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Gaia Angel 
She who Dreams with Dolphins
Posts: 539
(1/14/04 7:30 am)
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Understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD
It is important to learn about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the specific ways your child is affected. Familiarity with the condition will help you feel more confident in being able to help your child reach his or her potential. The following information can help you begin to understand how this condition may affect your child.
Your child's brain automatically responds to new sensations or events whether or not it is appropriate. To make the best of this quality, use colorful reminders, books with pictures, and hands-on activities whenever possible.
Your child focuses on the present and does not learn from past experience. You have to repeatedly and consistently respond to the same misbehavior until appropriate behavior is learned. Also, comment often on your child's positive behavior, and he or she will be more likely to repeat that behavior.
Your child may feel driven to keep some part of his or her body moving at all times. Do not expect or require your child to stand or sit perfectly still, even when being given instructions.
Cause
The exact cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not known. However, inherited genetic factors are likely responsible. A specific gene has not been directly linked to ADHD, but a relationship is suspected between symptoms and:
Brain structure, which influences temperament.
The function of chemicals in the brain that help regulate attention and activity (dopamine and norepinephrine).
Abnormal function of the prefrontal cortical lobe that causes problems with attention and impulse control.
Certain environmental factors, such as exposure to lead, a nutritional deficiency, and parenting skills may influence how certain symptoms of ADHD are expressed, but are not known to cause ADHD.
Several misconceptions about ADHD are widely publicized. Discuss any questions or concerns you have about these issues with a health professional.
Some of the misconceptions about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) include the following:1
Myth
Fact
There is no such medical condition as ADHD.
ADHD is a medical disorder, not a condition of the child's will. A child with ADHD does not choose to misbehave.
ADHD is caused by bad parenting. All the child needs is good discipline.
ADHD is not caused by bad parenting, however, parenting techniques can often improve or worsen some symptoms.
ADHD is a life sentence.
Although ADHD symptoms usually continue into adulthood, the person learns ways to cope with the symptoms. People with ADHD have plenty of energy, are creative, and can often accomplish more than people who do not have the condition.
Having ADHD means the person is lazy or dumb.
ADHD has nothing to do with a person's intellectual ability. Some highly intelligent people have ADHD. For example, Albert Einstein may have had this condition.
The diagnosis of ADHD is confirmed if certain medications (psychostimulants) have a positive effect on what seem to be symptoms of ADHD.
Children without ADHD respond to psychostimulants similarly to children with ADHD. A trial of medication is not used to diagnose the condition.
Medication for ADHD will make a person seem drugged.
Properly adjusted medication for ADHD sharpens a person's focus and increases his or her ability to control behavior.
Medication prescriptions for ADHD have greatly increased in the past few years because the condition is being overdiagnosed.
ADHD is estimated to affect approximately 3% to 7% of all school-age children in the United States.2 There is little evidence to support claims that ADHD is overdiagnosed and ADHD medications overprescribed.3, 4
Psychostimulants are no longer useful after puberty.
Teens and adults with ADHD continue to benefit from medication treatment.
Children with ADHD are learning to use the condition as an excuse for their behavior.
ADHD is a disability. Children with ADHD have to learn ways to deal with their symptoms (inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity) that cause them to have difficulties in life.
Children outgrow ADHD.
About 70% to 80% of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms during their teen years.1, 5 Approximately 70% continue to have symptoms into adulthood.6
If a child has ADHD, he or she can always be diagnosed in the health professional's office.
A child may not always show symptoms of ADHD, especially in an unfamiliar setting. Evaluating a child from one office observation may result in failure to recognize or diagnose symptoms.
Symptoms
The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) include:
Inattention, which is having a short attention span and being easily distracted.
Impulsiveness, which can cause a person to do dangerous or unwise things without thinking about the consequences.
Hyperactivity, a type of inappropriate or excessive activity that may occur periodically or only in certain situations.
These symptoms affect people in all age groups who have ADHD. However, typical behavior varies by age.
