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Attention Deficit Disorder
What is Attention Deficit Disorder?
It seems that in every classroom at least a couple of children are
diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. But, realistically, are this many children
truly affected by this disorder?
The DSM-IV criteria for ADD or ADHD are very subjective, and can easily
be applied to many children who should not be considered an ADD/ADHD
child. There are two basic areas in which a child must show signs of
behavior that is “maladaptive and inconsistent with development level”.
The first is “Hyperactivity/Impulsivity”; the second is “Inattention”.
Hyperactivity describes the inability of a child to physically stay in a
“resting” state for a normal amount of time. Impulsivity refers to the
child’s inability to think before acting. If a child tends to fidget a
lot, won’t sit still in class, is constantly active, and talks all of
the time, he is considered to be hyperactive. If a child tends to blurt
out answers in class, not wait his turn in line, and jumps into
conversations or games without waiting, he is considered impulsive.
Inattention describes the inability of a child to pay attention to his
immediate situation and to what he is being asked to do. If a child
tends to not pay attention in class, forgets or loses his things, easily
loses interest in activities, tends not to listen, is bad at organizing
himself, and is easily distracted, he is considered inattentive.
How do you
know it is ADD or ADHD?
Unfortunately, the characteristic symptoms of ADD/ADHD are typical of
many children who are not ADD or ADHD. These characteristics can easily
apply to various aspects of a child’s basic personality, or be
attributed to other types of learning disabilities or disorders.
The difference in ADD/ADHD is that a child shows these characteristics
at a level that interferes with normal development and management of
day-to-day tasks. The problems are wide-spread, and not found only in
one environment (such as school).
ADD/ADHD characteristics are noticed before the age of 7, and while they
can improve with maturity, they will not miraculously “disappear” with
time.
It is essential that a child suspected of having ADD or ADHD is
thoroughly examined by a pediatrician, with input from teachers and
parents, before a diagnosis is made. A misdiagnosis of ADD or ADHD can
last a lifetime, and give a perfectly normal child a sense of being
“wrong” or “inadequate” that can lead to long-term behavioral issues and
problems like depression, drug abuse, and promiscuous behavior.
Treating ADD and ADHD
Many people think of drugs as the first line of treatment for ADD and
ADHD. While medication can help, it is important to understand that they
are not the only way to manage ADD.
Behavioral therapy can be an important part of the treatment strategy
for patients with ADD. By teaching the patient how to manage his
behavior by reinforcing positive behaviors while discouraging negative
behaviors, the child can be taught how to manage his excessive energy in
a healthy way. The more involved parents and educators can be in the
behavioral treatment program, the better the treatment will work.
When medication is combined with behavioral therapy, the child is given
the chance to relearn his behaviors while taking advantage of the more
relaxed state of mind offered through medication. This gives the child
the best chance of forming a long-term solution to his ADD without the
expectation that he will require medication for the rest of his life.
There are many different opinions about ADD and ADHD and how to manage
the disorder. To learn more about ADD and ADHD try visiting a few of the
following websites.
ADD Child
Attention Deficit Disorder Association
ADHD.ca
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