Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)
Introduction
One disorder that alters how your brain functions is called attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Despite the moniker, ADHD does not indicate a lack of focus. It indicates that you have trouble focusing or controlling your attention toward particular pursuits. ADHD manifests as impulsive behaviors, difficulties focusing, and problems staying still.
However, you can also “get in the zone” and concentrate intensely on the things you truly love. Children with ADHD typically have symptoms between the ages of three and six, and they can persist into adulthood. However, some individuals do not receive a diagnosis until they reach adulthood. Although there isn’t a cure for ADHD, behavioral therapies and medication can help control symptoms.
Between the ages of three and seventeen, approximately one in ten children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. Take some time to educate yourself on the realities and fallacies surrounding ADHD in children. Getting in touch with other parents whose children have ADHD will help you figure out how to help them.
Types of ADHD
ADHD comes in four forms:
Predominately Inattentive
Most symptoms of this type are associated with inattention. This entails experiencing difficulty concentrating and maintaining a task. Getting and remaining organized is another issue.
Predominately Hyperactive and Impulsive
The majority of symptoms associated with this kind are impulsivity and hyperactivity. Hyperactivity is characterized by extreme energy and activity. It might involve acting disruptively. Impulsivity is the inability to plan for the outcomes or consequences of one’s actions.
Combined
This kind combines hyperactive and impulsive behaviors with inattentive signs. Both the primarily inattentive and the predominately hyperactive and impulsive forms of ADHD are present in the individual.
Unspecified Presentation
This occurs when your symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your day-to-day activities, but they don’t fit the official criteria for the preceding categories. In this instance, the diagnosis given by the providers is “unspecified ADHD.”
Causes
Researchers are still unable to pinpoint the precise causes of ADHD. No one gene or gene combination is the cause of ADHD, despite mounting evidence that genetics plays a role in the condition and the identification of multiple genes associated with it. However, it’s crucial to remember that people with ADHD frequently affect their family members as well. Anatomical variations in the brains of children with ADHD and those without the disorder have been documented.
For example, children with ADHD show distinct brain area activation during specific tasks and have lower grey and white brain matter volume. According to other research, ADHD affects the brain’s cerebellar vermis, caudate nucleus, and frontal lobes. The disease has also been associated with several non-genetic variables, including low birth weight, preterm birth, exposure to toxins (such as alcohol, tobacco, lead, etc.) during pregnancy, and excessive stress during pregnancy.
Symptoms
Individuals who suffer from ADHD are hyperactive or restless, have trouble focusing, and act impulsively (without properly thinking). ADHD sufferers frequently shift their focus or engage in excessive physical activity to enhance the synthesis of particular neurotransmitters in their brains. That restlessness might keep them from “sitting still.” Youngsters may find it difficult to stay in their seats or to respond to inquiries before the teacher has finished speaking.
Individuals with ADHD struggle to focus, pay attention, and stay on task. They are also often distracted. They can switch between tasks without finishing any of them. Although they are not, people may categorize kids with ADHD as rebellious or rowdy. It can become problematic when it causes students to fall behind on their assignments. ADHD can persist throughout adulthood as a chronic, long-term disorder.
Adults with untreated ADHD may have trouble performing at work. They might forget things, miss deadlines, struggle to follow instructions, and find it challenging to focus in meetings. Adults with ADHD may exhibit extreme disorganization and fail to finish household chores. Their weak social skills, limited frustration tolerance, and impulsive behaviors—like an erratic temper—can lead to problems in relationships and with the law.
Diagnosis
If ADHD is suspected, a kid or adult should be evaluated for it. Using behavioral observation, developmental assessments, psychological testing, questionnaires, and physical tests, a psychiatrist can start diagnosing ADHD. It is beneficial to have questionnaires filled out by the person, parents, or teachers. To ascertain whether a person satisfies the precise diagnostic requirements for ADHD, the psychiatrist considers the outcomes of the tests. A psychiatrist can also diagnose conditions that may accompany ADHD, such as depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder.
Complications
Children with ADHD may have a difficult existence. Children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder:
- The student frequently experiences difficulties in the classroom, which can result in poor marks and criticism from both adults and other kids.
- Compared to children without ADHD, children with ADHD experience more accidents and injuries of all kinds.
- Frequently lack confidence in themselves.
- People with autism are more likely to struggle with socializing and receiving acceptance from peers and adults.
- They are more likely to engage in activities that could land them in legal trouble, such as abusing alcohol or drugs.
- There is a higher likelihood of considering suicide and carrying it out.
- Have a hard time falling asleep.
Treatment
Medication and behavioral therapy are the two main types of ADHD treatments that provide beneficial skills. The exact course of treatment depends on the patient’s age and unique needs. Your child’s doctor might suggest one or more of the following if they have ADHD:
Training for Parents
Therapists educate you on how to assist your child in modifying behaviors that are causing them problems and building on their strengths. For instance, you learn how to set up a schedule for your child, reward good behavior, and deal with bad behavior.
Groups for Social Skills
Social skills training groups could be beneficial for your child. These programs usually last six to twelve weeks and meet for one or two hours each week. In a monitored environment, your youngster picks up new social skills.
Medicines (pharmacotherapy)
ADHD drugs enhance your child’s capacity for focused attention, which in turn improves symptoms and, more significantly, their relationships and quality of life. The providers monitor your child to assess the effectiveness of the medications and identify any potential side effects. When necessary, they modify the types and dosages of medications. Improving symptoms as your child goes about their everyday life is the aim of ADHD treatment.
Doctors recommend parent education before using medication for younger children (ages 4 and 5). The best course of treatment for older kids, teens, and adults is usually a combination of behavioral therapies and medicines. There is currently no evidence that traditional “talk” or “play” therapy helps kids with ADHD. However, your child’s physician may recommend such therapies for co-occurring conditions. The majority of persons with ADHD respond well to treatment, and those who receive it can enjoy fulfilling lives.