In preschool-aged children, symptoms may be hard to identify. Normal behavior in young children periodically includes all of the major symptoms. ADHD is distinguished from normal behavior by the severity and consistency of symptoms.
Children between the ages of 6 and 12 usually show more obvious signs of ADHD than other age groups. School requires adjustments for the child that can make symptoms more noticeable. For some children, school is the first setting where academic performance and socialization abilities are assessed. However, it often is more difficult to detect ADHD when inattention is the primary symptom and the child is otherwise well behaved. The presence of ADHD may be indicated by:
Low grades or test scores, including achievement tests.
Poor organization and study skills.
Socialization problems and feeling rejected by peers.
Problems with self-esteem.
Teens between the ages of 13 and 18 may be in better control of disruptive behavior related to hyperactivity. Other problems that began in earlier years may continue or become worse when ADHD is not treated. Teens with inattention problems who previously managed to cope may start to fall behind in schoolwork. This is especially true when major changes occur, such as starting a new school or going to college.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults may not be as noticeable. Many adults with ADHD have not been diagnosed and treated. These people can develop problems such as depression and difficulty maintaining a job.
There are several other conditions with symptoms similar to ADHD, such as anxiety or learning disabilities. It is sometimes difficult to determine whether symptoms are caused by ADHD, another condition, or both.3
Home Treatment
Many home treatment methods can help a person with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. The approaches differ for children and adults, but treatment for all ages emphasizes understanding the condition, establishing daily structure, and using support systems.
When your child has ADHD, working together can improve behavior and functioning at home and school. In addition, it is important for you to recognize that helping yourself will also help your child.
Tips for self-care
Take care of yourself. It is often challenging to raise a child with ADHD. Caring for your own physical and mental health is an important part of helping your child and will help provide the needed energy.
Educate yourself about ADHD. Learn as much as you can about the condition and your child's specific symptoms. You will be better able to help your child if you understand the condition.
Learn behavior management skills. Children usually need help learning how to interact appropriately with other people. You can help your child by learning behavior management skills, which usually includes counseling. An important component of behavior management is establishing natural and logical consequences for misbehavior.
Tips for helping your child
Develop healthy self-esteem. Behaviors caused by ADHD can affect a child's feelings about himself or herself. You can help your child develop healthy self-esteem by encouraging a sense of belonging, confidence in learning, and an awareness of his or her contributions.
Be successful in school. The symptoms of ADHD can interfere with a child's ability to succeed in school. Promoting school success will help your child academically, socially, and developmentally.
Accomplish tasks at home. Children with ADHD have more difficulty than other children paying attention to instructions, and they frequently get distracted before they can complete a task. Your patience, persistence, and creative thinking can help your child learn skills and accomplish tasks at home and school.
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shadeaux63
Keeper of the Stars
Posts: 227
(2/19/04 4:29 pm)
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Re: Understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
I do have to disagree with the point made that it is a myth that ADHD is overdiagnosed.Almost every school I have been in in the last 10 years had had huge lines of kids at the office around lunchtime to get thier ADHD meds-far more than the 3%-7% claimed here.The school secretary at one school didnt have time to check me in for an appointment with the principal,because she was recording medication dosage charts for the school nurse,so they could get done quicker.When she did have a moment,she apologized,and explained that one quarter of the kids at that school were on meds for ADHD.And it wasnt only there.Like I said,every school my kids have ever been in was like that.
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Sugar Mtn Honeybee
Waiting for a name!!
Posts: 77
(11/13/04 3:36 pm)
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Re: Understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
Educate yourself about ADHD. Learn as much as you can about the condition and your child's specific symptoms. You will be better able to help your child if you understand the condition. Gaia, I believe This statement is one of the MOST important things if you have a child, niece, nephew, or grandchild with ADHD or just work with kids in general. I believe there are Many kids who are presumed to have or diagnosed with ADHD that don't have it. I also believe that Many kids who have ADHD are actually misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.
