Calming Tips for
the Hyperactive Child.
Parents of
children with hyperactivity know the
phrase "Would you please just settle down?!" well and likely use it on a regular basis. There are a number of tips to help parents settle their hyperactive child
down. These quick tips and relaxation techniques take the same amount of time as
yelling and scolding but produce incredibly different results in children with
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
Quick Calming Tips:
Try quick tips to calm a hyperactive child down during temper outbursts or
unusually rowdy days. These calming tips are not novel to adults by any stretch.
How many times have you heard "Take a deep breath and count to 10" or "Calgon,
take me away." What works for big people works for little people as well.
- Deep breathing is one of the simplest ways to calm the body. Teach
your children to take deep breaths (in through the nose, out through the mouth)
when they begin to feel frustrated and out of control. Parents, you do this too!
- Draw a warm salt bath or bubble bath to wash away the hyperactive
child's stresses of the day.
- Take your hyperactive child for a walk or send them around the block
on their own if they are old enough. Not only does walking burn off excess
energy, the repetitive thump, thump, thump of feet hitting pavement
brings the mind back into focus.
- Give your hyperactive child a mini-massage.
Touch is very important to
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder children. Massaging their temples,
giving a shoulder rub or lightly running your fingers through their hair can
calm children quickly.
- Put together a "Boredom Box"
that provides creative outlets for your
hyperactive child. Fill this box or plastic storage bin with coloring
books, paint sets, crossword puzzles, modeling clay, jewelry making kits and
other artistic areas of interest. Hyperactive children bore easily and their
fast spinning minds need extra stimulation. In the absence of nothing better to
do, hyperactive children will lean on their own devises and you don't want them
doing that. Better that they draw than set the cat on fire...
These quick-fix calming techniques work to sooth the
hyperactivity in children after
they already became too stressed or active. There are also techniques that
parents can teach their hyperactive children to help them get the "stuff" out
before it builds up and explodes.
Create a Calming Home Environment:
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder children have difficulty remaining
calm in a hectic environment. Clearing the clutter and taking a "less is more"
approach to decorating can reduce the sensory overload on Attention Deficit and
hyperactive children. The Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder child's bedroom especially
should be free of clutter. Use plastic bins to organize and store all those
precious little plastic treasures (that we adults commonly refer to as "junk")
and small toys. Open the curtains to provide natural lighting. Keep posters and
wall hangings to a minimum. Paint the child's bedroom in calming muted colors
instead of bright primary colors. If you play music in the house, opt for soft "elevator music" or classical
music instead of rock. Try to avoid loud clatters and noises when your Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder child is at home.
Follow a Routine:
All children thrive in homes that provide routines, consistency and
structure. Attention Deficit and hyperactive children especially need structure
and schedules to feel secure in their surroundings. For these children, a more
"military" approach to routines works better. Waking up, eating meals, doing
homework, and bed times should all occur at about the same time every day, with
few surprises to upset the Attention Deficit or hyperactive child.
A Place to Relax:
If at all possible, find a space in the house to designate as a relaxation
space. It does not have to be a large space but it does need to be away from
high activity areas. This little corner (or even a portion of a walk-in closet)
can have a beanbag chair and a few books, coloring books or other quiet time
activities. Encourage your child to go to this space when they become angry or out of
control, but never make this a place of punishment. This special spot in the
house is a positive place where they can go to settle down, sort things out or
just hang out when they need to be alone. This little spot is not just for the hyperactive children in the house. I
know one mom who uses the relaxation corner of her house more often than her
children.
Journaling:
For the child who is old enough to write, journaling is an excellent way to
untangle frazzled minds and get things off their chest. This technique allows
hyperactive children to spill their internal stresses outside themselves and
onto paper. Develop a daily habit of having your child write a page or two, depending on
their age, about anything that comes to mind. Afterwards, they crumple the paper
up and throw those stresses away. They can write "I hate school, the dog just drooled, the baby's crying is
driving me crazy..." - whatever comes to mind. Eventually, they will get to the
guts of what is going on inside them.
They can write a hate letter to the perfect girl who sits behind them in math
class or to the bus driver who just kicked them off the bus. They can write you
a letter telling you everything that they cannot tell you in person or write a
letter to a friend who disappointed them. Then rumple or tear the paper up and
throw it away. These private internal thoughts are not for you or anyone else to read, ever.
Please respect their privacy and let them know they can write anything down
without fear of reprimand.
Taking a Mini-Vacation with Guided Imagery:
Guided imagery is another calming technique that can take the child out of
the moment and far away from their problems to a peaceful place. Remember Happy
Gilmore finding his "Happy Place"? Guided imagery is something like that. With soft, soothing music in the background, ask your child to close his eyes
and take a few deep breathes in and out. Walk them down an imaginary path into
the quiet woods, through prairies and flower gardens or on a beach in the warm
sunshine.
Use as many descriptive words as possible on your journey and incorporate as
many senses as possible. If you take your child to the ocean, can you smell the
salt water and hear the waves gently lapping on the shoreline? Can you taste the
ice cream cone you bought on the beach? Look at the palm trees near the beach,
can you see them swaying in the breeze? During this little trip, say phrases like, "You are feeling very relaxed,"
"The warm sun on your shoulders makes you feel so happy and peaceful." You might
want to jot a script in the beginning to help you walk them through their
journey.
Guided imagery is a powerful relaxation tool for hyperactive children that
pulls their focus to positive thoughts, all the while encouraging creativity in
your child. You can check out books on this technique at your local library if
you want further information on the subject.
Last, and Certainly Not Least, Diet:
Some parents find that reducing or eliminating sugar from the
diet
goes a
long way in calming the hyperactive child. If your child is a finicky eater, you
will need to
supplement the diet to make sure your Attention Deficit or
hyperactive child has the fuels needed for his body to function well.
Starting the day out with a healthy breakfast balanced with proteins, fats
and carbs is important. An egg sandwich, peanut butter toast and fresh fruit,
protein shakes and fresh fruit smoothies are great ways to start the day for
Attention Deficit and hyperactive children.
Sugar cereals are quick and convenient but should not be used as a breakfast
mainstay. Fruit juices are high in calories and sugar and not recommended for
children, especially those with Attention Deficit or hyperactivity.
Instead of juice or sodas, get in the habit of offering plain old H2O. Many
children and adults alike walk around in a state of dehydration. With plenty of
bottled waters that offer fruit flavors and vitamin enhancements, getting your
children hydrated is easier now than every before.
Offering your child a watered down bottle of caffeine-enriched water or a cup
of black coffee might also help your hyperactive child. This mild stimulant
works like a low dose of ADHD medication without the side effects commonly found
in Ritalin and other ADHD medications. While the caffeine might make the
non-ADHD child jumpy and jittery, it can have a reverse, calming and focusing
affect on the hyperactive child. Try it once on a weekend morning. If your
hyperactive child starts bouncing off the walls, don't try it again!
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