Develop a stable routine at home. To lessen the amount of confusion and day-to-day stimuli, set specific mealtimes and bedtimes.

Try assigning a small, quickly finished task, and gently insist that it be completed. Then make sure to thank and praise your child when the job is done.

Engage the child in projects he enjoys to help him learn to focus attention. Learning to focus will alter his response to the world, little by little. Always remember that, in addition to having a nervous system imbalance that makes sitting still a torture, a bright hyperactive child becomes bored easily. Work with your child to help him actually finish a project. Finishing a project will provide a sense of competence and increased self-esteem. Mastery and completion of a task call for praise.

Seek counseling for yourself and your partner. To help decrease feelings of frustration and isolation, parents of a hyperactive child need information and support. Reach out; it's available. You'll learn how to be with and support your child, and how to feel calm and connected even when the situation seems out of control. You'll also learn that it is important for parents to take some time off without feeling stress or guilt for leaving a "difficult" child with competent others.

It is impossible to overemphasize how necessary it is for parents to take time out from the situation. Take an afternoon or evening or weekend off. Get a babysitter. Call your parents or a friend. If you won't do it for your own sake, do it for your child. You will likely come back refreshed and more calm and loving.

Prevention
During pregnancy, keep exposure to environmental lead to a minimum and eliminate alcohol during pregnancy. Both have been correlated with hyperactivity.

Keep your child from being exposed to lead. The most common sources of lead exposure are lead-based paint, drinking water, and improperly glazed pottery.

From Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child by Janet Zand, N.D., L.Ac., Robert Rountree, MD, Rachel Walton, RN, ©1994. Published by Avery Publishing, New York. For personal use only; neither the digital nor printed copy may be copied or sold. Reproduced by permission.