ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a condition that
affects both children and adults. More often it is diagnosed
in childhood but if the symptoms are more mild it may be overlooked
until the child reaches adulthood. The symptoms, mild,
moderate or severe, can have many different effects on the social
development of the child.
ADHD social development can make childhood friendships very
difficult. And because these relationships contribute to the
immediate happiness of the child it is important to the long-term
development of the child.
Researchers have found that children who have difficulty with their
peer relationships at a young age are more at risk for anxiety
disorders, behavioral and mood disorders and substance abuse as
teens. Parents with children who have ADHD also report that
their children are less likely to have close friends and are more
likely to be picked on at school or has trouble getting along with
other children.
Exactly how these behaviors interfere with peer relationships
isnít entirely understood. Psychologists theorize
that those children with inattentive disorder may be perceived as shy
and those who are hyperactive may be perceived as aggressive.
Children who have ADHD and any other disorder face even greater
challenges with their relationships with others.
But not everyone with ADHD has difficulty getting along with
others. For those who do have difficulty in developing close
peer relationships there are several things that parents can do to help
their children through this challenge. The earlier these
symptoms are recognized and interventions are started the better the
chances that they will be successful.
Beginning any help with the child means that the parents recognize the
importance to the child of healthy peer relationships. They
can be just as important as good grades in school since they help to
determine the eventual social outcome for the child.
Parents can keep up to date with the childís teacher, school
counselors and after-school leaders and maintain open lines of
communication. This will help to recognize problems early in
their development and a core team of people who can work together to
provide support to the child as they meet these challenges.
Help your child to become involved in activities with their
peers. These activities can be sports related or other group
activities in which the child has some talent.
These activities could be after school activities such as drama club,
choir, or the school journal club.
Schools often have peer programs which pair older children and teens to
provide support in the school environment. You may want to
discuss this possibility with the child\'s school counselor.
Parents can also maintain open lines of communication with their child
so the child feels they have a safe place to communicate their
disappointments and discouragement.
Parents should also be encouraged to help the child process through
their social environment so that they can learn what errors may have
been made in a social situation and how the behavior may be changed to
correct the outcome. This can help the child to learn the
cause and effect of their behavior on others.
After a social situation the parent and child can sit down to discuss
both the errors and successes in the situation. They can
identify what led to the error or success and figure out who was hurt
by the error. Then together they can decide how to correct
the mistake and together develop an alternative plan so the error
doesnít happen again.
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