What
is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
ADHD
is one of the most common mental health disorders among children.
It affects around 3 to 5 percent of all children, with boys being three
times as likely as girls to be affected. About one child in every
American classroom needs help with the disorder. ADHD often
continues into adolescence and may even creep into adulthood. ADHD
can make it hard for a person to sit still, control behavior and pay
attention. These actions usually start before the person is seven
years old, but they are not usually noticed until the child is older.
Symptoms
ADHD can only be diagnosed by looking for certain
behavioral signs. The most common behaviors fall into three
categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
Inattention:
People who have a hard time paying attention find it difficult to
keep their mind focused on one thing and may get bored with a task
after only a few minutes. It may be easy to pay attention to
activities they enjoy, but focusing on and completing a task, or
learning something new may prove to be much more difficult. They
also tend to lose things such as toys, school work, and books.
Hyperactivity:
People who are hyperactive always seem to be in motion. They
can't be still, they may squirm, wiggle, and fidget. Hyperactive
teens and adults may feel extremely restless. They may be
fidgety or the may try to do several things at once. This is
probably the most visible sign of ADHD.
Impulsivity:
People who are impulsive seem unable to curb their immediate
reactions or think before they act. They also may sometimes
blurt out things they didn't mean to say.
Not
everyone who is overly hyperactive, inattentive, or impulsive has ADHD.
What Causes ADHD?
No one really knows what causes ADHD. So it's useless for parents to try
to figure out where they went wrong. There are too many possible causes to
try and pin it down. What's important is for the family to move forward in
finding ways to get the right help.
Research shows that ADHD
may come from biological causes (not having enough of a certain brain
chemical), not the home environment. When you think about it, it
makes sense that ADHD and home life are not related. Not all
children from unstable homes have ADHD, and not all children with ADHD
come from dysfunctional families. Parents and teachers do not cause
ADHD.
ADHD is not usually caused by:
too much TV
food allergies
excess sugar
poor home life
poor schools
Diagnosis
Children should be evaluated for ADHD if they experience the following:
school difficulties
academic underachievement
troublesome relationships with family members and peers
and/or low self-esteem
Parents can provide the doctor with valuable information about their
child's school and behavioral issues. An ADHD diagnosis is a clinical, or observational, diagnosis made by
the doctor; there is no specific test for ADHD. Extensive psychological testing,
laboratory tests, MRI's, EEGs, or CT scans are not required.
Medications have been used to treat the symptoms of ADHD. Several
medications in the "stimulant" family appear to be the most
effective. For many people, they dramatically reduce their hyperactivity
and improve their ability to focus, work, and learn. Sometimes, when
people see such a great improvement, they often think that medications are all
that is needed. These medications can only help control the symptoms, not
cure the disorder. Other types of treatment (such as behavioral therapy
and counseling) and support are needed.
Stimulant drugs are quite safe when used as prescribed. Although they
can be addictive in teenagers and adults, they are not addictive in
children. They seldom make children "high" or jittery.
It's important that the child's family and teachers:
Find out more about ADHD,
Learn how to help the child manage his or her behavior,
Create an educational program that fits the child's needs, and
Provide medication, if the doctor and parents feel this will help.
