Children and parents can learn skills from an expert that has been working with youth over 15 years to manage and modify ADHD behaviors. There may be symptoms of : impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention, These behaviors when not modified can create struggles with self esteem relationships, academics, family problems, school issues with peers, mood regulation issues that all need to be addressed.

One huge benefit of counseling and behavior modification is that a child or teen can use these skills for their entire life. If a child is relying on medication then once the child is off the medication or if the medication wears off the child does not have the skill set to manage his old behaviors and he will be in a lot of trouble.

Children and adolescent teens can learn how to stay more focused and learn how to be more organized at home and at school.

Teens, parents, and children can learn tools and skills to reduce or eliminate disruptive behaviors at school and at home.

Learning to manage ADHD symptoms is vital for healthy social life with family and friends and future employment. Managing ADHD symptoms is essential for your child in order to have academic success.

Helping parents have positive interactions and communication with their child and teenager is vital for ADHD behavior changes. Learning to encourage positive healthy behaviors and eliminate negative unhealthy behaviors is just one goal.

Parent tips and training also is extremely helpful with defiant and disruptive behaviors. If these behaviors are common place the whole family will be very stressed and it will be challenging to break this cycle without an objective child counselor who can help.

Many children with ADHD feel they are a problem child because they have been punished or scolded. It is important to create successful behaviors for our child.

Children can learn skills to maximize their positive academic strengths and minimize or reduce their learning areas that are challenging. Learning mood regulation is important for an ADHD child as well as routines, minimizing conflict and more. Having the parent, child and therapist work together toward common goals is the best evidence based approach being that everyone is hopefully showing consistency for the child or teenager.

Take time and read testimonials on lifeworksaz.com. These testimonials are from parents and professionals that have had excellent results and shared their thoughts on how it changed their families and children and teens.

Over seventy five percent of children ages 2-5 years old are being medicated when diagnosed with ADHD. The problem is that a pill will never teach your child to : make healthy choices, learn mood management, learn healthy communication skills, build your child’s self esteem, teach your child how to build internal skills to focus and stay on task, teach your child hard work, teach your child to be persistent, teach your child to problem solve, teach your child how to improve their social skills with other children and family members.

Experts state that counseling and therapy are vital for children with ADHD however only 20% of youth or less receive counseling and therapy and parenting skills.

The absolute best approach per 100 years of research regarding children and behavior  is an approach that combines individual counseling with parenting tips and family system tips to modify behavior. All of these elements are vital in creating desired change in your child or teenager.

Many studies recently show that ADHD children that are : restless, impulsive, lack focus and concentration can be treated with behavioral counseling and therapy. Recent research shows that for a child with ADHD to learn complex cognitive tasks he or she must be able to fidget and squirm and being sedated with a pill is not suggested to help children and teens.

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy.

ADHD drugs serve to mask problem behaviors. ADHD drugs are classified in the same category as: cocaine, Opium, and Morphine. What does this mean to me as a parent? The potential risk of addiction and abuse on your child’s brain is high. Over 3 million children are taking ADHD medications throughout the USA. Over 5 million are diagnosed with ADHD throughout the United States of America.

In a recent study researchers state that over One million children and Teenagers are mis-diagnosed for ADHD and many experts believe that ADHD has zero neurological markers and can be that children are inattentive and at times struggle with focusing issues and need to work on this behavior.

Many ADHD diagnosis are driven by large class rooms and teachers over worked whom are overwhelmed in managing many children. Many experts state ADHD behaviors have to do with a child and his or her emotional and or intellectual maturity.

A study that reviewed over 10,000 articles on ADHD medications state that a child’s sleep is impaired while taking ADHD medications. The sleep impairment was connected with : emotional, behavioral, and cognitive functioning in children and teenagers according to this study. Inattention and defiance for connected to the lack of sleep or poor sleeo in children taking ADHD medications: Adderal and Ritalin medications.

Short term side effects can be : insomnia, irritability, tearfulness, toxic psychosis, nervousness, nausea, dizziness, personality changes, headaches, heart issues, tiredness, drowsiness, blood pressure changes, chest pains, abdominal pains, anorexia, weight loss, depression, suicidal thoughts, tics, bizzare behaviors tourettes syndrome.

Long term side effects may include: normal growth is inhibited, height and weight may be impaired, immune system problems and more research is coming out.

An ADHD child may just need a more involved teacher with an imagination to capture the child’s imagination. An ADHD child may need more tools to focus and pay attention at home as well as at school.

ADHD diagnosis has increased almost 50% in the past ten years and medication prescriptions are close to a Thirty percent increase approx. in the past decade.

Children that are on ADHD medications are more likely to be at risk for bullying and being abused. This study was done in the Journal of Child Psychology.

Many children and teenagers are prescribed stimulant medication to address their ADHD and these medications are the most commonly sold and shared among children and teenagers throughout Arizona and the USA. Over 20 percent in a survey state they have been asked or approached to sell their medications or to share some pills with them even though they obviously do not have a prescription for the medication ( ADHD).