Having raised more than one child with ADHD, I have observed a few of the following things:
They often do things that seem very strange. One of my ADHD sons liked to set fires and would occasionally attack one of the other kids or me without provocation. This strange attack behavior began at age 1 1/2. He was diagnosed by PET scan and several months of testing at age 5 1/2.
Alternative discipline methods often must be devised. "Normal" siblings may resent this, but most can understand that the ADHD sibling behavior is somewhat different and so sometimes requires different methods of discipline.
No two ADHD kids are exactly the same, (just as no two "normal" kids are the same). The behaviors vary, the symptoms vary, and their attitudes vary. A positive attitude on the part of the parents will result in a positive attitude on the part of the child.
Most ADHD kids are actually highly intelligent. Many have IQ's that are well into & above the genius range. If they can be handled at school with positive reinforcements or even placed in gifted classes, this has a tendency to defeat boredom and help in their learning. They can do and learn things at their own pace. There is less repetition, so they don't get bored as easily. Learning proceeds at a faster pace, which is good for their attention spans. Most also have a talent for thinking "outside the box", which often results in new solutions to old problems.
Many ADHD kids are placed in "behavior disorder" (BD) classes instead of gifted classes. One of my sons was denied entrance to the gifted class because of his "bad" behaviors. This is against the law in most states. I recruited our physician, his psychologist, and his teacher to help me get him placed in the gifted classes. After being placed in the TAG (talented & gifted) program, his behaviors improved quite dramatically.
Having worked with lots of ADHD kids in foster care and in my own family over the years, I have learned to recognize a few telltale signs. If a child can sit still and watch a whole Disney cartoon, they probably don't have ADHD. If, however, the child is in constant motion while watching, they are a candidate for an ADHD diagnosis. Most of the ADHD kids will watch the movie, but they will be in constant motion, foot tapping, hands moving, twisting or pulling on clothing or hair, head bobbing, some part of their body or another will be in constant motion. Some of them do this even in their sleep.
"Sound effects" are another indicator. A child who is not necessarily in constant motion body-wise may utilize a constant motion of the mouth, as an alternative to bodily motion. They do this in settings where "sitting still" is required, like in regular classrooms, at the dining room table during meals, etc. This doesn't include normal childhood "chatter", which all kids do. This is more like "sound effects", just basically noises. Some kids choose arguing as an alternative (or they go back & forth between the two). This is just another alternative form of motion.
One doctor we had explained this in such a great manner to me. He told me that a child with ADHD basically has this problem. His brain moves faster than the rest of him, which puts him off balance. The constant motion is their way of trying to keep up with their brains. The medication that they prescribe for ADHD basically speeds up the rest of the body to catch up with their brain. Then, they are in balance and can function better. If you look at it as being off-balance, then it makes more sense, or at least it did to me.
Many adults find children with ADHD to be annoying, irritating, exasperating. However, in reality, they are intelligent, warm-hearted, loving children. They don't know why they are not like other kids or why they have to take medicine. They aren't deliberately trying to be "bad". The things they need the most are LOVE, understanding, and consistent discipline -- the same as all kids do. They also need someone to explain their condition to them in a manner they can understand, just like a diabetic child, or a child with leukemia, or a child with any other chronic illness.
Remember, you will often be the only advocate your ADHD child may have. I belonged to and attended an ADHD support group for some years when we lived in the city. I cannot tell you how valuable this group was to me. I learned that I was not alone. I learned that my children were not alone. I learned to be an advocate. I learned to teach other parents the same things. I spoke at several of their conferences back then and at some school district and teacher seminars. I like to think that I helped change some of the ways that schools & teachers in that particular city looked at ADHD kids and the ways that they were treated and educated.
ADHD and traumatic brain injury syndrome (TBIS) have a lot in common also.
Sugar Mountain /
The Dance |
WalksWith
She Walks in Beauty and light
Posts: 88
(12/8/04 8:31 pm)
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Re: Understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
I do have to disagree with the point made that it is a myth that ADHD is overdiagnosed.
