Parenting Children's Talents

Placebo Effects In Caregivers May Change Behavior Of Children With ADHD

According to a recent article in ScienceDaily, the perception that children are taking medication for ADHD impacts the behavior of teachers and parents.

Stimulant medications such as Ritalin and Adderall are accepted treatments to stem hyperactivity in children with attention deficit-hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and improve their behavior.  Now a recent review of research by University at Buffalo pediatric psychologists suggests that such medication, or the assumption of medication, may produce a placebo effect -- not in the children, but in their teachers, parents or other adults who evaluate them.

A placebo effect is a positive change in symptoms or behavior after a patient receives a "fake" medication or procedure; in other words, the belief can become the medicine.  In this case, the review suggested that when caregivers believed their ADHD patients were receiving ADHD medication, they tended to view those children more favorably and treat them more positively, whether or not medication was actually involved.

"The act of administering medication, or thinking a child has received medication, may induce positive expectancies in parents and teachers about the effects of that medication, which may, in turn, influence how parents and teachers evaluate and behave toward children with ADHD," said UB researcher Daniel A. Waschbusch, Ph.D., lead author of the review.

"We speculate that the perception that a child is receiving ADHD medication may bring about a shift in attitude in a teacher or caregiver. They may have a more positive view of the child, which could create a better relationship. They may praise the child more, which may induce better behavior."

The analysis supported the hypothesis that producing changes in how caregivers behave toward children with ADHD who they think are on medication produces changes in the child.

Read the full article at ScienceDaily.  As a parent, please comment to this post and share how your perceptions of and actions toward your ADHD child may change as a result of your child taking ADHD medication.

Kids Ed Websites: Fun, interactive resources for kids, parents, and teachers

Laurie Batres is a Pre-K through 5th grade teacher who created a wonderful website for kids, parents and teachers called Kids Ed Websites.  As she explains, "The purpose of this website is to present free, high-quality, fun, interactive, educational websites to parents, teachers, and kids. I select quality educational website activities that are more meaningful than drill or arcade style games.  Most of the activities are appropriate for kids ages 8 to 14, but some of them are fun for kids of all ages."

Checkout Kids Ed Websites today.

Quick Relaxation

After your child has mastered the long version of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, he or she can use the following shorthand version to relax muscles quickly.  The description below comes from The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook.  Children like the short version below because it is quick and easy to perform.  For younger children, you can give each tense-relax sequence a funny name to bring humor into the relaxation exercise.

Shorthand Version 

During the shorthand version of progressive muscle relaxation, whole muscle groups are simultaneously tensed and then relaxed.  As before, repeat each procedure at least once, tensing each muscle group from five to seven seconds and then relaxing from fifteen to thirty seconds.  Remember to notice the contrast between the sensations of tension and relaxation.

Curl both fists, tighten biceps and forearms (Charles Atlas pose).  Relax.

Roll your head around on your neck clockwise in a complete circle, then reverse.  Relax.

Wrinkle up the muscles of your face like a walnut:  wrinkle forehead, eyes squinted, mouth open, and shoulders hunched.  Relax.

Arch your shoulders back as you take a deep breath into your chest.  Hold.  Relax.  Take a deep breath, pressing out the stomach.  Hold.  Relax.

Straighten your legs and point your toes back toward your face, tightening your shins.  Hold.  Relax.  Straighten your legs and curl your toes, simultaneously tightening calves, thighs, and buttocks.  Relax.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Relax and Enhance Your Brain Power

As I mentioned yesterday, stress limits your mind's ability to think, reason and focus attention.  You can use Progressive Muscle Relaxation to notice and reduce stress.  Progressive Muscle Relaxation requires you to briefly tense and relax muscles from your toes to your head while breathing.  It is a great way to notice what muscle groups are harder to relax.  I have provided below a video from Stress Affect that guides you through the long version of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (takes 10-15 minutes).  Perform the long version each day for one to two weeks before using the short-hand version (takes 1-2 minutes) I will provide you tomorrow.

Always keep in mind, whenever you relax your body, your mind also relaxes and can better process information.

Reduce Stress To Access More of Your Brain

A recent study of medical students by the Weill Medical College at Cornell and Rockefeller University reveals the importance of helping all performers in school, sports, arts and work reduce stress in order for them to access more of their brains.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times article about the study, “ The brains of the stressed gave the inside story: During the attention-shifting task, activity in their prefrontal cortices -- the seat of such functions as attention, task-planning and judgment -- was far lower than that of the non-stressed-out.”  In short, stress limited the students' ability to access the full potential of their brains. 

An important first step to reduce stress as a performer is to notice when you are stressed.  In our highly active lives, we are often not aware of the stress our minds and bodies experience because high stress has become a natural way of life.

To help you and others notice stress, I will post tomorrow a description about how to do “progressive muscle relaxation.”  It is an effective way to relax and, at the same time, notice how and when your muscles tense when under stress.  The ability to notice stress manifested in tense muscles has been an effective trigger for people to use relaxation techniques.  Ultimately, the more you stay relaxed, the more you can use your brain’s executive control center to think effectively.  For now, please read the LA Times article below.