Intensive research on ADHD medications show that it masks symptoms and makes your child docile, stunts growth, however does not teach your child: life skills, stress management, motivation, ability to overcome negative thinking, mood management, better family respect, improved family communication, improved social skills, improved self esteem, behavior management skills and more. There is not a magic pill it will take extra family effort and time according to many experts in the field of ADHD and Psychology. 

Dr. Carl Hart is a neuropsychopharmacologist at Columbia University and states that ADHD Adderall is very similar to Crystal Meth. Thousands of Experts in Psychiatry, Pharmacology, and Psychology report similar research studies.

While it’s true that Adderall and methamphetamine are not chemically identical, the point Dr. Hart makes is that they have very similar effects. One methyl group seperates the two drugs.

Amphetamine and methamphetamine, a researches wrote, are “about equipotent” and “produce qualitatively similar behavioral responses.” Both excite the central nervous system in nearly identical ways, flooding and blocking dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline receptors.

Parents are not told that ADHD meds, as a stimulant, may cause the very disorders and problem behaviors it is supposed to cure: inattention, hyperactivity, and aggression. When a child or teenager behaviors go South while taking the medication, he or she is likely to be given higher doses of the drug, or an even stronger medication..This can result in a vicious circle of increasing drug toxicity

ADHD symptoms very often disappear when a child or adolescent have an activity they are interested in doing. ADHD symptoms also disappear when an adult: Mom or Dad or teacher is able to give the child attention. Most observers also state ADHD appears to vanish during the summer when school is not in session.

Children are not : bored, inattentive, angry, violent, unfocused, and undisciplined by nature. Most of the time these children are more energized, more spirited, and need activities that stimulate their minds. They have a bundle of energy however most do not have a mental illness or a disorder. Most need tools to manage their behaviors as well as parents that learn tools to manage your child’s behavior.

Treatment with stimulant drugs such as  (Ritalin) will produce greater docility in any child ) without actually improving conduct or academic performance. Parents are not informed that they are trading behavioral control for toxic drug effects. The label ADHD is attached to children who are in reality deprived of appropriate adult attention These children require improved adult attention , stress management skills, tools to overcome negative thinking and thought patterns, Behavior modification, Parenting modifications and counseling.

Your child or teen may display a variety of unhealthy behaviors. There are many areas that can contribute to this behavior: mood, thoughts, self esteem, grief, loss, family issues, peers, performance, school, and much more. It is important to look at all aspects of your child’s life before you label them with a “disorder” this can cause a lot of damage for life.

All children have some behavior issues and some are more serious than others. I have worked with thousands of children that have academic issues, ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, Aggression, substance abuse, Social issues, poor Self esteem, family issues, communication issues, motivation issues, divorced children, past trauma, defiant disorders, conduct disorders and much more.I have worked with children and families in: Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria, Buckeye, Goodyear, Mesa, Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Biltmore, Tempe and in most of the schools in the valley in the past. I have worked with private school kids and teens in juvenile detention. I have worked in the public schools as well.

My approach is not to stigmatize your child and hand him a disorder it is quite the opposite. I find all the strengths and positive qualities your child or teen has and use that as a foundation for rapport and connection with your child and the family. Labeling your child will only create a reason why behavior is the way it is and the reality is that you child can change his behavior as well as each parent can modify their behavior to obtain desired success and results.

I work with both the parent and the child and the research and my experience shows this will create the greatest potential for change. The parents are the eyes and ears of the child and know their child the best. Weekly feedback from each parents is vital in creating a treatment plan for change and is part of what Lifeworks Arizona Child and Family counseling uses in one component for change.

My approach is not a cookie cutter approach. Depending on your child or Teen I use a wide array of evidence based tools that work as well as sports, games, art,  play, and talk  to create change. My goal is to create balance in your child’s life. I look at his sleep patterns, diet, unhealthy habits, routine, time management, communication skills, boundaries, parenting, academics, and all of his or her behaviors that are working and this that are not working. Through this process I create a treatment plan to eliminate undesirable behaviors . At the same time I am teaching your child skills to manage : mood, stress, anger, anxiety, depression, develop social skills, build self esteem. It is the combination of all the components that creates change for your child or teenager.

Think of a car you drive where one tire is low in air pressure . Depending on how low it is it can impact the whole car and it’s alignment. Our children can be thought of in the same way: low air pressure, delay in oil change, and the car starts having many problems, it might take awhile however eventually these problems will arise in your child in the form of: disrespect, anger, aggression, poor grades, poor habits anymore.

There is more research out that children watching TV before bed time impacts sleep. The same research applies to video games, and internet use.

The Academy of Pediatrics suggest that children be limited to less than two hours per day of TV and media. Research shows that media can diminish a child’s vocabulary, math skills, and social skills. There is a great deal of research that correlates : sleep problems, aggression, anger, behavioral problems, ADHD, lack of attention at school, obesity

and more to children that are watching on average 32 hours of TV and media per week. In most homes the TV is on for half the day if not more.

Children are not interacting with peers and family members. Children are not eating dinner with families and communicating. The TV or technology is the focus and healthy social and communication skills are eroding

exponentially. Children and teens are not exercising which is essential for physical health as well as mental health. Children are not reading books, playing instruments, playing with peers, joining groups and organizations and are isolating in their rooms or homes watching media.

Obesity is an epidemic in the USA and this is no exception for children.

