Dealing with ADHD
If you’ve been noticing peculiar behavioral patterns in your child, he may be exhibiting typical ADHD behavior. ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition in children which compels them to act differently than most kids their age. You may also be more familiar with ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. This term was later changed to ADHD to create a more accurate description of this condition.
ADHD is caused by the lack of neurotransmitters that are essential to controlling behavior and organizing or managing thought. Studies have also shown ADHD development linked to smoking and taking addictive substances during pregnancy.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR CHILD HAS ADHD
1. He speaks louder than everyone else does. Often, you will notice children with ADHD to be a little loud, calling attention to himself.
2. He suddenly interrupts a conversation or an activity from out of nowhere. This includes going up to strangers to talk to them in a familiar way as if he knows them personally.
3. He is restless. He can’t stay put in one place for a short period of time. He is always walking or running around.
4. He cannot concentrate. His mind is always wandering off and he doe not seem to absorb whatever is being said to him.
5. He has trouble following instructions.
6. He has trouble finishing anything, i.e. schoolwork or any other activity
7. He forgets easily, i.e. something that was told to him only a couple of minutes past.
8. He plays too loudly. As in talking loudly, he cannot play without making any noise. Often, he would talk to himself loudly while playing.
9. He is always disorganized and cluttered.
10. He loses things easily.
If your child displays a number of these symptoms, it is best if you have him evaluated by your doctor. It will also help to talk to the people around him who see his day-to-day activity such as his teachers, babysitter, friends, his friends’ parents, and such.
Often, a child will behave in front of his doctor so you might have to bring him to a child psychologist for further evaluation. This will allow you to get an accurate prognosis and allow you to follow through properly instead of going the whole gamut of rounds of doctors.
DEALING WITH YOUR CHILD’S ADHD
You may think in the beginning that your child was only misbehaving and acting so rudely because he lacked discipline. But now that you’ve discovered that he has ADHD, you can get advices from your doctors and his psychologists on how to control his behavior.
There are medications available such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine. Ask your doctor about it first and see what will work best for your child. There are also organizations that can help you help your child cope with ADHD. You can likewise create a system where his hyperactive behavioral pattern will be modified. Since children with ADHD also go to a regular school, work with his teachers to help him have a better performance in school.
Lastly, your utmost patience is needed to be able to properly care for your child with ADHD.
About the Author
Steve works for MTBBN where you can search Baby Boy Names, Top 100 Baby Names, and Unusual Baby Names.
The Cost of ADHD – Treatment a Must for Emotional, Physical and Financial Health
According to recent studies, ADHD is one of the most costly health conditions in the U.S. – topped only by alcohol abuse and clearly ahead of drug abuse in terms of cost.
Annually, alcohol abuse costs American families $86 billion in lost household income. The annual cost for ADHD is $77 billion and the annual cost for drug abuse is $58 billion.
Hard costs, like out-of-pocket medical treatment, are only one aspect of lost income. ADHD high school graduates and college graduates make considerably less money annually than their non-ADHD counterparts.
Research indicates that it doesn’t matter if the person with ADHD has the same level of education as someone who does not have ADHD, the person with ADHD will make less money than the person without ADHD. The numbers are between $4500.00 and $10,000.00 annually. People with ADHD suffer from symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity – which are not always conducive to the work environment.
Although about half the children with ADHD learn to adequately manage their symptoms into adulthood, the other half continue to struggle as they transition from school to work. If ADHD goes untreated into adulthood, the symptoms can affect their financial health by making it harder to hold down a job, making it harder to obtain the education needed to land high-paying jobs and it can cause more lost work days.
Many psychiatrists that treat adults with ADHD ask their clients to bring in their employee evaluations, most of the evaluations brought in read like a textbook case. The ADHD adult will talk out of turn, have difficulty following through with instructions, show lack of focus, have difficulty finishing projects and complain of being disorganized.
Symptoms like these make it very hard for an adult with ADHD to maintain a successful work environment. More often than not, these are the employees that get passed up for a promotion or are under-employed according to their abilities.
Not only does the adult with ADHD have more problems at work, without successful treatment the ADHD adult typically also has:
_ Higher Divorce rates.
_ Lower levels of satisfaction with all aspects of their lives.
_ Less likely to have a positive self- image or be optimistic.
_ More likely to abuse drugs or alcohol.
_ More driving accidents.
Most experts agree that if ADHD is detected and treated at a young age, the ADHD adult will be less likely to struggle with work and their everyday duties.
The key is in finding successful and healthful treatment for the ADHD adult.
About the Author
Jeannine Virtue is a freelance writer who focuses on health related issues. For information about effective and healthy treatments for Attention Deficit Disorder in adults and children, visit the Attention Deficit Disorder Help Center at http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com
ADHD – Does Nutrition Play a Factor?
Relatively unknown just two decades ago (although discussion of the disorder has occurred in medical circles for over half a century) Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder awareness is critical in the lives of those who make a career out of working with children. Teachers, child psychologists, counsellors, and others are all given at least some exposure to the symptoms and solutions of the disorder.
The people most affected by ADHD, of course, are the children with the disorder and their parents. An ADHD diagnosis is the first step towards the general improvement of many areas in the lives of someone with this condition, and many people wonder just what role diet plays as far as ADHD.
Before we get into some specific areas, it is important to note that scientific research has never positively linked any diet to the direct causes or symptoms of ADHD. Most of the work in this area remains theoretical.
Diet of the pregnant mother
The first area where nutrition may come into play as far as the development of ADHD is when the fetus is in the womb. The probable links to ADHD development here include the usual suspects such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other types of drugs.
