ADHD Guide

melissa asked:


I have attention deficit disorder. ADD is a serious condition which makes my day to day routines necessary for me to have control over my household. I want to see if other people out there have suggestions for the disorganization, insecurity, and the like.
I want to know if anyone see’s a therapist and if there are other things that can be done besides just the medicine….Thanks

Lois

Lorenzo Hughes asked:


Have you found yourself having a hard time concentrating on the tasks at hand? Perhaps you find yourself getting restless and starting to get involved in physical exercises or becoming a more outgoing person. If these are things that are happening in your life, then you may actually be dealing with a problem that is called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a problem that is usually found in young children, especially children that are under the age of seven.

Yes, it is true that children are more commonly affected than adults are by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Believe it or not, this is a condition that is beginning to affect more and more children and it is often seen in the children of famous people, such as celebrities. The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are actually very similar to those found in normal kids. However, it is important that you learn and understand more about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

According to published reports on the disorder, it is a neurological syndrome and a mental syndrome as well. In fact in some cases it has actually been known as a condition of the brain that does not allow the person affected to properly focus. This leads to the condition where a person who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has problems focusing, they may also have problems concentrating, which can go on to become a severe problem, since it is hard to achieve anything without being able to concentrate and focus.

Also, in the United States along, it is estimated that between 2- 5% of children that are school age are now showing signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, in adults, it usually affects between 2-4% of people, although it is rarely actually diagnosed in adults.

One of the main reasons that it is difficult to diagnose these symptoms in adult patients is that they have been going through the symptoms and dealing with the condition since they were a child. Even though they probably showed manifestations of the problems when they were children, over time they have become more physically and mentally mature. As they mature they learn new skills and acquire more knowledge, which allows them to better deal with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in their life. So, it becomes a problem to actually diagnose this problem.

CONCLUSION

Ask yourself after reading the above if any or all the symptoms described fit you in any manner? If you think they do then seek competent medical advice. Keep in mind the factors like age, current stress level and general life conditions before you come to a firm conclusion on this. If you happen to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as an adult, it can make your life more difficult to deal with, so you need to have treatment from a medical professional. Even though you may have developed methods for coping with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, you still need to get professional help, since your coping methods may fail you from time to time.



Barbara

Leslie Miller, MSW, LICSW asked:


Has Your Child Been Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? 

 

10 Things Every Parent Should Know to Help their Child with ADD or ADHD.

 

 

Approximately 3- 5% of children will carry a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD by the time they reach elementary school.  Many children are helped by medication, counseling, tutoring,   structured time management in the home, and healthy nurturing by parents, teachers and caregivers.

 

Prior to beginning medication you should get a second opinion to make sure that your child has not been incorrectly diagnosed and that he/she accurately meets the DSM-IV criteria for ADD/ADHD.  You may want to rule out that certain behaviors are not caused by life stressors including major changes in home, school, or caregivers, prior to the determination of a diagnosis.  Additionally, you may want to try some dietary changes to rule out food allergies, including excessive sugars, food colorings and additives in the diet.

 

Here are some things that you can do to help structure your child’s day to eliminate added stressors.

 

1)      Make sure that your child has a tutor to get extra help with homework.  As a parent you will need to help structure your child’s time.  Enlisting outside help for homework will help you focus on your child’s time management skills and  limit conflict and excessive frustration. Communicate openly with teachers and other caregivers regarding your child’s diagnosis.  Review  periodically what is working and what is not working for your child.

2)      Help structure your child’s time so that he/she has ample to time to get ready for school, appointments and any extracurricular activities. Trying to do things last minute will be disastrous and frustrating.  You need to plan ahead.

3)      When you give your child a task or chore that you would like accomplished, be very specific as to what your expectations are.  Don’t just ask that he/she clean their room.  Make a checklist of each chore that you expect completed (i.e. pickup clothing on floor, organize books, change sheets on bed, etc.)

4)      Make sure you give a very specific time frame for when you would like something completed (i.e. “Please take out the trash after school today before 5 pm”).

5)      Set limits for homework.  If your child loses the ability to concentrate, or loses interest after 30 minutes of homework, structure the homework so that he/she is working on it in 25/30 minute intervals with 15 minute breaks. Factor in unstructured time throughout the day so that your child does not feel overwhelmed by too much structuring of their time. 

6)      Limit extracurricular activities.  If you have a son or daughter that is very interested in sports, make sure that they chose 1 sport per season so that they do not become overloaded by running to and from various activities, practices and meetings.

7)      Do not push your child beyond their limits or set unreasonable expectations.  It is very likely that your child will feel some embarrassment regarding their diagnosis.  Pushing your child will intensify their frustration and yours as well.

8)      Do not allow the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD to become an excuse for everything that goes wrong. Giving your child an out because they have ADD/ADHD will help only serve to help them underachieve. While excessive pressure is not recommended, allowing your child to underachieve due to their diagnosis of ADD will be detrimental as it will set the bar low for expectations from self and others.

9)      Limit videos and television and excessive multitasking.  Many children claim they can study with the music/television on especially in a culture that promotes multi-tasking.  Multi-tasking in general adds significantly to stress levels and does not promote good habits or discipline in most people. Keeping your home quiet (as much as possible), eliminating environmental stressors (i.e. loud television, music, video games, etc), will promote healthy habits and limit stress.

