RE: 6-year-old with poss symptoms of ADD

[Unregistered]

I was delighted to have discovered this forum last night! I posted an inquiry and got 3 responses. Again, I was delighted! But I was taken aback by the negative tone of each reply. The first reply seemed to blame the parents by suggesting that they may just "lazy." The second reply wondered what "right" did I have by attempting to "treat a medical problem" (assuming that was what I was indeed attempting to do...which is in no way the case!). And the third was just vague remark about one size does not fit all and suggested I find out more about the child...OF COURSE, I AGREE! Evidently, my inquiry was incomplete, but I am very much turned off by the negative tone that were based on pure assumptions!

[Merlin]

> I was taken aback by the negative tone of each reply.

Why do you interpret the tone as negative, rather than a true desire to be helpful?
Did you not ask for advice?

Scripts are a one-size-fits-all scenario and a bad idea. Perhaps you didn't understand?

It's *generally* a good idea to get medical screening to rule out organic causes.

>The first reply seemed to blame the parents by suggesting that they may just "lazy."

When you ask for advise on a public webboard, anyone can answer.
Still, the advice is sound.
Have you checked diet?
have you checked parent-child relationships.

>>And the third was just vague remark about one size does not fit all

>People are far more complex than a car.
>I don't use a one-size-fits-all script.
>Take the time to find out what's going on with the child.

OK, I'll try again.
Scripts don't address the child's issue's
You might use a script to relax, when the problem is fear.
I do reiterate: >Take the time to find out what's going on with the child.
There can be 100 or more causes (and thus 100 scripts) for the symptom you describe.

Just as there is not one medicine for all 'sore throats', there is not one script for all ADD like behaviour.

>I am very much turned off by the negative tone that were based on pure assumptions!

Then find a board that will tickle your fancy rather than offer real help.

It's often said ' the meaning of your communication can be best understood by the responses you get.'

So, you can complain about the responses, or you can accept that you were misunderstood and you can rephrase your question, or you can find a board which you like better.
Your choice.

[Unregistered]

"suggested I find out more about the child...OF COURSE, I AGREE! Evidently, my inquiry was incomplete, but I am very much turned off by the negative tones that were based on pure assumptions!"

Could it be that people mis-understood what you wanted based on you providing insufficient information?

Are you saying you already understand this child's world, and based on that understanding you now want a script, designed for this 1 specific girl?

If this girl's problems were caused by "unhelpful" diet, drug complications, parental relationships, teacher ineptitude, etc - you could end-up with dozens different scripts, and still not help her win success.

And another thing, some of the most brilliant people in this world would, or 'should', have been labeled "ADD": Einstein flunked outa school. He couldn't abide their methods. Yet, he was clearly a genius. There are some of us for whom "traditional" schooling fails.

You see, I believe each person is born with genius intelligence, but most people have it driven out of them by the time they're conversant.

Would you consider the possibility the greatest gift you can bestow upon her is blessing her to *keep her innate creative genius intact*? What can you do to help her retain that, dear Nancy?

[Simple Guy]

Having worked with a leading authority that has the highest level of success in assisting kids and adults labeled as ADD/ADHD, written about the subject, had some clients with these diagnoses, and agreeing with people like Gary Null -- I feel that the label is overused and where the behaviors exhibited are problematic in children, it is often the result of parental inattention or malfeasance. Looking at the percentage of Japanese American children that are considered to be ADD, which is practically zero,
suggests to me that there are cultural (family structure and support systems) and dietary factors that are central to this issue. You asked about scripts; Merlin's response was, in my opinion, right on target and not negative.

Frightening enough, there is talk about mandatory psychological screening for school children. If this comes to pass, it'll be great for the pharmaceutical companies and overburdened school systems. The former will increase profits. The schools will have more drugs to manage and cope with their students. The loosers will be many millions of kids that won't have their real needs met or the so-called ADD cured.

