ADD-ADHD - What It Is, and How It Can be Treated
The Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (the new combined term for Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD - and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD), is, as its name suggests, a disorder involving difficulty in concentration. All of us, and especially children, have difficulty concentrating sometime. When does this become a disorder? When its so bad it leaves someone unable to cope with everyday life. A person with this disorder is not only more likely to do poorly at school or at work, but is also more likely to have problems in relationships, more likely to divorce, more likely to smoke, and more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol.How you know someone has AD/HD - the symptomsAD/HD is estimated to affect about 5% of the population. It affects both children and adults, though most diagnoses are made around the time when children start school - usually when the teacher finds it difficult to manage the child or when a bright child has unusual problems coping with school and academics. Some children grow out of it, but for most problems with focusing continue on to adulthood.How do you know that your child’s restlessness and distractibility are symptoms of a disorder and not just a phase? One, people with the disorder have this difficulty over a long period of time (according to the DSM, for a child this should have been noted at least for the past six months); two, this causes ’significant impairment’ at their work or family or social settings.Here are, paraphrased and condensed, the symptoms of ADD-ADHD according to the DSM:
- Easily distracted, and trouble concentrating at work, play, or in conversation with others. Some children will not seem to listen when others talk with them.
- Fails to complete assignments or makes careless mistakes, forgetful, loses things, and has trouble getting organized.
- Has trouble taking turns, may interrupt others when they talk or answer before they finish asking a question.
- Restless, fidgety, unable to sit still. A child may run or climb in inappropriate situations.
Also, these symptoms must be present not just in the school or not just at home. They must be noticed in at least two settings, or more. You should also remember that while some children show all symptoms, others with the disorder may be quiet, but seem dreamy, forgetful and disorganized (symptoms 1 and 2) while others may be impulsive and hyperactive (symptoms 3 and 4), but have less trouble paying attention. But because many children are often wrongly labeled, you should be careful when making a diagnosis. Hearing and vision problems, certain vitamin deficiencies and child abuse can also cause AD/HD-like symptoms, and a good doctor will check that these are not the causes of the behavior problems before giving a diagnosis of AD/HD. Can AD/HD be cured - the treatment No, AD/HD cannot be cured. But it can be treated and managed, and many AD/HD sufferers go on to become personally and professionally successful. A doctor will probably recommend some kind of special therapy and medicine, like Adderall.
Natural treatments may contain multivitamins specially tailored for those with ADD-ADHD, many of whom seem to have some consistent kinds of vitamins and mineral deficiencies. Therapy is often a good idea - for the child, to learn appropriate behavior and for the parents, on effective parenting skills for AD/HD children. The doctor might also prescribe drugs like Ritalin and Adderall which work directly on the brain. If these drugs are what you are recommended first, before trying the other options, you should get a second opinion. There are also a lot of resources for concerned parents and teachers on the internet, a lot of it from successful ADHD people. One such is Jon Bennett’s website about, ADD in which he suggests ways of dealing with the issue naturally, both for children and adults, without drugs. And remember, the sooner you get started, the better it is for your child.
Tags: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder | vitamin deficiencies | AD/HD cure | AD/HD cure | treatment | symptoms | ADHD | ADD