One out of three high school students are not involved in any exercise. Many children and teens spend most of their time playing video games, watching tv, or on the computer. Limiting media time is one huge piece in decreasing weight and obesity problems among youth. Of course ,exercise and healthy eating habits are important as well. The first step

is limiting media consumption.

Thousands of studies have been done on child aggression/ anger and TV since he early 1950’s and only a couple dozen state that aggression and TV watching frequency increase childhood aggression. TV desensitizes children toward violence, anger, aggression, verbal abuse and more.

Children will be exposed to over 200,000 violent acts and over 15,000 murders before they reach age 18. Do you really want your children exposed to this much violence?. The same can be stated for video games and other media that is unhealthy.

Tv research shows that exposure to alcohol and smoking increase the likelihood your child will gravitate toward these products. This is why advertisers spend Billions of dollars each year to increase sales and exposure of their products.

Children sleep better when tv was not viewed close to bed time. Electronics impact: sleep, mood, behavior, health, social skills and more. Limits must be set on electronic use to create health and balance in your child’s life .

A study conducted that involved questionaires of over 12,000 adolescent teens showed their is a link between depressed moods, depression and suicidal behaviors.

Many sleep studies show that sleep is vital for mood regulation, focusing, awareness, attentiveness, coping with stress, depression, anxiety and more in children and teenagers.

The bottom line in most of these studies is that adolescent teenagers need at least 9-10 hours of sleep per night. It is important to set boundaries with teens and it is a hard task to do with : cell phones, texting, internet, etc, however, sleep will impact your child and teens mental health and physical health.

A study published in the Jan 1 issue of Sleep found that children with sleep disturbances are more severely depressed, have more depressive symptoms and have more anxiety disorders, compared with children without sleep disturbances.

Parents must set firm limits on : TV, cell phone use, Internet use, Netflix, You tube, and video game use if you want your child to be well rounded and have balance in all areas of their life.

Poor or inadequate sleep is correlated with follow through and limits placed on your child. Unhealthy behaviors: unhealthy anger, depressed mood, anxiety, inability to focus at school, poor performance at school many times is connected to sleep patterns and structure in the child’s life creating healthy or unhealthy life skills and habits.

ADHD, ADD, Behaviors

The absolute best approach per 100 years of research regarding children and behavior  is an approach that combines individual counseling with parenting tips and family system tips to modify behavior. All of these elements are vital in creating desired change in your child or teenager. Lifeworks AZ provides this.

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults.

Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

Recent surveys indicate that 12 percent of all children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD’s core symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention, inability to perform monotonous tasks and lack of impulse control. Children with ADHD have trouble in school and forming relationships, and 60 percent will continue to suffer from the disorder well into adulthood if they do not receive counseling and therapy.

Over 3 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. New research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be. Research outcomes suggests that if ADHD children and adolescents could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, significant improvement in their children’s ADHD-related behavior appeared.

Cognitive therapy may also boost improvement: In a 2011, showed that children with ADHD show extra activity in brain areas associated with “task-irrelevant” information during working memory tasks (those that depend on one’s ability to hold and focus on information for immediate reasoning and recall), suggesting that they have less efficient cognitive control. Cognitive therapy and counseling can improve control and ability to focus.

Decades of research on treatment for ADHD children and teens show that medication alone will not produce positive long term results in children and adolescents. Behavioral therapy is one of the only type of counseling treatment’s that produces effective results. Looking at your child’s social and behavioral issues is key as well as looking at your parenting style and communication style with your children. All of these areas must be addressed to create huge positive changes at home with your child and with your family and at school with peers.

An ADHD child does display: inattentiveness, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and more. Most children and teenagers that have ADHD show challenges in these areas as well: daily life activities, school academics and school performances, behavioral issues at school, relationships issues with family members and peers at school and outside of school, defiance with parents, noncompliance with parents.

How your child with ADHD will do in adulthood is influenced by four things: (1) whether you use effective parenting skills; (2) how your child gets along with other children; (3) his or her success in school; and (4) whether behavioral treatments can be successfully applied to these critical areas. This is done by teaching skills to parents, teachers, and the children themselves. If learned and implemented by parents and teachers, these skills help the children overcome their problems in daily life functioning. Because ADHD is a chronic condition, teaching skills that will be valuable across the child’s lifetime is especially important. Lifeworks Arizona Counseling has expertise working with children and parents to address ADHD symptoms mentioned above to create success with the family and child.

Effective outcomes must combine counseling and therapy for the child one on one. It also must include parenting and behavioral modification therapy with parent or parents. If teachers are involved than keeping them in the loop as well as having a 504 or IEP that addresses these specific issues with strategies is important.

Having a system that addresses behaviors daily is important. Having parents involved in the behavior modification is essential. Working with the child or teen and parent weekly is important to modify and extinguish undesirable behaviors and it is just as important to reinforce positive behaviors.

Change will happen if you are dedicated to the process with someone who has a history of success with children and families.

There are many excellent techniques and skills when combined together that will make a huge impact on your child’s behavior at home and at school with ADHD or other challenges.

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults.

Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children providing counseling skills to parents and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

Recent surveys indicate that 12 percent of all children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD’s core symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention, inability to perform monotonous tasks and lack of impulse control. Children with ADHD have trouble in school and forming relationships, and 60 percent will continue to suffer from the disorder well into adulthood if they do not receive counseling and therapy.

Over 3 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. New research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be.Research outcomes suggests that if ADHD children and adolescents could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, significant improvement in their children’s ADHD-related behavior appeared.

Cognitive therapy may also boost improvement: In a 2011, showed that children with ADHD show extra activity in brain areas associated with “task-irrelevant” information during working memory tasks (those that depend on one’s ability to hold and focus on information for immediate reasoning and recall), suggesting that they have less efficient cognitive control. Cognitive therapy and counseling can improve control and ability to focus.

Will medication teach your child life skills? Will meds teach your child values and respect? Will meds help build your child’s self esteem? Confidence? Will medication help your child learn appropriate social and relationship skills? Will medication teach your child or teen have to become motivated and find passion and purpose for the future? Behavior and life skills and counseling can do all the above. There are other things that can help your ADHD child like physical exercise.

Recent research and past research show children and teenagers who took part in a regular physical activity program showed important enhancement of cognitive performance and brain function. Exercise research demonstrate a causal effect of a physical program on executive control, and provide support for physical activity for improving childhood cognition and brain health.

The improvements in this case came in executive control, which consists of inhibition (resisting distraction, maintaining focus), working memory, and cognitive flexibility (switching between tasks).

Exercise programs improved math and reading test scores in all kids, but especially in those with signs of ADHD. (Executive functioning is impaired in ADHD, and tied to performance in math and reading. Studies suggest that physical activity can have a positive effect on children who suffer from ADHD.”

The Journal of Attention Disorders found that just 26 minutes of daily physical activity for eight weeks significantly allayed ADHD symptoms in grade-school kids. .

The number of prescriptions increased from 34.8 to 48.4 million between 2007 and 2011 alone. The pharmaceutical market around the disorder has grown to several billion dollars in recent years while school exercise is on the decline.

A multi-country study that found that obese teenagers go on to earn 18 percent less money as adults than their peers, even if they are no longer obese. The rapid increase in childhood and adolescent obesity could have long-lasting effects on the economic growth and

Physical activity improves mood and cognitive performance by triggering the brain to release dopamine and serotonin, similar to the way that stimulant medications do without side effects.

In conclusion there a wide array of things that can help your child: individual counseling, Behavior modification plan customized to your child, DBT skills, CBT skills, Exercise, Parenting skills, stress management skills and more.

The head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of  Adelaide states that children are being over diagnosed and over prescribed medications for ADD as well as ADHD. There has been a three hundred percent increase between children  3- 7 years old. The Professor states that alternative interventions are needed instead of giving children methylphenidate hydrochloride  commonly sold under the brand Ritalin.

The head Doctor states that the prescription simply dampens the behavior however does not address the root of the behavior. Medications will not teach life skills, problem solving , how to regulate stress and emotions, how to develop healthy social skills,academic skills, sports skills, how to develop coping skills, how to interact with family, healthy life choices. The medication will not help parents develop better relationships with their child and this must happen to improve the child’s behaviors.

Stimulant drugs like Ritalin and many other drugs damage the brains of growing children and teenagers and suppress behavior regardless of a diagnosis or any other disorder. The adverse effects of these drugs on your child go back over forty years. Animals in studies lose their passion, spirit, and vitality. Obsessive and compulsive behaviors are seen in those that take these stimulants.

In some ADHD children, drug induced compliant behavior may be accompanied  by: isolation of your child, withdrawal, and over focused behaviors. Many medicated children will appear “zoned out” “similar to a robot or a zombie. Many children will become more socially isolated by taking these medications and will suffer from social interactions at school as well as at home.

The zombie “look” may look like your child is compliant however it is associated by experts in Psychiatry with drug toxicity and is really not an improvement just a sedation of the child that will not last with the same medication. These medications can cause 20-30 percent decrease  of blood flow to the brain and the brain in adults that were treated with these medications have shown brain atrophy.

These medications are highly addictive and research shows children have higher rates of drug addiction later on in life connected to early use of ADHD medications like the ones mentioned. Tics and obsessive compulsive behaviors go hand and hand with these stimulants.

ADHD  is the expression of a normal child who is bored. frustrated. frightened. angry, or emotionally injured. undisciplined. lonely, too far behind in class. too far ahead of the class. or otherwise in need of special attention that is not being provided.

Some of the adverse side effects can be: child anxiety, agitation, insomnia nd aggression so you might see a more docile child at times however these other symptoms will have a negative impact for your child moving forward and you have not addressed the root cause of his behavior and he or she has not learned how to deal with life, life challenges, peers, emotions, and much more.

More on ADHD therapy, counseling and treatment

ADHD medications are tested for 8-12 weeks and most children stay on these medications for years or decades. Do you want your child on a medication when you do not know what the long term effect is of these medications. Dr Breggin has numerous books out on medication a Harvard graduate and physician/ Psychiatrist. Some of his published books are : medication madness, toxic psychiatry and many more.