I agree with Shad. Hand in hand with the overdiagnosis, is the overprescribed medications these children are being given. It seems if a child is 'hard to handle, naughty, uncontrollable, lacks focus, disruptive, aggressive, etc' (some doctors & parents terms), the doctor will diagnose the child with ADD or ADHD and prescribe the child with medication - rather than determining why that child is behaving in this way.
One of my sons has difficulty learning and he just loves to be active. He can get angry. He can also be disruptive. He gets distracted very easily. He doesn't like school (primary), it's boring. "I listen to the teacher mum but it's boring. I can't make it stay in my head." From one week to the next he was forgetting what he'd learnt. He was/is constantly on the go - non stop. Someone told me they thought he had ADD - go get him tested by the doctor. My reaction? You've got to be bloody kidding me!
Ben is Ben. He's nothing like our eldest son, and he is nothing like his younger two brothers. By showing him a few times what he was learning.. it eventually became a memory for him. He's always active. So what! He's a young energetic boy! Bens at High School now, and he is starting to enjoy learning. He still struggles retaining what he is being taught, but we help him with that. He's still bouncing from the walls, but that is him.
It really saddens me to read about all these children who 'live' their daily lives on medication for this disorder when in reality there may be only a percentage of them who genuinely have ADD or ADHD. It is these children who are going to find it the hardest.
Love & Peace
Edited by: WalksWith at: 12/8/04 8:38 pm
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shadeaux63
Keeper of dreams
Posts: 1016
(12/9/04 1:37 pm)
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Re: Understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
My oldest daughter,Raichelle,WAS diagnosed with ADHD,several years ago.She was having trouble in school,and the teacher said she appeared to be "zoning out".The teacher wanted us to have her tested for petit mal siezures,as zoning out is a good description of what a petit mal siezure looks like.The doctor(who was the same doc that diagnosed her with a sinus infection,when in fact,her appendix had ruptured)said "I'm not going to refer her for tests for epilepsy,she has ADHD." We refused to accept this.Unfortunately,being on medicaid,we had no money to have her tested independantly.Raichelle has been able to sit and read a book,for hours.She read the entire Chronicles of Narnia series in a week.If she WANTS to learn something,once she's been taught,she retains it.She doesn't fidget,and the only time she gets hyper is if she drinks a cappuccino,when she's out with her mentor(which is something she's only done a few times).
There are a lot of doctors out there who just don't want to bother with testing a child,or even having to spend more than 5 minutes listening to what's going on with them.It's far easier to say"ADHD",and grab the prescription pad.
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Sugar Mtn Honeybee
Waiting for a name!!
Posts: 107
(12/14/04 2:28 pm)
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Re: Understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
"It really saddens me to read about all these children who 'live' their daily lives on medication for this disorder when in reality there may be only a percentage of them who genuinely have ADD or ADHD. It is these children who are going to find it the hardest."
"There are a lot of doctors out there who just don't want to bother with testing a child,or even having to spend more than 5 minutes listening to what's going on with them.It's far easier to say"ADHD",and grab the prescription pad. "
There is a whole series of tests that are recommended to be used to diagnose ADHD, including psychological, psychometric, I.Q. testing, EEG, and the PET scan, which, if positive, is supposed to be the definitive diagnostic indicator for ADHD. You are both right in that, many docs have a tendency to use ADHD as a catch-all diagnosis for every kid that walks in the door and grab the prescription pad. This is sad, but true. For kids who don't have ADHD, that medicine is really, really not good and can cause far more problems for a child than untreated ADHD would.
Interestingly enough, many kids with ADHD also have petit mal seizures (which is why some docs will jump on the ADHD diagnosis, as it's the easy way out). Lots of kids with petit mal or "absence" seizures who do NOT have ADHD are diagnosed with ADHD because of their "zoning out". Sad but true. A good pediatrician or family doc who is willing to really listen first of all, then run tests to rule out other problems, then utilizes complete and thorough testing before making that ADHD diagnosis is a real treasure. As we all know, good docs are hard to find for any of us, child or adult.
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