Does your child have ADHD? Here are tips for dealing with the hectic holiday season

The holidays can be a time of wonderment for kids. Gifts, bright lights, talking with Santa and travel to visit family all add to the season’s excitement.

But for youngsters with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), those same stimulation can spell disaster and lead to emotional meltdowns.

This happens for a wide variety of reasons.

School’s no longer in session, so daily routine has broken down. Bedtimes and meals are apt to be erratic.

Christmas cookies and holiday yummies push more nutritious food off the plate. Enticing wrapped packages send already excited kids into a frenzy.

Holiday excursions may force ADHD youngsters into situations for which they are ill-prepared.

A singalong at church or a meal in a crowded restaurant can stretch an antsy tot to the breaking point. And critical relatives with little patience or understanding make not-so-subtle remarks about children’s outbursts or parenting abilities.

Meanwhile, medications that stabilize kids in normal situations may be less effective as a result of fatigue, hunger and overstimulation.

Your youngster’s ADHD needn’t crimp your seasonal enjoyment.

Consider these strategies to keep you and your children in the spirit:

Post a holiday calendar. Weeks can seem unbearably long, so a holiday calendar lets kids visualize the number of days until Santa’s arrival or flying to visit cousins.

Maintain a routine. Do your best to keep bedtimes, stories and baths to their usual times. This ensures kids get enough rest while signaling to them when it’s time to settle down.

Discuss appropriate behavior. Take a few minutes before visiting Grandpa or attending holiday events to discuss manners, indoor voices and other relevant rules.

Have a back-up plan. If children become overstimulated, calmly escort them to a quiet room away from the fray until they’ve regained their composure. Bring a collection of self-soothing activities. If necessary, drive two cars so one parent can leave if a child becomes inconsolable.

Limit shopping excursions. Buying gifts for other people is torture for over-stimulated tots. Save all but the shortest outings for when you are alone.

Talk with relatives beforehand. Many folks are unfamiliar with the behavioral challenges of ADHD, so plan a simple conversation such as, “We’ve been working with Daniel’s teachers and doctors to help him be less argumentative. But he’s still challenging, especially when he’s excited.”

Buy calming gifts. Steer clear of excessively agitating games or violent toys, and seek out toys that are interactive, don’t have lots of rules and play to your child’s strengths.

Provide opportunity for kids to let off steam. Regular outings to shoot hoops, ride scooters and swing at the park get boys and girls away from the holiday hubbub and give them a chance to re-center.

Establish rules for opening gifts. Overeager youngsters want to tear into all their presents at once. Predetermined policies, such as “You get to open one gift at a time. Then you’ll have to wait while others open theirs,” help instill internal control.