10)  Focus on your child’s core strengths, help them identify key areas in which they excel or show a high level of interest. Give positive feedback for accomplishments.

 

Helping your child develop positive self-esteem will be critical.  Children and adolescents with ADD/ADHD may be more susceptible to juvenile delinquency, peer-pressure, depression and substance abuse.  Helping your child develop key strengths, interests and special skills will go a long way to help combat these issues. If your child is showing an excessive amount of frustration, anger or defiance at home or in school, review with a counselor your daily routines, medication and  any additional psychosocial stressors.  For parents of children with ADD/ADHD, consider getting counseling and support. You may need help managing your child’s time, academic life and social activities in a way that is balanced and can be managed effectively and incorporated into your family routine.

 

Leslie Miller, LICSW

http://www.therapyontheweb.org



Leslie

Jon Arnold asked:


Kids will be kids and all of them are different. Kids get excited about different things, and get very excited about things that adults may find to be only mildly interesting, if interesting at all. So how do you know if your child has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or is simply being a normal kid?

Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD, also sometimes known as ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is difficult to diagnose accurately. In many ways it is a subjective option of the doctor since there is little scientific evidence to definitely state whether or not a child has ADD or ADHD. But at the same time, the reported cases of ADD are rising rapidly, which scientists do not understand. If the child has a broken leg, this can easily be determined and verified, and all would be in agreement that the child’s leg is broken. But with ADD and ADHD, no such concrete evidence or even scientific testing exists to make that same conclusive determination.

In the past, cases of ADD and ADHD were treated with prescription drugs to effectively slow down the afflicted child, but with the growing concern over stuffing our children full of prescription drugs for every ailment that MIGHT be present, parents are now starting to resist this approach and demanding a new approach.

Many of the new approaches, and many of which show great promise, is to train the afflicted person to pay more attention to what his brain is telling him. This applies whether the child is playing, doing homework, or just resting, but it is a behavioral change that the child needs to be old understand to understand and comprehend. In the case of ADD and ADHD, the child’s brain has not yet completely processed the last set of information presented to it, and in the meantime is already telling the child to go do something else. Hence, the typical view is that children afflicted with Attention Deficit Disorder are unable to concentrate on the task at hand, which is entirely accurate.

The one thing that shows up in ADD/ADHD affected children that differs compared to the same tests run on non-ADD/ADHD children is that the brainwaves are different. To be more exact, the ADD/ADHD children typically show excessively slow brain wave activity in the alpha and theta ranges, compared to their non-ADD/ADHD counterparts. As the child gets older and grows into his teen years, there is some scientific evidence to suggest (although not confirm) that patients who are thought to have ADD or ADHD have about 400% more traffic tickets, car accidents, and are almost four times more likely to contract a sexually transmitted disease.

Your doctor can explain to you that accurately diagnosing Attention Deficit Disorder is never simple. Rather, it requires a thorough investigation and study of the child over time, to see how the child reacts to different circumstances compared to others in the same age group. But like anything else, diagnosis of the ailment as early as possible is very important to understanding it, working with it effectively, and making compromises to accommodate the affliction.



Harvey

Alien asked:


Description

A few decades ago, a child who couldn’t sit still and wouldn’t pay attention in class was called “hyper,” or worse, a “problem child.” Today, the same youngster might be diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD), also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD). The condition basically describes a person’s inability to concentrate-on sitting still, on a lesson given in class, on reading a book, on what someone else is saying, and so on. Demanding that a person with ADD pay attention will not work, nor will punishment. It’s not known exactly why a person with ADD has such difficulty focusing.

The cause of ADD is also unknown. Prominent theories include heredity, lead poisoning, allergies to food additives, brain injuries incurred by the child during the mother’s pregnancy (perhaps the mother was in an accident, smoked cigarettes, or used drugs or alcohol), oxygen deprivation during birth, or head trauma as an infant. ADD affects many more males than females.

ADD typically appears before the age of seven; however, it isn’t limited to children. Some children do outgrow it, but many more do not, meaning many adults are afflicted with the disorder.

Signs and Symptoms

Difficulty sustaining attention

Easily distracted

Fidgeting and physical restlessness

Has difficulty allowing others to speak without interrupting

Doesn’t appear to listen to others when they speak

Often talks excessively

Frequently loses things

Difficulty following directions

Shifts from one unfinished task to another

Inability to play or sit quietly

Impulsive personality

Inability to organize thoughts, toys, work space

Conventional Medical Treatment

If left untreated, ADD can isolate a sufferer, whose behavior may unintentionally frighten people. There is also a connection between untreated attention deficit disorder and parental abuse, failure at school, and low selfesteem. Thus, if you suspect that you or your child may have attention deficit disorder, a trip to your physician is in order. To arrive at a diagnosis of ADD, your doctor conducts a series of physical and neurological examinations as well as behavioral observation. The doctor also requests a detailed history of early childhood development. Treatment for ADD includes behavior modification techniques, avoiding overstimulation, providing a consistent daily routine, and avoiding sugar and food additives, which are believed to contribute to hyperactivity. In more severe cases, a drug may be prescribed to help reduce hyperactivity. Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is the most common of these, but pemoline (Cylert) is also used. These medications decrease motor activity and increase attention span in children. Side effects, such as insomnia and weight loss, are rare.



Melinda