My son is very hyperactive and also has strange behaviors. He likes banging on doors, kicking things and making loud noises to get our attention. We’re having a hard time now as he’s really difficult to control. His doctor says he might be having ADHD symptoms.. is this condition treatable? What options do we have?

USICO:

Hello and thank you for your question regarding your son’s behavior. 

The answer to your first question is definitely yes. The condition is treatable, especially for a child who is as young as 8. 

Before I explain some options for treatment I would like to caution you about diagnosing your son. It seems common practice for physicians these days to diagnose and then try to fit a child and their treatment into a section of the DSM 5. 

While your child may need some training / conditioning to alter his behavior, I would not recommend medication. 

From my post doctoral experience working with children who have social skills / human interaction challenges, I noticed the amazing changes that take place over time (sometimes 1-2 years) as a result of parental interventions using well-tested strategies. 

Again, I would like to advise you not to categorize your son into any named behavior disorder such as Asperger’s or PDD-NOS. These are simply attempts by clinicians to organize strategies to support children. However, I believe the categorization of behaviors into specific disorders is counter productive.  

Your son’s challenges are unique to him only, but by utilizing what has been learned by parents with similar challenges, you will be successful. 

Your interventions will change his future in school, work and within your family. 

What you will be doing is what can be broadly termed ‘Shaping behavior’. I am not talking about general reward and punishment child raising strategies, but a much deeper and structured approach. 

http://www.ldonline.org/article/14545/

If there is an opportunity to join a social skills class, working with other parents and children, I would recommend it. Often they are connected with universities and are inexpensive.

Many involve assigning very simple home chores to children, and providing big rewards for completion. The routine of this continued interaction is very successful. And, it is the kind of attention your son needs and will thank you for later. 

Hyperactive children often loose steam as they get older, and develop a calmer disposition. Although it is not always the case, in my own research, I have noticed that children who exhibit these behaviors tend to be more intelligent  – an advantage you may see later. 

Lastly, I would like to suggest you develop an additional relationship with your son that will improve communication, and his understanding of the world. I don’t know if this is already part of your routine, but time setting aside each day for a story book, really goes a long way. 

I expect you will see big changes after about six months if you follow some of these strategies. 

Best wishes to you –

Simon