By CARL E. FEATHER
Lifestyle Editor
It's a given: During the holidays, the youngsters are going to be more distracted, more fidgety, than normal. But for a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the natural excitement of the holidays combined with their response can transform the family dinner, gift exchange or worship service into a tortuous, tumultuous experience.
"Putting the brakes on these kids can be really hard during the holidays," says Dr. Robert Findling, professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland and director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland.
"This should be a time of celebration, not frustration," adds Findling.
Findling says there is solid research to show that 5 to 7 percent of the population worldwide has ADHD, so it's likely at least one person at every family holiday gathering will have issues related to ADHD. And it's not just children; Findling says some ADHD patients don't get a diagnosis until they are in their 30s or 40s.
"Many people, including adults, never get diagnosed," he says.
The many symptoms include fidgeting and having difficulty staying still while seated, being easily distracted, inability to focus, and constantly interrupting others.
Treatment often includes a medication component. Findling says the oral medications typically have an effectiveness of 12 hours, and parents can use this as a starting point for helping them move through holiday celebrations. But parents may want to tailor administration of medication to events at hand.
Findling says two particularly troublesome events can be the worship service and the family dinner, which require reservation and focus, and yet may be followed by a period of abandon and celebration.
This year parents can take advantage of the credit-card-sized transdermal Daytrana patch that delivers a dose of methylphenidate, the same stimulant drug found in Ritalin. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year, the patch can help parents/children who have experienced compliance issues with pills or need to limit the medication's action.
"(The patch) is effective within two hours of application and stops when they remove the patch," says Findling, who says it can be a useful tool for parents who need to regulate their child's energy.
He says the family can also help their ADHD member by assigning a sibling or cousin as a guardian during times of excitement, such as the gift exchange, or when restraint is needed. The guardian can help the child stay focused and occupied.
Findling says there's no indication that certain foods can exacerbate the ADHD symptoms. "Let the youngster enjoy himself," he says, adding that everything needs to be done in moderation.
That includes alcohol consumption for ADHD adults who are on medication.
"Combined with the sedative effect of the alcohol, that's never a good idea," he says.
Parents looking for good gift ideas for their ADHD children should consider toys that are educational, fun and appeal to the child's interests. He says parents often make the mistake of attempting to imprint their own interests on a child with their toy selections, which only leads to frustration.
"Meet the child where they live," he says.
Findling says parents need to apply "good, common sense" when planning their holiday celebrations around ADHD children.
"At the end of the day, they are just like anybody else," he says.
online: ADHDsupport.com
Star Beacon Print Edition: 12/20/2006
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