ADHD RAISING AN EXPLOSIVE CHILD: Methods for Bringing Order to Even the Most Disorganized Child That Does Not Involve Yelling (2022 Guide for Beginners)

By Harry Mason

Raising an ADHD child can be difficult, but there is one thing you can do to give them a

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harry Mason
• Release date: Feb 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9783988311481

Book preview

Introduction

The word explosive has a lot of negative connotations.

It implies a violent, unpredictable, and dangerous individual. As a result, the term explosive child instills fear in parents. However, explosive children are not always associated with abusive or disruptive children. Indeed, many parents observe their child becoming explosively angry for extended periods, but they do not consider this type of anger to be necessarily harmful to self or others (or what most people would call malicious). The fact that some children with extremely explosive rage act out less in situations where they can cause harm to others and more normally in situations where they cannot support this theory. An explosive child's disruptive behavior is usually not as severe as that of a child with the oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

Unlike the anger of a child with ODD, which is not always a problem but is frequently misunderstood, the anger of an explosive child may be premeditated and purposeful. It may also give the impression that he has antisocial tendencies. Explosive children can be disruptive, harmful, and even violent. To get their way, they may engage in behaviors such as hitting, biting, kicking, and screaming. An explosive child can also cause property damage or injure himself by hitting his head against a wall. Such actions are intended to attract the attention of adults or peers and/or elicit a reaction as a means of obtaining what he desires.

Parents of explosive children frequently try to teach their children not to hit and kick by telling them not to do it and punishing them with timeouts or other forms of discipline if they do. However, because of his low level of frustration tolerance, these techniques rarely work with an explosive child (see below). He frequently follows up with more intense behaviors designed to cause more immediate discomfort.

The term explosive anger is misleading because an explosive child's anger is not always explosive. People with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) are frequently perceived as being more likely to exhibit explosive behavior than their non-ADHD counterparts.

As a result, researchers have attempted to identify characteristics of explosive children to improve mental health professionals' ability to diagnose and treat them (for example, see Lynam and Facer, 1991).

Children with ADHD are more likely to be identified as having mental health problems because they are more visible in the classroom and can be more disruptive than other children. Students without ADHD who exhibit similar behavior may not be identified as having such issues and may only receive inattentive diagnoses (such as ADD or a milder version of ODD). This is especially true if they are academically gifted and/or high achievers in other areas. As a result, they may not receive the same level of support or intervention as an ADHD child at school. Furthermore, because these children are high achievers, their parents may fail to recognize their child's attentional difficulties as a problem.

Chapter 1

Understanding the Definition of ADHD

ADHD is a mental health disorder characterized by a combination of hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. This frequently targets children.

Adults have been known to suffer from the disorder as well.

ADHD is so common that some consider it to be one of the single most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. According to studies published in 2016, it is estimated that more than 6.1 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD (CDC, 2021).

Depending on how many aspects of a person are affected by this disorder, the symptoms can range from mild to severe. Symptoms usually change over time, and adults with ADHD tend to have milder symptoms than they did as children. Adults, on the other hand, experience severe ADHD symptoms that can interfere with their daily lives.

Adults with ADHD typically struggle to maintain focus at work, school, and even in their personal lives. They are also more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than the general population, have marital problems, divorce at a higher rate, and suffer from a variety of mental health issues.

This is why addressing ADHD in childhood is critical—not it's just about your peace of mind as a parent, but also about your child's future.

What Exactly Does ADHD Mean?

Living with ADHD can be difficult for both parents and children. The good news is that it is possible to live a very happy life even if you have ADHD. As you will see in this book, there are numerous things you can do as a parent to help your child grow healthier, stay more focused, and be better in general, both during childhood and as an adult.

So, what exactly does ADHD entail?

Let's start with what it doesn't mean. ADHD is more than just a medical term for a child who has a lot more energy than usual. All children have a lot of energy, which indicates that they are healthy both mentally and physically.

However, when the energy is misdirected, or when it is excessive, and it prevents the child from learning, growing, and living a life similar to that of other children his or her age, it can become a problem.

In short, ADHD means that the child has difficulty paying attention, completing tasks, and following instructions when compared to peers his or her age. It can also indicate that the child is easily distracted by his or her own thoughts or the thoughts of others around him or her; fails to follow through on plans to do a certain activity because he or she loses interest quickly, and has difficulty organizing tasks in an orderly manner.

ADHD Varieties

ADHD, like many other mental health disorders, comes in a variety of forms:

People with this version of the disorder are frequently forgetful, have difficulty focusing on tasks at hand, and may be unaware of when they need to turn in work. They also tend to lose things easily, misplace items frequently, and dress sloppily. These symptoms may make them appear sluggish or disorganized.

ADHD that is predominantly hyperactive-impulsive: This is the most severe form of ADHD. People with this disorder have difficulty sitting still and may be overly talkative, fidgety, or impulsive. They are frequently restless during the day and interrupt others without realizing it (even if it irritates others).

Combined type: People who have this type of ADHD have symptoms of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

Understanding ADHD

One of the unfortunate realities of ADHD is that, like other mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.), it is not fully understood.

At this point, we know quite a bit about it. Despite this, we know enough to develop treatment plans and assist both children and adults suffering from this attention disorder. At the end of the day, however, the complex, intrinsic mechanisms and psychopathology of ADHD remain unknown.

