Mother and daughter (8-9) doing arts and craftsChildren with attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) often experience intense emotions, behavioral challenges, and low self-esteem. As a result of these experiences, children with this diagnosis may find it difficult to express their emotions and to develop the capabilities needed to control their behavior. In the short term, these issues can make it difficult for the child to have positive experiences that reinforce a sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy. Over the long term, this can have significant implications for their well-being, success, and motivation.

While standard approaches to therapy including medication and behavioral supports are integral to improving outcomes, alternative interventions such as art therapy have proven to be highly effective for addressing some of the innate challenges encountered by children with ADHD. Alternative therapies for ADHD are often overlooked by parents and educators, but there is a wealth of emerging research suggesting that these tools can be instrumental in helping children address some of the core challenges they face every day. For this reason, parents, educators, and counselors should be open to the possibility of using alternative therapies to support the needs of children with this diagnosis.

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One of the most notable alternative therapies available for the treatment of ADHD is art therapy. Art therapy works in a number of different ways to lessen the impact of many of the negative consequences of ADHD. For instance, art therapy, which utilizes a number of different approaches for nonverbal creative expression, can help children with ADHD channel their intense emotions without engaging in verbal outbursts. This nonverbal form of expression provides an outlet for the child, which can quell behavioral difficulties. As the behavior of the child improves, the child may experience more positive feedback from educators, counselors, and parents. Over time, this may have a significant effect on the child’s self-esteem. As the child gains confidence, his or her behavior will improve dramatically, further reinforcing positive outcomes in all areas of development.

Art therapy has also been shown to increase attention span for children with ADHD by providing a source of focus. Art is a natural part of play in children’s development, and often children with ADHD are able to select art projects that interest them. With an art project of their choice, children with ADHD are given an outlet upon which to focus. Although the duration of attention to the project may increase over several sessions, the process is one that builds the capability of the child with ADHD to channel energy in a positive way that results in accomplishment. This also has an impact on the child’s self-esteem. Often children with ADHD are punished for their inability to pay attention or focus. By teaching this basic skill to children, art therapy can provide an important bridge for utilizing focus and attention skills in the classroom and at home.

Art therapy can also provide a foundation for the child to explore his or her identity. This can be a powerful process, as children with ADHD are often defined by labels and behaviors. For children with ADHD, labeling and attention to negative behaviors can make it difficult for the child to define himself or herself in a positive context. Art can connect the child to an inner identity that is positive and therapeutic. By providing this connection, the child can overcome much of the negativity that encompasses much of the child’s daily experience. In short, art can make a child feel good about himself or herself. Although it may take several sessions for children to experience this outcome, providing the foundation for this type of growth will be imperative for helping the child to achieve a better sense of self.

Even though art therapy is a helpful support for many children with ADHD, it is often not offered by schools or therapists. If you believe that your child may benefit from art therapy, you should ask about this intervention and see if educators or therapists working with your child can help. While art therapy will not replace more traditional forms of therapy provided to your child, it may be an important supplemental resource to help build vital social and behavioral skills that are difficult to teach in therapy. Having this additional support can help your child overcome some of the most common deficits associated with ADHD.

GoodTherapy | Asperger’s and Hygiene: Solutions for an Overlooked IssueChildren and teens with Asperger’s syndrome (AS) often miss basic social cues, impeding their ability to interact successfully with others. Included in the missed social cues are personal hygiene considerations, which often go unnoticed by kids with Asperger’s. Parents of children with AS frequently complain that it is difficult to get their children to brush their teeth or comb their hair. As the child matures into adolescence, additional hygiene issues, such as the use of deodorant, become problematic. Understanding the causes of these challenges can help improve personal hygiene by enabling parents and loved ones to provide appropriate supports for proper behaviors.

Why Is Hygiene Such a Difficult Issue?

