ADHD and safety…
According to SafeKids, nine million US children under 18 years old have a special health care need – and it can be a big factor when it comes to keeping them safe. Kids with developmental disabilities, whether physical and psychological, have higher rates of injury; as do children with cognitive, emotional or social limitations. So what do you need to bear in mind to keep your special needs child safe and well?
Why is he at risk?
Kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) get hurt more often than the average child because they tend to forget your safety instructions and can be impulsive when it comes to risky behavior.
Get clued into common dangers…
SafeKids emphasizes that parents often don’t realize that young children can drown in less than inch of water, that drinking mouthwash can cause a young child to fall into an alcohol coma, or that children can fall out of a window that’s only opened five inches.
Use visual reminders…
ADHD children tend to have poor memories and find it difficult to retain information. SafeKids recommends ‘Mr. Yuk’ stickers, available from poison prevention centers – they provide a visual reminder when stuck to objects that could harm a child and although they’re aimed at preschoolers they can work well for older children with ADHD. Use stickers with phrases such as ‘Don’t Touch!’ and ‘Off Limits!’ – Safekids suggests you put them on power tools, the attic hatch cover, the door into the garage, the stove, the knife drawer, or any other potential source of injury.
Make rules specific and clear…
Give specific instructions, for example: ‘Before crossing the street, look left, look right, then look left again. When there are no cars, cross the street and keep looking until you reach the other side.’ Establish exactly what’s off limits: the roof, the windowsill, the oak tree, the street. Make a chart of specific safety rules and post it in your child’s room and in the kitchen as a daily reminder.
Role play and rehearse…
Develop and role-play risky scenarios with your kids, going over situations they might come up against. “What do you do when the ball rolls into the street?”; “What do you do if someone tries to start a fight with you at recess?”. Play out several options and cover the possible consequences: “If you do that, what do you think might happen? What if you did this instead?”
Supervise at all times…
Supervising ADHD kids is critical, says SafeKids. Don’t let them play unsupervised with kids their own age, and if you can’t be there make sure there’s a responsible older kid to monitor what they’re doing. If you can’t be around after school, enroll your child in supervised activities such as music lessons and team sports.