Diet after weaning
The symptoms of ADHD tend to show up during the preschool years, and they can be aggravated by certain type of diets. Many children are ingesting too much sugar and caffeine in their diets today in the form of “easy” and junk food, and of course these ingredients will cause a reaction of hyperactivity in children without the disorder. The reaction is far greater in children with ADHD.
The Feingold Program is a diet which has not been positively proven to alleviate ADHD symptoms by science, but has been upheld both by doctors and parents who work with ADHD afflicted children. This diet essentially takes out any unnatural food products in a nutrition regime, including artificial coloring and sweeteners, flavours, and preservatives.
ADHD is largely a disorder whose origins are not fully known. The nutrition of the ADHD positive child is important, but has not yet proven to be linked to the actual development of the condition. Still, watching the nutrition a child with ADHD takes in may mean that the symptoms of the disorder are not as acute.
About the Author
Mississauga marriage counselling is only a phone call away. Counsellors and therapists are available to help you and your spouse work through your problems.
What is the Difference between ADHD and ADD
What’s the Difference Between ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)?
When you look at the last couple of years many different terms for infants, adolescents and adults with ADHD have been introduced. They were mainly influenced by American descriptions of the classification system DSM-IV:
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is the term utilized in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) diagnostic criteria.
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) with or even without hyperactivity is the older term from the DSM-IIIR. So in a select number older literature you will find this term as a synonym for ADHD.
The difference between ADD and ADHD, in short, is basically nothing. However, I’m sure you desire to get an even more detailed explanation. This will be elaborated further.
Again, the new Diagnostic criteria is ADHD but there is still some referral to ADD. So no need to be confused. They are now all referred to as ADHD even if there is no hyperactivity for that particular patient.
While the differences are not substantial, there are different varieties of ADHD just as there are different varieties of cancer.
A select number professionals however use the term “ADD” although it is the equivalent as if they used the term “ADHD.” To sum it up, ADD technically is ADHD and vice versa.
There are 2 main categories of ADHD: Inattentive and Hyperactive. Both are considered ADHD. If someone is diagnosed with ADD it’s the equivalent of “ADHD: Predominately Inattentive.” Predominately inattentive means that the hyper-active elements of ADHD aren’t as relevant, however not entirely excluded with that individual.
The Inattention Symptoms of ADHD
An individual with ADHD will do any or even all of these things that display a lack of attention chronically for more than 6 months consecutively:
* Loses things
* Seems not to listen
* Has difficulty keeping attention on something
* Avoids tasks requiring focus for any sustained amount of time
* Gets simply distracted
* Is incredibly un-organized
* Has problems following instructions
* Short-term forgetfulness
* Makes careless mistakes
The HyperActive Symptoms of ADHD
A individual with ADHD can do any or even all of these things that display Hyperactivity, chronically for more than 6 months consecutively:
* Interrupts constantly
* Talks too much
* Can’t stay still or even fidgets
* Has problems with sitting quietly and doing activities
* Difficulty waiting in line or even taking turns
* Incredibly impatient
* Runs around excessively
This should clear up the different between ADHD and ADD. The terms are now the same, except using ADHD now there are inattention and hyperactive terms used or not used to describe ADHD patients.
About the Author
Copyright 2005 Fern Kuhn, RN Specializing in Diabetes
http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com
http://www.attentiondeficitdisordercenter.com
http://www.anxietydisordernews.info
Are ADD & ADHD Truly Learning Disabilities?
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often referred to in the same breath by the general public as learning disabilities. However, they actually belong to a separate group of disorders. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) puts ADD and ADHD in the “Other Health Impaired” category. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that about 20 to 30% of children with ADD or ADHD also have a learning disability, which further complicates the process of distinguishing between the two. Both types of disorders share a similar host of symptoms, but should be regarded individually. Some of the possible signs of ADD and ADHD include:
1. Problems with memory
These include disorganization and forgetfulness. Those with organization issues may constantly lose important personal items, such as their textbooks or house keys. Others who have trouble recalling or retrieving information may often forget to finish their tasks, like chores or homework. In both cases, the short-term memory is the area that is most affected. Using additional cues-sound or pictures, for example-may help children to remember things more easily. This explains why people often have an easier time remembering the plots of movies that they’ve seen than those of books that they’ve read.
2. Problems with impulse control
This is demonstrated by what may seem to at first to be behavioral problems, such as restlessness, impatience, and talking out of turn. However, these are in fact cognitive issues that have little to do with a child’s character and everything to do with how their brains interpret information. Giving children with impulse control problems tasks that work with their natures, rather than against them-like allowing them to move to different parts of the house while studying-can help them to maximize their educational opportunities.
3. Problems with maintaining focus
Some common indications of this are lack of attention to detail and making frequent, unnecessary errors. Most children with ADD or ADHD are just as intelligent as those without such disabilities, but simply don’t have the skills necessary to concentrate on one task for a sustained period of time. Varying the volume and pitch of your voice may aid in keeping a child with ADD or ADHD focused.
ADD and ADHD are two of the most common childhood disorders in the United States. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, a child must meet with a psychiatrist who specializes in ADD and ADHD. The psychiatrist then makes an assessment and talks with the child’s parents and teachers, who must complete a behavioral inventory. All other possibilities must be ruled out before diagnosing a child with ADD or ADHD.
If a child is diagnosed as having ADD or ADHD, there are a variety of treatment options available, including medicine, therapy, and a combination of the two. Parents of children with ADD and ADHD must be willing to work closely with their child’s psychiatrist to find a system of treatment that suits their child. They should also keep their child as informed as possible every step of the way, no matter how young they may be.
Jane Saeman runs an In-Home Tutoring Service called Aim High Tutors. Find out how to help your student reach their full potential at http://www.aimhightutors.com and http://www.aimhightutors.com/blog.