Problems with hygiene for the child or adolescent with AS appear to stem from two things: sensory issues and social awareness. Many children with AS will refuse to shower or to brush their teeth. Although caregivers may initially believe that these responses are due to laziness on the part of the child, in many instances refusal to engage in personal hygiene activities results from sensory issues encountered by the child. In an effort to illustrate this point, consider the AS child who has difficulty trying new foods because of their texture. Inserting a toothbrush with abrasive toothpaste into the mouth can overwhelm the child’s senses, creating an aversion to brushing one’s teeth. As a result, the AS child may not willingly brush his or her teeth each night despite efforts to educate the child about the potential harm that may result.

A lack of social awareness may also impact decision making when it comes to personal hygiene. As children mature into adolescence, their personal hygiene needs become more extensive. Boys and girls will need to use deodorant, shave, comb their hair, and make sure they are properly and appropriately dressed. These hygiene issues are particularly important for adolescents in order for them to project a positive self-image that is acceptable to their peers. Because many adolescents with AS lack a basic understanding of social awareness, hygiene issues may not be an important consideration for this group. Putting on deodorant may not be viewed as important by the adolescent with AS despite the fact it is necessary to prevent body odor: an obstacle which can hinder peer interaction.

What Can Be Done?

With the realization that hygiene is such a difficult and challenging issue for children and adolescents, it is important for caregivers to consider what they can do to promote personal hygiene without overwhelming their child or adolescent with sensory issues or negative criticism. Although the specific hygiene needs of each child will be different, there are some steps that parents and caregivers can take to improve outcomes in these areas:

toy left at grave siteThe death of a child is one of the most difficult and traumatic events that a parent can encounter, one that will shape emotional experiences over the lifespan. Parents will encounter a wide range of emotions that will, in most cases, fundamentally change who they are. They will experience not only intense grief but also regret, remorse, and guilt about not being able to protect their child.

The emotions experienced by parents with regard to the loss of a child are due, in large part, to individual and social beliefs about parenting and the roles of parents. The death of a child erases what many parents view as a fundamental certainty: that they will outlive their children. Although there are no certainties in life, the assumption that a parent will outlive his or her child is one that is clearly taken for granted. Further, because a parent’s identity is integrally tied to his or her child, the death will alter the way the parent looks at and experiences the world. Children change the way parents look at the world and themselves. A child’s identity often becomes an integral part of the parent’s lived experiences, views on life, and personal understanding. Thus, when a child is lost, a significant part of the parent can be lost as well.

The death of a child, to many, may seem like an insurmountable event. Parents may experience extreme difficulty in moving on and may, for a long time, be unable to connect with others. Parents may choose to isolate themselves and, for a time, this may be helpful. However, parents are social beings who sooner or later will need to reconnect with the world around them, either through work or through their community. When this does not occur naturally, help and support from a counselor may be needed to help the parent come to terms with the loss and to begin the healing process.

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The healing process may also include other activities that are integral to the well-being of the parent as part of a larger social community. As a parent begins to heal, he or she may seek out relationships, and, in time, may decide to marry or have additional children. For some, the prospect of having another deeply emotional relationship may seem too difficult. For others, these relationships may provide an important support for coping and healing. The decisions made by the parent should be respected, as each person will need to come to terms with loss in his or her own way. By enabling parents to grieve in the best way they see fit, true healing can occur.

The decision to marry following the death of a child is one that is deeply personal and requires the parent to consider his or her emotional state and readiness for this transition. Again, it is important to remember that each individual grieves in his or her own way. Some parents will be ready and able to move on with their lives before others. Accepting this and recognizing differences in grieving will help parents and their supporters to come to terms with personal decisions made following the death of a child. No matter what decisions are made, they must be respected by others and viewed as part of the healing process.

Parents experiencing emotional distress or uncertainty after the loss of a child should seek the help of a professional counselor to help them understand their emotions and to make positive choices moving forward. The help and support of counselors should also be sought if the individual is experiencing emotions that are detrimental to personal well-being and health (such as suicidal ideation, depression, etc.). The decision to marry following the death of a child carries with it the possibility for additional loss through divorce. Therefore, making this decision with proper support is advisable.

Important Notice

GoodTherapy is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, medical treatment, or therapy. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice nor delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on GoodTherapy.