In this continuing series, I share the struggles and insights that I have gained from working with my amazing son with ADHD. In this segment, I discuss ADHD and temper tantrums and offer practical advice on how to handle your child while in the midst of a tantrum. Thanks for watching!!

 
Sorry it has been a while since I made my last video log. It has been a crazy time with graduations and end of school year activities!!

Continuing on with Segment 2 of Our ADHD Journey, we have been actively evaluating schools, reviewing our IEP and looking for an ADHD therapist.

The topic I would like to discuss today is ADHD and tantrums. Although my son has the inattentive form of ADHD, his ADHD does affect his anxiety levels and his impulse control relative to emotional reactions. We have figured out through trial and error what works for our son when he spirals into an emotional temper tantrum. Recently, I was reading several blogs online and our approach was confirmed by an adult who has ADHD and was able to explain why our approach works effectively.

It works like this. When our son gets himself all worked up about something and is “throwing a tantrum” (he does not kick and scream wildly but it is definitely a tantrum), we get him very physically active. Usually we do this by PLAYFULLY picking him up and spinning him around or tossing him in the air (yes, he is still small) or chasing him around – again playfully. The calm soothing voice or rubbing his back approach does not work at all. The reason why this works was explained by the adult with ADHD in this way. A person with ADHD in a temper tantrum has a brain that is totally racing at that point. Physical activity or loud music helps to calm the brain down.

One emotional aspect of ADHD is that little issues can be perceived as big issues because of the way the ADHD brain works. That coupled with a weakened impulse control results in these tantrums. This is not simply the case of the child behaving badly.

We have also started to name the behavior when it happens as a first step toward self realization that his behavior is not appropriate. We hope this is a first step towards self-control in the future. By giving the behavior a name, like the temper monster, we are helping to externalize the behavior so he can recognize it when it happens.

Believe me, I know that it can be physically and emotionally exhausting working with a child with ADHD. But when tantrums occur, we have found it the be most helpful to

1. Step Back
2. Get Silly
3. Jiggle the Tantrum Out Playfully.

Good luck! Thanks for watching and until next time!!

Karen

We have recently learned that my son has been diagnosed with ADHD, the inattentive form. In this video I discuss ADHD and share with the viewer our journey on discovering ADHD, ADHD therapy, mainstream medication as well as more holistic approaches to learning issues.

I invite the viewer to join me on this journey as me and my family learns about this neurological disorder.

 
I have something new to share – my son has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD while arguably an overused term in today’s society is an actual neurological condition where certain parts of the brain are impaired. There are two forms of ADHD – hyperactive and inattentive. The classic symptoms of ADHD include impulsivity, distractibility and hyperactivity although the condition itself is very complex. My son has the inattentive form of ADHD.

I am actually reading a great book on the subject, “Drive to Distraction” by Dr. Edward Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey. I am a little less than halfway through the book but the case studies and explanations in the book have been very helpful and illuminating to me. An interesting facet of the book is that Dr. Hallowell himself has ADHD.
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