The view that ADHD is caused more by biology than environment has become increasingly popular, as has the prevalence of this disorder among American youngsters. There is also evidence that environment and stress impacts the genes in children and teens .

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that 13.5 percent of boys and 5.4 percent of girls between ages 3 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD.

What’s interesting is the variability in how different cultures treat this disorder. Whereas 6 percent of American children are on medication for ADHD, in France only 0.5 percent of youngsters are prescribed pills.

For parents seeking alternatives to medication used for ADHD, recent research published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology documents the efficacy of a treatment option that is easy to implement, cheap and has other health benefits exercise.

For a group of children in kindergarten through second grade, about a half an hour of exercise before school had a significant impact on their attention and mood. These findings are consistent with other studies stressing the importance of exercise for all children, but particularly for children and teenagers with problems of impulsivity and concentration.

It makes no sense to expect children to sit for endless hours without the opportunity to move around, run and stretch.

These tips will help your child:

• Power down all electronics/media devices and go for a walk with your child before school. Researchers recommend 30 minutes of activity every day. However, that may not be realistic for many families. Develop a morning exercise routine, even if it’s only five to 10 minutes. Enroll your child in: dance, sports, karate, soccer, basketball, baseball, running, cross country, volleyball. The more physically active your child is the better his or her mood will be as well as school performance.
• Yoga is also excellent for children with ADHD. The breathing, meditation, and postures will help him or her with: impulsivity, lack of focus, and relaxation.
• Talk with your child’s teacher and principal about options for incorporating modest activity throughout the day. Kids get restless and inattentive. Let’s not punish them for being kids or give them a medical diagnosis for normal childhood behaviors.

Only 20 percent of children, teens, adolescents on medication are involved in any counseling program. Talk with a therapist that has expertise with children and families about how behavior-management strategies can be used to encourage a more active lifestyle in your family.

Developing a healthy lifestyle is not about running every day but rather taking a few modest steps to increase your activity. Focus on small goals you can achieve rather than lofty goals that will result in failure.

The research is extensive and aggression and spanking impacts your children in negative ways. First off your child learns that you can get things resolved through aggression. Your child will model your aggression and be aggressive toward siblings and peers. Current research shows that spanking will reduce the grey matter in your child’s brain. Why is grey matter important? It is the part of the brain that allows your child to learn rewards from consequences. It is the part of the brain that is used in making decision.

Aggression. Delinquency. Mental health problems. And something called “hostile attribution bias,” which causes children, essentially, to expect people to be mean to them.

This bias makes the world feel especially hostile. In turn, children are on edge and ready to be hostile back. Over time, across all cultures and races, the findings are consistent: Spanking is doing real, measurable damage to the brains of our children.

Many parents state that they were spanked and they turned out ok. Well yes parents made it through spanking however parents do not know what they would be like had this not happened. A parent will develop a strong relationship through healthy rewards and consequences allowing your child to learn to make good choices and learn from poor choices as well.

Research shows that spanking your child DOES not make your child improve his or her behavior it only stops them for the moment. Children will become angry, aggressive and have mental health issues the more they are spanked. In the journal of Cognitive Neuro Science it states that the more you physically punish your children for the lack of self control, the less self control the child will have. The child is not learning self control here they are learning to stop out of fear however they are not learning healthy life skills, decision making, insight into their behavior. They are learning that external forces control their behavior.

Creating behavior modification systems that allow the child to make good choices daily and be rewarded for healthy choices combined with losing privileges due to poor choices or unhealthy choices is one of the best ways to teach your children life skills, communication skills, social skills, responsibility, values, ethics, respect and much more.

There are many excellent techniques and skills when combined together that will make a huge impact on your child’s behavior at home and at school with ADHD or other challenges.

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults.

Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children providing counseling skills to parents and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

Recent surveys indicate that 12 percent of all children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD’s core symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention, inability to perform monotonous tasks and lack of impulse control. Children with ADHD have trouble in school and forming relationships, and 60 percent will continue to suffer from the disorder well into adulthood if they do not receive counseling and therapy.

Over 3 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. New research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be.Research outcomes suggests that if ADHD children and adolescents could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, significant improvement in their children’s ADHD-related behavior appeared.

Cognitive therapy may also boost improvement: In a 2011, showed that children with ADHD show extra activity in brain areas associated with “task-irrelevant” information during working memory tasks (those that depend on one’s ability to hold and focus on information for immediate reasoning and recall), suggesting that they have less efficient cognitive control. Cognitive therapy and counseling can improve control and ability to focus.

Will medication teach your child life skills? Will meds teach your child values and respect? Will meds help build your child’s self esteem? Confidence? Will medication help your child learn appropriate social and relationship skills? Will medication teach your child or teen have to become motivated and find passion and purpose for the future? Behavior and life skills and counseling can do all the above. There are other things that can help your ADHD child like physical exercise.

Recent research and past research show children and teenagers who took part in a regular physical activity program showed important enhancement of cognitive performance and brain function. Exercise research demonstrate a causal effect of a physical program on executive control, and provide support for physical activity for improving childhood cognition and brain health.

The improvements in this case came in executive control, which consists of inhibition (resisting distraction, maintaining focus), working memory, and cognitive flexibility (switching between tasks).

