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Children fare better when expectations on them are clear and firm.

Children mimic well. They catch what they see better than they follow what they hear.

The teenage years require a delicate balance between the young person's need to gain independence, and the parent's need to retain authority.

Simple rules adhered to when children are young can prevent more serious problems later.

Many clinicians find it easier to tell parents their child has a brain-based disorder than suggest parenting changes. Jennifer Harris (psychiatrist)

"Cutting" is a visible sign to the world that you are hurting.

There has been an explosion in the prescribing of medication for very young children, particularly preschool and kindergarten boys (Juli Zito , Univ. of Maryland)

Whining and crying are employed by kids for the purpose of getting something. If it works, then it was worth the effort and will be repeated.

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

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

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What is Ritalin?

  • the chemical name is methylphenidate
  • it is an amphetamine
  • it is a controlled drug
  • it is in the stimulant class of drugs
  • it is a performance enhancer
  • it is a banned drug for international athletic competitions
  • it has an abuse potential
  • it is sometimes prescribed for narcolepsy (a sleep disorder characterized by recurring, irrepressible attacks of sleep during normal waking hours)
  • it used to be used for obesity
  • it is manufactured by Novartis
  • it is a small, bitter tasting pill
  • it comes in 3 strengths – 5 mg., 10 mg., 20 mg.
  • it is fast working  – approx. 20 – 30 minutes
  • it last 3 – 4 hours (the slow release versions lasts about twice as long)
  • optimal dosage is found by trial and error
  • there is no evidence of it being carcinogenic
  • dosages can be adjusted quickly and easily
  • there is no withdrawal problems other than “rebound” (ie. symptoms return)
  • it does not appear to accumulate anywhere in the body
  • it is metabolized quickly
  • there is a lengthy safety record

Stimulant medications such as ritalin are the mainstay of biochemical treatment for ADHD

Stimulants appear to allow some children to “put on the brakes” against distractions,impulsivity, over-reactions and frustrations.

They give a child’s “executive functions” a fighting chance.

What parents need most are ideas, because with ideas we get options. Rick Harper has been providing ideas to parents for over 40 years.

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

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

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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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+ A Guided Tour of ADHD (now available online)

This workshop will present the facts, myths, misconceptions, controversy and […]

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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

“We are foster parents who took in a 13 year old girl (going on 18!) and she ran us through the wringer. Rick helped us learn how to set limits that made the difference.”

(G.E. – Strathroy)