Advice on ADHD

becky_sleaf

Hi guys!

I'm here for some advice please. My neighbour of about 6 months has 3 children aged 4,2 & 5 months. The two boys who are 4 and 2 and seem to run rings around her. She is only young herself,i think she's 21.

Anyway this week they have been really bad,they quiet often don't seem to settle down until after midnight! Shouting,screaming etc. This is on both sides,them shouting and screaming at parent's and parent's doing the same to them.

Last night my OH lost it and went and knocked onthe door and said enough was enough,He work's long hours and i'm 39 weeks pregnant. So as you can imagine having to listen to them lot is getting to be beyond a joke and the thought of bringing a newborn home and having this every night is doing me in.

As usual their mum was very apologetic & said that they had both recently been diagnosed with ADHD and that was why they are such a nightmare (her words!)

So,my questions are...What kind of help can she get? Does changing their diet make them any calmer? Any advice would be gratefully received! I'd like to feel as though I could help them rather than adding to their problems. After all they are lovely kids. (But not when i'm over tired!)


Thanks!

shazrobo

hi backy, i have twin sons who have been diagnosed as having severe ADHD they are so severe that they both attend special schools. routine is good for adhd kids, as is getting them out a lot during the day to burn up excess energy. changing their diets has made little difference to my kids who eat healthily most of the time anyway, but i do know some kids whose behaviour is made worse by certain foods. there are parenting courses out there for parents, i did one at the local sure start centre. the mother should also be setting a good example too, there no point shouting, cos kids will just think that is acceptable.

becky_sleaf

shazrobo wrote: »

hi backy, i have twin sons who have been diagnosed as having severe ADHD they are so severe that they both attend special schools. routine is good for adhd kids, as is getting them out a lot during the day to burn up excess energy. changing their diets has made little difference to my kids who eat healthily most of the time anyway, but i do know some kids whose behaviour is made worse by certain foods. there are parenting courses out there for parents, i did one at the local sure start centre. the mother should also be setting a good example too, there no point shouting, cos kids will just think that is acceptable.

Thanks! I think she has so much on her plate. Her daughter was born really premature at 28 weeks so she has been busy trying to deal with that.
I know that they are always out & about doing stuff but they still seem hyper.
It's the bedtime that seems to be a problem. They don't have a routine at all which is why the tantrums take place for hours on end.

shazrobo

sounds like the mum needs to get them into a good routine, for her own sanity as well as for the benefit of her kids and neighbours. you could mention that you have noticed she has trouble getting them to settle and ask if she has spoken to her health visitor, who would give her some advice