ADHD Types of ADHD Symptoms and

Characteristics of a Child

Remember that no mental illness should ever be diagnosed at home. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical attention immediately.

So, what are the signs and symptoms of a child with ADHD (Health line, 2020)?

Hyperactivity

Impulsiveness

Inattention/disorganization

Excessive talking or daydreaming

Self-centered behavior

Interrupting

Having difficulty waiting their turn

Fidgeting

Emotional upheaval

Cannot perform quietly

Frequently fails to complete tasks

Avoiding any kind of mental effort

While these are not the only symptoms that a child with ADHD may experience, they are among the more common ones, so keep them in mind.

ADHD Classification Based on Etiology

ADHD is thought to be caused by a lack of dopamine, which results in decreased blood flow in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum areas of the brain, as well as the ganglia, which plays an important role in the production of dopamine.

ADHD can be caused by a variety of factors, so scientists have classified it based on the cause (this is known as an etiological classification).

The following are the main categories to be aware of (Kessler, 2021):

Dopamine deficiency and insufficient activity in the prefrontal cortex cause inattentive ADHD.

Dopamine and serotonin deficiencies, as well as an overactive anterior cingulate gyrus, cause hyper focused ADHD.

Temporal lobe ADHD is caused by excessive limbic brain activity and decreased prefrontal cortex activity (regardless of whether the child is focusing on a task or at rest).

The Ring of Fire ADHD is caused by an excess of activity throughout the brain, including the cerebral cortex and other areas.

Anxious ADHD is a combination of anxiety and ADD that is caused by excessive activity in the brain's basal ganglia.

Each of these types of ADHD has its own set of symptoms and treatment options, which we will discuss later in the book.

The ADHD Mind

While we do not fully understand what happens in the human brain when certain disorders (including ADHD) affect it, we do have a good idea of how the brain reacts to these problems.

In the case of ADHD, it is thought that the brain has a problem with dopamine production, making it less able to tune out distractions.

Dopamine is inextricably linked with the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, and when its production is disrupted, so are dopamine levels. Because dopamine is the neurotransmitter that deals with the pleasure center of the brain, an imbalance in its levels can result in a variety of symptoms, many of which can be classified as ADHD.

Multiple theories have been proposed to explain how ADHD develops.

According to one theory, certain connections within the frontal lobe make an individual more susceptible to impulsive behavior, such as hyperactivity or lack of focus on one task.

According to other theories, when a person has ADHD, the brain has less of an inhibitory response to stimuli in the environment and is unable to filter out what it considers unimportant.

Some people with ADHD require more stimulation than others in order to focus or concentrate on something without being distracted by other things.

According to some studies, ADHD is largely hereditary and may have a genetic component. Children and siblings of ADHD sufferers are more likely to develop the disorder as well (NHS, 2021). Of course, this is not always the case, but research indicates that it is more likely in this direction.

What Is the Distinction Between ADD and ADHD?

When you first start reading about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, you may become perplexed by the fact that it is abbreviated as both ADD and ADHD. In practice, there is no distinction between the two. ADHD is the widely accepted current name for this disorder. ADD is an outdated version of the same name, mostly used to describe inattentive-type ADHD (though, as more discoveries in this field have been made, we now know that this is not the only type of ADHD).

Every child with ADHD is unique, and the symptoms they experience can be as well. Learning how to recognize the first symptoms and when to seek medical attention are critical steps in parenting a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder—exactly because they will help you better manage the situation in the future.

This chapter will delve deeper into the topic of ADHD symptoms and how parents can detect them early (or as early as possible).

ADHD Symptoms at All Ages

ADHD diagnosis can be difficult at times because a child must exhibit six (or more) symptoms from the list provided below for more than six months. ADHD can usually be diagnosed between the ages of four and sixteen. If you suspect your child has ADHD, keep an eye out for symptoms around puberty. When seeking a diagnosis, the frequency of symptoms is just as important as noting when the symptoms first appeared and how the child is affected.

There are two broad categories of symptoms that can aid in the identification of ADHD in a child. The first category is associated with inattention, while the second is with hyperactivity; both are essential components of ADHD.

Symptoms of inattention include difficulties with the following:

Attending to details or making careless errors

When concentrating on tasks or even when playing

Listening when an adult speaks directly to them, even if the adult is in a position of authority (such as a parent or a teacher).

Following task, homework, or chore instructions

They are organizing their tasks and activities.

Completing tasks that require them to concentrate or exert mental effort for extended periods of time

Keeping track of their belongings (school supplies, phone, glasses, etc.)

Keeping distractions at bay

Remembering things while going about their daily business

Among the symptoms of hyperactivity are difficulties with the following:

Fidgeting, tapping their hands or feet, squirming, and other such behaviors

Standing up and leaving their seat in places where they should remain seated (such as school or church)

Running and climbing in places and situations where they should not be.

Ability to participate in certain activities quietly

Feeling as if they are constantly in motion

Excessive talking

Answering quickly before the question is even posed

Interfering with conversations and games

The majority of these symptoms are common in children and teenagers with ADHD. However, as previously stated, the presence of one or two of these symptoms on a sporadic basis does not always result in a diagnosis of ADHD. Furthermore, each child or teenager will behave differently, and there are differences between