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The quickest way to change your child’s behaviour is to first change your own.

Some hope their children will be like sponges soaking up the truth and wisdom imparted by their parents. However appealing this philosophy might be, it seldom seems to catch on with their children.

"Parents aren't the cause of ADHD, but they are part of the solution." (Kenny Handleman, M.D.)

Relationships matter:  change comes through forming trusting relationships. People, not programs change people.

We should not medicate the boys so they fit the school; we should change the school to fit the boy. (Leonard Sax, M.D. Ph.D)

The best inheritance  parents can give their children is a few minutes of their time each day.

If there is no relationship - nothing else matters !

Hurt people hurt people.

It's more effective to reward your child for being "good" (appropriate) than to punish him for being "bad" (inappropriate).

Being a parent of a teenager can cure a person of narcissism.

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Diagnostic Criteria for ADD/ADHD

The following is a summary of the criteria in DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and describes what doctors look for when diagnosing ADD or ADHD.

A. INATTENTION ( the individual must display 6 or more of these characteristics)

  1. makes careless mistakes
  2. difficulty sustaining attention
  3. doesn’t seem to listen
  4. does not finish schoolwork, chores or duties
  5. difficulty organizing tasks and activities
  6. avoids tasks that require sustained mental effort
  7. easily distracted
  8. forgetful

and/or

B. HYPERACTIVITY/IMPULSIVITY- (must display 6 or more of the following)

  1. often fidgets with hands or feet – squirms in seat
  2. often “out of seat”
  3. often runs about or climbs excessively
  4. has difficulty playing quietly
  5. often “on the go” as if “driven by a motor”
  6. often talks excessively
  7. often blurts out answers
  8. often has difficulty waiting turn
  9. often interrupts or intrudes on others

C. SYMPTOMS PRESENT BEFORE AGE OF 7

D. SYMPTOMS PRESENT IN 2 OR MORE SETTINGS (SCHOOL, HOME,WORK)

E. CLEAR EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT IN SOCIAL, ACADEMIC OR             OCCUPATIONAL FUNCTIONING

F. SYMPTOMS ARE NOT BETTER ACCOUNTED FOR BY ANOTHER MENTAL DISORDER

A diagnosis of ADD/ADHD can only be made by a medical doctor or a psychologist.

What distinguishes ADD/ADHD is the number of behaviours, their intensity and duration.

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

This full day or 2 evening workshop will introduce you […]

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+ Lick Your Kids

  “Lick Your Kids” (figuratively not literally) (2 hours) First […]

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+ A Parent’s Guide to the Teenage Brain

  A teenager’s brain is not just an adult brain […]

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+ Reading Rescue

A program for children with reading problems

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+ Taming a Toddler

Many parents wonder what hit them when their sweet little baby turns into an unreasonable toddler – ideas for dealing with mealtime, bedtime, temper tanturms, toilet training, noncompliance, etc.

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See more of our workshops


Contact

2720 Rath Street, Putnam, Ontario
NOL 2BO

Phone: (519) 485-4678
Fax: (519) 485-0281

Email: info@rickharper.ca

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Parents' Comments

“I wish we had found Rick 2 years ago. We could have saved ourselves and our son a lot of trouble.”

(T.T. – Byron)