Monday, February 22, 2016

Behavior Therapy Instead of Meds to treat A.D.H.D.?

Parents check out this article from the New York Times written by Benedict Carey - "Behavior Therapy Found to Be Better First Step Than Medicine to Treat A.D.H.D".

Benedict says students need to have instruction of basic social skills. He does feel medicine or stimulants are a good second-line treatment for those who needed it.  This study showed the sequence in which you give treatments makes a big difference in outcomes.

But parents this behavior therapy involved YOU!  Parents had to attend group meetings to learn behavior-modification techniques.  Parents would reward good or 'cooperative' acts from their child.  Things like paying attention, doing homework without complaining. These behaviors produce a reward like iPad time or TV time.  On the other side there were consequences for poor behavior choices.  Time outs for defiant behavior or non complainant behavior.

The biggest new learned behavior for parents was to IGNORE irritating but harmless attention seeking behavior.  This includes when your child makes, annoying noises, tapping or acting like a baby.  Wow that will be hard for all of us to do including your child's teacher.

This plan is very similar to behavior plans we add to students IEP's.  We can do a daily report card and try to show how your student's behavior is improving over time.

The study also added medicine to the students who did not show improvement after two months of behavior modification therapy.

So overall it sounds like we should all be on the same team for your child.  If behavior therapy is not helping your child to improve their academics, a possible small dose of medicine might help.  But that would involve your doctor as well as a teacher we do not know what is best for your child.  As a team member we can offer our input and insight as to how your child is acting during school hours.

Offer your input to this blog...