[Don]

I have to "sort of" agree and disagree with the posters here.

Is it possible that the cause of the problems are parents/diet? Absolutely.

Can we know? Not without working with the child in question.

Guest, I can absolutely see why you consider some of the attitudes of the posts as "negative." They certainly didn't bend over backwards to simply give you something that they knew wouldn't work. However, I also don't think telling you to look at the adults and the diet was necessarily ecological.

First, I would never work with a child with ADD, ADHD, etc., without a referral from a licensed physician. ADD is a diagnosis, and unless you or I are licenced physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc., we have an legal and ethical obligation not to use such terms.

You said that the child had "ADD-like behavior." Respectfully, do you have a license to make this diagnosis? If not, you are practicing medicine without a license. This is not meant to be negative or an insult, but it is meant to show that hypnotherapy is NOT psychology, NOT psychiatry, NOT allopathy. Unless you have a referral to use hypnotherapy in the treatment of ADD, such terms shouldn't even be used, and if they are, the person who uses them without a license could be in a lot of legal trouble.

That, I think, is another reason why nobody has simply offered scripts for dealing with "ADD-like behaviors."

Now, it is possible to use hypnotherapy with a 6-year-old for a variety of behavioral problems. For example, as a hypnotherapist I can deal with short attention span, constant motion, talking back, etc. Some licensed professional call these indications of ADD. But I wouldn't treat a child the same way for each of these symptoms any more than a doctor would give an antibiotic without examining the child--the doctor might miss that the cause of flu-like symptoms is actually an infection due to a broken limb, somthing requiring much more than a bunch of pills.

I'm trying to show the many possibility and difficulties when I'm just asked for a script. But let me take it one step further.

Perhaps the "ADD-like behavior" is not being able to keep still. The cause may be diet. The cause may be an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. The cause may be that the child is intelligent and is bored with what is going on around him or her. The cause may be that the child is not getting enough attention from parents and is "acting out" in order to get attention. There are probably other possible causes for the behavior. Obviously, one script is not going to work for all of these causes. Multiply that with the idea that there are other behaviors that might be called "ADD-like" and it is virtually impossible to give a script without knowing more.

Further, what might be required is some sort of family counseling as opposed to just dealing with the child.

Even more, a script for a 6 year old? What words are you going to use? How are you going to approach the child? Have you trained in working hypnotherapy with children? Chances are, working with metaphor and stories will be far more successful than either assertive or permissive suggestions of a script. What metaphors to use? You determin that by talking to the child and see what interests them.

I realize that your question seemed to be very easy. It's sort of "here's my problem--any suggestions?" But the reality is far more complex that getting a script, changing diet, or helping the parents.

As I said, I'm not trying to be harsh or negative, and I hope you don't think I am being that way. Rather, I'm just saying that your question was far more complex than you might have thought.

So my question to you is this: where do you go next? Have you trained to do hypnotherapy with a child? If not, I'm sure people here will be glad to recommend books that could get you started. Will you observe the child? Will you observe the family? Will you need a referral? If you see that the child's diet is poor, unless you are a licensed physician or registered dietician, you may not legally be able to suggest a change in diet.

That's a lot of stuff to consider! I hope you will continue your studies in hypnotherapy and consider the possibilities. In fact, I think there may be a big need for hypnotherapists who specialize in working with children. One person pointed out that the diagnosed cases of ADD in Japan are miniscule compared to the booming market (and drug sales) in the U.S. Hypnotherapy for children could revolutionize this field. Perhaps one day you'll write a book on the subject.

Good luck!

[Terry (existing)]

...I was one of those who replied to your first post, and was indeed very harsh in my reply. Want to know why? I will tell you. You began your post with a statement that you were a qualified practitioner did you not? Well believe me, anyone qualified would know that you don't treat a medical problem without the consent of a medical practitioner...

...Does that mean that we should have replied differently? If so, tell us what we should have said please, I am alway willing to learn.