve her power of concentration?

(Name withheld)

Ans: Every child is different and in the same way, their concentration levels also differ. It is important to find the reason for poor concentration levels of your daughter. It could be some problem at school or at home. Try and talk to her gently. She may feel comfortable to share her worries with you. Do not keep pointing out her negative points and do not scold her at all times. Encourage her constantly and praise her whenever she successfully completes a task. You could also get her assessed for intelligence and attention span disorders and take suggestions from a qualified counsellor or psychologist.

  1. My son is 6 years old. Of late, it is becoming very difficult to handle him. He keeps arguing all the time. It is difficult to handle him as he does exactly the opposite of what we ask him to do. Our family members, his teachers, almost everyone complains about him. At times, he beats up his friends as well. Please advise how to manage my son's behavior.

(Name withheld)

Ans: It seems your son is displaying a lot of aggressive behavior. However, it is important to look into the root cause of the problem. You need to understand the reasons for this kind of behavior and since when they have started. Further, explore if anyone is displaying such kind of behavior at the homefront; anyone that he could be imitating.

Also, 6 years is still too young an age to be in control of our emotions at all times. Look into your discipline methods and see if your expectations are too high from a small child. If you are able to find a clue, go ahead and make changes. If the problem persists, consult with a qualified psychologist or counsellor for proper assessment and follow the recommended interventions.

(Ms. Gariasi Dutta is Psychological Counsellor with down town hospital, Guwahati. She can be contacted at 98640-55560 or dutta.gariasi@gmail.com)

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