What Are the Benefits of Early Treatment of ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be a challenging condition for parents and children. If you have a hyperactive child that seems unable to sit still, you may wonder whether he is exhibiting typical behavior or suffering from a condition such as ADHD. If you do suspect the latter, getting your child tested for ADHD is something you should consider. The earlier children are tested, the sooner they can begin treatment if they do indeed have the condition. Early treatment can have a great deal of impact in helping you and your child cope with ADHD in an appropriate way.

Label

• As a parent you may be hesitant to have your child tested and treated for ADHD out of fear of his being labeled. However, rather than fear a label, you should embrace it. Knowing that a medical condition is the cause of your child's sometimes challenging behavior is likely to give you both a different outlook. You will be more likely to use appropriate strategies your doctor or therapist has given you when he has trouble with self-control, and less likely to punish or criticize. The sooner he realizes that he is not a "bad" child, rather one in need of some help from time to time, the less likely he will grow up with low self-esteem because of the condition.

Education

• Early treatment for ADHD is extremely important regarding your child's education. This is especially so during her early years when she needs to learn the crucial foundations for reading and mathematics, that all her future learning will build upon. The earlier she begins to receive treatment, the sooner the treatment will take effect and assist her with learning and concentration. Additionally, if you let her teacher know that she is being treated for ADHD, the educator may be able to make special adaptations for her specific needs. The right adaptations in the classroom may greatly affect her ability to learn from a young age.

Coping Strategies

• The earlier your child learns strategies to cope with his ADHD, the easier those strategies will be to adopt. For instance, let's say you have a 10-year-old who throws a tantrum whenever new learning material is introduced because it is hard for him to concentrate. It may take a significant amount of time to stop that pattern of behavior and teach him to ask for a break or some help when work is challenging. On the other hand, if you are teaching a 6-year-old this same coping strategy of asking for help, he is likely to pick it up more quickly because you will not be working with as long a history of patterned behavior.