A hyperactive child cannot concentrate on one subject for a long time. In other words, every 5-15 minutes, he needs to change the object of interest. That is why such a diagnosis can be objectively diagnosed only by school-age when classes last long and require attention. The child begins to lag and make stupid mistakes due to inattention. Children with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) often do not listen to the question, interrupt, or interfere in other people’s conversations. A hyperactive child can always be heard: at independent games, at the table, at lessons; he talks loudly, builds, and breaks something.
Children with ADHD have difficult relationships with adults and peers; they tend to command the process everywhere. A hyperactive child is always in a hurry; he performs a task without reading it and answers a question without listening to it (Van der Oord & Tripp, 2020). At the same time, the level of intelligence in hyperactive children is often above average: they quickly generate ideas, easily grasp the material, and easily forget it (Shepherd & Linn, 2014). The contingency contract is a good way to teach a child to achieve results and at the same time to cope with his tantrums and whims (Martin et al., 2019). Experts say that encouraging good behavior helps to increase self-esteem. If a child tries to behave well and receives enough praise, he is more likely to cooperate in other situations. For example, the best option for Timothy would be to introduce a points system to sum up at the end of the week. The points can be in the form of funny stickers so that the child can be carried away.
In conclusion, it is necessary to explain to the parents of the child his peculiarity. It is important not to pressure him but to talk calmly and friendly. The rest of the family members should accept the child’s temperament, remember how to properly communicate with a hyperactive child, and not accuse him of being annoying and fussy. When learning, it is necessary to take short breaks because it is difficult for a child with ADHD to concentrate for a long time.
Reference
Martin, C. A., Papadopoulos, N., Chellew, T., Rinehart, N. J., & Sciberras, E. (2019). Associations between parenting stress, parent mental health and child sleep problems for children with ADHD and ASD: Systematic review. Research in developmental disabilities, 93, 103463. Web.
Shepherd, T.L., & Linn, D. (2014). Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural classroom: Proactive, active, and Reactive Strategies. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Van der Oord, S., & Tripp, G. (2020). How to improve behavioral parent and teacher training for children with ADHD: Integrating empirical research on learning and motivation into treatment. Clinical child and family psychology review, 23(4), 577-604. Web.