Exercise programs improved math and reading test scores in all kids, but especially in those with signs of ADHD. (Executive functioning is impaired in ADHD, and tied to performance in math and reading. Studies suggest that physical activity can have a positive effect on children who suffer from ADHD.”

The Journal of Attention Disorders found that just 26 minutes of daily physical activity for eight weeks significantly allayed ADHD symptoms in grade-school kids. .

The number of prescriptions increased from 34.8 to 48.4 million between 2007 and 2011 alone. The pharmaceutical market around the disorder has grown to several billion dollars in recent years while school exercise is on the decline.

A multi-country study that found that obese teenagers go on to earn 18 percent less money as adults than their peers, even if they are no longer obese. The rapid increase in childhood and adolescent obesity could have long-lasting effects on the economic growth and

Physical activity improves mood and cognitive performance by triggering the brain to release dopamine and serotonin, similar to the way that stimulant medications do without side effects.

In conclusion there a wide array of things that can help your child: individual counseling, Behavior modification plan customized to your child, DBT skills, CBT skills, Exercise, Parenting skills, stress management skills and more.

ADHD Counselor Counseling Therapy Behavior and Treatment

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults.

Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

Recent surveys indicate that 12 percent of all children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD’s core symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention, inability to perform monotonous tasks and lack of impulse control. Children with ADHD have trouble in school and forming relationships, and 60 percent will continue to suffer from the disorder well into adulthood if they do not receive counseling and therapy.

Over 3 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. New research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be.Research outcomes suggests that if ADHD children and adolescents could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, significant improvement in their children’s ADHD-related behavior appeared.

Cognitive therapy may also boost improvement: In a 2011, showed that children with ADHD show extra activity in brain areas associated with “task-irrelevant” information during working memory tasks (those that depend on one’s ability to hold and focus on information for immediate reasoning and recall), suggesting that they have less efficient cognitive control. Cognitive therapy and counseling can improve control and ability to focus.

Will medication teach your child life skills? Will meds teach your child values and respect? Will meds help build your child’s self esteem? Confidence? Will medication help your child learn appropriate social and relationship skills? Will medication teach your child or teen have to become motivated and find passion and purpose for the future? Behavior and life skills and counseling can do all the above.

ADHD child, Stress, doodling in Phoenix and Scottsdale Schools.

Many children struggle to stay focused in school and this is common in Arizona in Phoenix, Scottsdale as well as throughout the United States. Neuroscientists have discovered that doodling can have many positives for students and ADHD students as well. Doodling can ease impatient impulses as well as keep  child in his seat when his bored or distracted.

Research in psychology has shown that doodling can help your child stay focused, grasp new ideas and concepts and retain information that is being taught in the classroom. Creative thoughts and ideas can be expressed through doodling on a blank page.

Your child’s doodling can take many forms. It can be spontaneous marks that have pictures of geometric shapes, it can be faces it can be circles it can be so many different things. It can be a creative pattern that is abstract it can be graffiti like letters, it can be of a landscape, faces an object or objects a house, trees, however it is not taking notes.

Doodling and drawing are amazing tools for your child and teen to express thoughts and emotions and to ease stress and tension in your child’s day as well as in life in general. Doodling can relieve borden and most children feel bored regardless of how amazing the teacher may be they still loose focus and boredom sets in.

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults.

Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

ADHD Effective treatment needs therapy and counseling

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults. Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

Recent surveys indicate that 12 percent of all children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD’s core symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention, inability to perform monotonous tasks and lack of impulse control. Children with ADHD have trouble in school and forming relationships, and 60 percent will continue to suffer from the disorder well into adulthood if they do not receive counseling and therapy.

Over 3 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. New research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be.Research outcomes suggests that if ADHD children and adolescents could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, significant improvement in their children’s ADHD-related behavior appeared.

Cognitive therapy may also boost improvement: In a 2011, showed that children with ADHD show extra activity in brain areas associated with “task-irrelevant” information during working memory tasks (those that depend on one’s ability to hold and focus on information for immediate reasoning and recall), suggesting that they have less efficient cognitive control. Cognitive therapy and counseling can improve control and ability to focus.

ADHD Child Diet Important

Children with ADD should avoid breads, bagels, muffins, donuts, sugary cereals, cakes…for breakfast. All these substances have sugar or breakdown into sugars that are not going to allow your child the ability to focus at school or anywhere.

The best breakfast would be whole grains, egg whites, some dairy products.

Avoiding white breads, pizza, pasta, potatoes, sugars etc will have a profound impact on your child’s behavior.

Children on the healthy regimen will most likely have more focus, and less distractibility.

ADHD Children Teenagers linked to Preservatives and Artificial colors

The British medical journal The Lancet found ” a mix of additives commonly found in children’s foods increase the mean level of hyperactivity.” The finding lends strong support for the case that food additives exacerbate hyperactive behaviors: impulsivity, inattention, and overactivity.

The Food Std Agency advised parents to monitor children’s activity and if they noted a marked change with foods containing additives, to adjust their diets accordingly, eliminating preservatives and artificial colors.

