Summer vacation is a period that every child should spend meaningfully and productively, but for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), this period should be planned with extra care. Experts pointed out that children's summer idleness carries a risk for children diagnosed with ADHD and made suggestions to parents for summer vacation.
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Duygu Barlas from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital noted the importance of the summer period in children with ADHD. Barlas made suggestions for parents to make the right use of summer vacation.
Summer vacation is very important for children with ADHD
Duygu Barlas said, "Summer is a period that children should spend meaningfully and with high quality; but it is a process that needs to be given extra importance and planned in advance in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder." "ADHD actually needs a structured environment. While children know that they will go to school when they wake up in the morning, it is inevitable that they fall into a void during the summer vacation. This can pose a danger for children diagnosed with ADHD. Since they usually do not know what to do; an increase in hyperactivity, distraction and impulsivity can be observed."
Holiday program should not be too strict
"A few days after the report card day, parents should organize a family meeting with their children and discuss how they should spend this summer period. The program should be prepared by finding a common way by asking how the children want to spend the summer." Clinical Psychologist Duygu Barlas,
"The plan should not be too rigid and every hour should not be in a strictly defined order. It is enough for the child to know what they should be doing during the summer. For example, it could be a summer camp, it could be a language course, it could be directed to an activity related to hand skills if fine motor skills are to be developed. If they want to improve their gross motor skills or sports activities, they can be sent to swimming, basketball, handball courses. In this way, the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are reduced. It also contributes to socialization and increases self-confidence. Wherever the child is directed, a choice should be made by taking into account the child's abilities, skills and skills that need to be developed. The child's involuntary participation in an activity imposed by the family leads to the child not wanting to go, increasing distraction and being too active."
This period is a great opportunity for treatment
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Duygu Barlas said, "If children with ADHD or those who are likely to have ADHD did not have the opportunity to receive professional help during the school year, the summer period is a very advantageous period to start treatment and make progress" and continued her words as follows:
"The summer period is actually not a lost period, but a period that can be turned into opportunities. If ADHD is diagnosed by a professional (specialized child-adolescent psychiatrist), various medical treatments or psychological treatments can be started. For these psychological treatments, mindfulness-based group programs are of great benefit. This is a group therapy program that usually lasts 8 weeks and is attended by adults as well as children. Its basic mechanism is 'Be neither in the future nor in the past, stay completely in the moment. Focus on the bodily sensations and environmental factors at that moment, and when your attention goes to the past or the future, bring your attention back to the present moment'. Thanks to these programs, children with ADHD show improvement in sustaining their attention and controlling their movements and impulses.
Children can be directed to a job that contributes to them
Children can be directed to a job to take responsibility. With the consent of the parents, this work is adjusted according to the gender, age and developmental characteristics of the child. It should be a job that increases the child's sense of responsibility, where he/she can have fun, realize some of his/her skills, use his/her existing potential, and where there are no abusive behaviors. Positive feedback from the environment increases the child's self-confidence. If there is no job opportunity outside, various responsibilities can be assigned within the house. For example, if there is a pet, its care or gardening can be left entirely to the child."
Summer vacation is a time when children can increase their self-confidence
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Duygu Barlas from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital concluded her words as follows:
"When these suggestions are taken into consideration, the summer period can be a period in which the child's potential can be increased, treatment can be started, and self-confidence can be increased. Fun has an important place in this period; however, it should not be forgotten that there should be flexible boundaries and rules as well as fun. Without boundaries and rules, children with ADHD can have serious difficulties when they start school. In this way, they will be prepared for the next school semester."
