In this episode, I interview child psychologist Dr. Nekeshia Hammond who specializes in treating children with ADHD and providing support for parents as they learn how to effectively help their child. Dr. Hammond is the author of “ADHD Explained: What Every Parent Needs to Know,” and she speaks nationally on children’s mental health and parental wellness.
We discussed what she thinks are the causes of ADHD; critical steps to take for success; strategies to communicate with the school; tools to help your child at home; modifications to help your child in school; non-drug treatment options; and the importance of parent self-care.
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According to Dr. Hammond, there is a significant overdiagnosis of ADHD in children today. Symptoms of ADHD can be due to a variety of physical causes, such as low blood sugar and anemia, family difficulties including divorce or a parent’s loss of a job, and school issues such as bullying or having undetected vision or hearing issues which affects a child’s performance and behavior during classes.
Proper testing to rule out these potential causes is essential. And even if the child is diagnosed properly with ADHD, it is not always necessary to treat the child with medication. Various types of therapy appropriate for the age and maturity of the child can be very effective as well as teaching parents how they can best help their kids by creating some structure that helps them succeed.
In this interview, Dr Hammond shares:
1. Why ADHD is over diagnosed.
2. What are some myths about ADHD?
3. How can parents know if their child does have ADHD?
4. Some alternatives to medication.
5. How issues like low blood sugar, anemia or low thyroid can look like ADHD.
6. How can parents best help their child with ADHD?
7. What about parents who are struggling with the fact that their child has ADHD, how do they get help?
8. What can teachers or schools do to help children with ADHD?
9. Why it’s dangerous to give kids the “label” of ADHD.
Resources:
Dr. Hammond’s Website
Dr. Hammond’s Book, “ADHD Explained: What Every Parent Should Know”
