Connecting Behavior and Consequences for Kids With ADHD

Connecting Behavior and Consequences for Kids With ADHD ADHD Parenting Print Connecting Behavior and Consequences for Kids With ADHD By Keath Low Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD. Learn about our editorial policy Keath Low Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 07, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 23, 2020 ADHD Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Living With In Children Hero Images / Getty Images Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often constantly moving or fidgeting, have trouble focusing, and struggle to process information as rapidly or correctly as other children. This can affect how they interpret the consequences of their behavior, which can be frustrating for ?parents and teachers. Lets take a look at why there is often a disconnect between behavior and consequence in children with ADHD, and how to best help them make the connection. Disconnect Between Behavior and Consequence Kids with ADHD often have difficulty delaying or inhibiting their responses. Instead, they tend to live in the moment, reacting immediately to that moment without thought. For a child to make a connection between a specific behavior and consequence, they need to be able to pause, think through, weigh the consequences of the behavior, and then allow these thoughts to guide their decision making about the behavior. For many children with ADHD, there is often a disconnect between thinking and reacting. When everything seems to happen all at once, they respond impulsively without using information about past experiences to guide their behavior. This is why kids with ADHD do not seem to learn from past mistakes as easily as their peers. How to Teach Children Responsibility and Self Awareness Impairments in working memory can also result in problems being able to see what lies ahead. In other words, a child may have trouble keeping relevant information to help make decisions about future behavior. In addition, kids with ADHD may experience a delay in the development of internal languageâ€"the voice inside our head that helps us to talk to ourselves, contemplate what we should do, and then regulate our behavior. Connecting Behavior and Consequences When you have a child who thinks and reacts impulsively, its helpful if you can intervene and provide cues, reminders, incentives, and guidance at the point of performanceâ€"the moment in time when your child must inhibit behavior to meet the demands of the situation. Your immediate feedback about his behaviorâ€"pointing out, reinforcing, and rewarding a child when they are displaying the behavior you want to see, and providing mild reprimands and redirection to help get them back on track when they begin to engage in inappropriate behaviorâ€"will help your child stop and think or put on the brakes before responding. Your teaching and training in this area will also help them develop greater self-awareness. The more aware of and in-tune your child is with the situation, the more likely they will be to connect cause and effect and use it to guide their behavior. Also, be sure to follow through with consequences in a consistent manner. Feedback needs to be provided immediately and frequently. Guidelines should be readily identified to help your child know what to expect. These strategies help keep your childs environment predictable. How to Create Structure for Kids With ADHD