ADHD Counseling Child Adolescents Teenagers Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Scottsdale

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults. Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

Recent surveys indicate that 12 percent of all children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD’s core symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention, inability to perform monotonous tasks and lack of impulse control. Children with ADHD have trouble in school and forming relationships, and 60 percent will continue to suffer from the disorder well into adulthood if they do not receive counseling and therapy.

Over 3 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. New research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be.Research outcomes suggests that if ADHD children and adolescents could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, significant improvement in their children’s ADHD-related behavior appeared.

Cognitive therapy may also boost improvement: In a 2011, showed that children with ADHD show extra activity in brain areas associated with “task-irrelevant” information during working memory tasks (those that depend on one’s ability to hold and focus on information for immediate reasoning and recall), suggesting that they have less efficient cognitive control. Cognitive therapy and counseling can improve control and ability to focus.

ADHD Child teen Medication Behavior problems.

Medications for ADHD are on the rise for active and impulsive and hyperactive children over the past twenty years. ADHD children are being labeled as having a serious neurological mental health disorder . Fifteen percent of High School students in America including Arizona show a diagnosis for ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. The number of children with this diagnosis has soared from 500,000 to Four Million in the past two decades according to the article.

Some experts state that it is a legitimate diagnosis and approx. 5% of children have this diagnosis but it is being over sold to adults and children. Some experts believe it is a mechanism for dispensing more medication. Some experts state the increase in ADHD is in line with marketing and PR campaigns that push the medication via magazines, advocacy groups, bands like Maroon 5, and other Television personalities that are being paid.

Few dispute the fact that ADHD is a true diagnosis however many believe it is a blanket diagnosis for: poor grades, lack of focus, family stress, parenting issues, behavioral issues and more. ADHD diagnosis per the DSM ( Mental Health Bible) has been loosened and ADHD diagnosis now includes carelessness and a lack of focus as criteria for ADHD .

Some experts state main stream magazines and media advertise ADHD as a cure for bad grades and family stress. An implication in one ad is that a child will take out the garbage if on the medication. A Multi Billion dollar  Pharma company has subsidized 50,000 comic books where a super hero tells the children that medications help with behavior and attention. Pharma believes they are marketing in a responsible manner. Big Pharma states that the Physicians are the one’s that must dispense medication.

Most studies of ADHD meds are short term 8-12 week studies however many children and adults are on these medications for years. The long term studies are few and far between. So little is know about what these stimulants due to the brain after 12 weeks. The short term symptoms are listed in fine print and some have included: insomnia, irritability, suppressed appetite, heart issues,  and psychosis. Of course this depends on the medication and each child or individual.

A Psychiatrist was paid 1.6 million for numerous scientific studies related to ADHD. He stated his research was not influenced by any payments. His results were used to market medications as a solution for childhood behaviors in some experts mind’s.

The marketing included slogan’s like ” The med improves academic performance”. The med implies a child will go from a monster to a smiling child. One ad states ” Like Parent like child”. Recently over 16 million scripts were written for ADHD this is 5 times the amount diagnosed 5 years ago. One could argue that their is more awareness however many believe it is from  marketing dollars.

Evidence based research states a child has more behavioral improvements and success with behavior ‘s when child, teen, and family counseling are in place if a child is on medication.

Over twenty percent of American Children and teenagers have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder in America.ADHD
(Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) was the most widely diagnosed disorder for children under the age of eighteen. Behavioral
disorders and conduct disorders ranked second on the list of disorders among youth in the USA. Next Anxiety disorders and
Depression or depressive disorders followed and next was Aspergers syndrome.

Depression and alcohol use disorders were high as well as cannabis use disorders. Millions of teenagers in America abuse
drugs, alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine.

Children struggle with family issues such as: grief , loss, divorce, moving schools, adoption issues, abuse, mood regulation,
self esteem , social skills, healthy choices, problem solving, stress management,  adhd, changing behaviors at home as well as at school,
bullying, peer pressure, addictions to electronics, poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and more.

It is important to obtain support and the earlier you get counseling and psychotherapy the better chance your child or teenager
has of finding balance and success. Family counseling combined with individual counseling and therapy can be extremely
effective for change.

Seventy percent of youth in the USA would not qualify for military service due to: Behavioral, physical, obesity, and educational shortcomings.

The military deems many youngsters ineligible due to obesity, prescription drug use for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Nearly one in five high school age boys in the United States and 11 percent of school-age children over all have received a medical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to new data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These rates reflect a marked rise over the last decade and could fuel growing concern among many doctors that the A.D.H.D. diagnosis and its medication are overused in American children.

The figures showed that an estimated 6.4 million children ages 4 through 17 had received an A.D.H.D. diagnosis at some point in their lives, a 16 percent increase since 2007 and a 41 percent rise in the past decade. About two-thirds of those with a current diagnosis receive prescriptions for stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall, which can drastically improve the lives of those with A.D.H.D. but can also lead to addiction, anxiety and occasionally psychosis.

Fifteen percent of school-age boys have received an A.D.H.D. diagnosis, the data showed; the rate for girls was 7 percent. Diagnoses among those of high-school age — 14 to 17 — were particularly high, 10 percent for girls and 19 percent for boys. About one in 10 high-school boys currently takes A.D.H.D. medication, the data showed.

Obesity, the single biggest reason for disqualifying new recruits, and other obstacles such as poor education attainment, led 90 retired military experts to form a group called mission readiness, a nonprofit aimed at raising awareness and seeking solutions for youth in the military.

Over twenty five percent of high school graduates can not pass the Armed Forces Qualification Test which measures math and reading skills. The youth are educationally not qualified to join the military.

Tatoos have become the most common cosmetic reason that applicants are disqualified. The USA Army banned tattoos on the face, neck, and fingers. Soliders can not have more than a total of four visible tattoos below the elbows and knees, and tattoos must be relatively small.

Before stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, and Adderall began their rise to popularity in the 1970s, treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) focused on behavioral therapy. But as concerns build over the mounting dosages and extended treatment periods that come with stimulant drugs, clinical researchers are revisiting behavioral therapy techniques. Whereas stimulant medications may help young patients focus and behave in the classroom, research now suggests that behaviorally based changes make more of a difference in the long-term. ADHD drugs are tested for 8-12 weeks in experiments and most children stay on the drug for years not knowing how it impacts the brain. Many children suffer withdrawal symptoms and behavioral changes when taken off the drugs similar to what a drug addict experiences when stopping long term drug use.

Recent research findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive therapies focused on reducing impulsivity and reinforcing positive long-term habits may be able to replace current high doses of stimulant treatment in children and young adults.

Lifeworksaz has been working with ADHD children and teens using a combination of cognitive therapies, behavior modification, play therapy, and more to teach children how to manage ADHD with excellent results.

Recent surveys indicate that 12 percent of all children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD’s core symptoms include hyperactivity, inattention, inability to perform monotonous tasks and lack of impulse control. Children with ADHD have trouble in school and forming relationships, and 60 percent will continue to suffer from the disorder well into adulthood if they do not receive counseling and therapy.

Over 3 million U.S. children and adolescents with ADHD were being treated with stimulant drugs. New research reveals that these drugs are not necessarily the panacea they have been thought to be.Research outcomes suggests that if ADHD children and adolescents could learn good study habits early on, medication could become less necessary.

Other research has examined the role of behavioral interventions not only for school-age children, but also for their parents. Parents of children with ADHD tend to exhibit more parenting-related stress and difficulties than do those of non-afflicted offspring. After training parents in stress management and giving them behavioral tools to help their children, significant improvement in their children’s ADHD-related behavior appeared.

Cognitive therapy may also boost improvement: In a 2011, showed that children with ADHD show extra activity in brain areas associated with “task-irrelevant” information during working memory tasks (those that depend on one’s ability to hold and focus on information for immediate reasoning and recall), suggesting that they have less efficient cognitive control. Cognitive therapy and counseling can improve control and ability to focus.

Will medication teach your child life skills? Will meds teach your child values and respect? Will meds help build your child’s self esteem? Confidence? Will medication help your child learn appropriate social and relationship skills? Will medication teach your child or teen have to become motivated and find passion and purpose for the future? Behavior and life skills and counseling can do all the above.

Stimulant medications that are used for ADHD in children have been tied to  weight gain in adolescent children. Over one hundred and fifty thousand children were tracked  from the age of three till the age of eighteen.

Children that were on ADHD medications reported a much higher BMI ( Body Mass Index) in their teenage years than children that did not take ADHD medications before the age of 12 years old. The study states that the earlier children took ADHD medications correlated with a higher rebound in BMI ( Body Mass Index) at adolescent or in teenage years.

The research postulates that stimulant medications may retard growth at first, until the body develops resistance to growth inhibition and eventually “rebounds.”

Stimulant drugs for ADHD may: Worsen behavior and thought disturbance in patients with a pre-existing psychotic disorder. These drugs may also slightly increase the risk for auditory hallucinations, paranoia, and psychotic and manic behavior even in patients who do not have a history of psychiatric problems.

Cause a mixed or manic episode in patients who have both ADHD and bipolar disorder.ncrease aggressive behavior or hostility. Patients beginning stimulant drug treatment should be monitored for worsening of these behaviors.Reduce growth and weight gain in children. Children who take stimulant drugs should have their growth monitored. If they do not gain height or weight at a normal rate, they may need to stop taking the drug.

Cardiovascular Risks. All ADHD stimulant drugs carry warnings that they should not be used by patients with structural heart problems or pre-existing heart conditions (high blood pressure, heart failure, heart rhythm disturbances, or congenital heart disease). These drugs have been associated with sudden death in children with heart problems. They have also been associated with sudden death, stroke, and heart attack in adults with a history of heart disease. According to recent large studies, these medications appear to be safe for children and adults who do not have underlying heart disease.

Symptoms of Overdose. Symptoms of overdose include changes in heart rhythm and rate, hypertension, confusion, breathing difficulties, sweating, vomiting, and muscle twitches. If they occur, parents should call the doctor immediately.

Concerns for Abuse. Stimulant drugs can be habit forming, but they are not considered especially addictive, particularly in the doses used for treating ADHD. The primary danger for drug abuse from stimulants appears to occur in young people without ADHD who purchase these drugs illegally. If a child abuses another drug (alcohol, prescription medication) along with the ADHD medication, the chance for serious side effects is increased.