ADHD in children
ADD / ADHD in children and adolescents
Signs, Symptoms, Effects, and Treatment
Life can be a hard as a parent at the best of times but when your child is suspected of having or diagnosed with AD|HD life can be that little more stressful and challenging, but fear not there are others in your position and on here we would like to take the time to offer you some information but if you find yourself fidgeting and getting distracted you might want to check out our AD|HD in Adults section. Attention deficit disorders can impact life in so many ways at first people may just say that children are, never listening to a word the teacher is saying, constantly interrupting and being disruptive. There are many different symptoms of Attention deficit disorders that can have a negative effect on everything in life from social interaction and family life to self esteem.
Understanding ADHD/ADD and the spotting the signs as early as possible, learning as much as you can about what it is, is the first step to helping to cope and even utilizing it positively. Don’t forget some of the most famous and successful people on the planet have ADHD/ADD but we will leave that to you to investigate.
Symptoms
- Trouble concentrating and staying focused
- Disorganization and forgetfulness (Mum I forgot where I put my homework)
- Impulsivity (Why did I do that I’m so stupid)
- Emotional difficulties (Why does no one want to be my friend)
- Hyperactivity or restlessness ( inability to keep still trouble sleeping)
- Hyperfocus (Absorbed only into something of interest to your child)
Understanding ADD/ADHD
ADHD/ADD is a very complex disorder effecting the production of dopamine in the brain causing problem associated with AD|HD such as lack of ability to pay attention and impulsive behaviour and seemingly endless abundance of energy. It has been said that getting children to engage in exercise before having to do mentally demanding tasks such as homework is good as they are releasing excess energy that may make them hyperactive during these tasks. A GP may prescribe medication such as Strattera, Concerta, Equasym, Ritalin ect. Do these medications of this type permanently reduce core symptoms or just mask them?
Side effects to medication (These are some effects of various ADHD medications)
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Nervousness or anxiety
- Stomach ache
- Head ache
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- Mood swings
These are just a very small amount of list of side effects associated with the unproductive treatment of ADHD/ADD.
Non-Medication alternatives for treating and dealing with ADHD/ADD
However there are effective treatments proven by studies such as the use of Neurofeedback technology, which is the only non-medication based treatment that is shown to reduce core symptoms of attention deficit related difficulties without the need for medication. There are therapies and coping strategy professionals for children with ADD/ADHD can be helpful for both the emotional issues related to the disorder and practical, day-to-day issues.
CBT (Cognitive behavioural therapy) – Cognitive-behavioural therapy encourages you to identify and change the negative beliefs and behaviours that are causing problems in your life. Since many individuals with ADD/ADHD are demoralised from years of struggle and unmet expectations, one of the main goals of cognitive-behavioural therapy is to transform this negative outlook into a more hopeful, realistic view. Cognitive-behavioural therapy also focuses on the practical issues that often come with ADD/ADHD, such as disorganization, work performance problems, and poor time management.
Neurofeedback training – Neurofeedback training is a type of biofeedback that uses electroencephalography (EEG) to provide a signal that can be used by a person to receive feedback about brain activity. In the case of someone with ADHD brainwaves indicative of focus and attention can be filtered and used in a real time graph or at Games for Life we use this particular brain wave to move around and control animated characters in a computer game. Kind of like taking your brain to the gym or real brain training you are exercising your attention by being made aware of it and how to control it during these exercises.
ADHD specialist Coaching – Coaches work with clients to help them better manage time, organize, set goals and complete projects. In addition to helping clients understand the impact ADHD has had on their lives, coaches can help clients develop “work-round’s” strategies to deal with specific challenges, and determine and use individual strengths. Coaches also help clients get a better grasp of what reasonable expectations are for them as individuals, since people with ADHD “brain wiring” often seem to need external mirrors for accurate self-awareness about their potential despite their impairment.
Support groups for Parents (Sharing is caring)
A support group not only gives you encouragement, empowerment and a host of information from people who are going through or dealing with someone who is in the same position as you. This could help in a lot of different ways for example:-
- It reduces the isolation of struggling with your child’s disorder.
- Gives you a place to express your feelings to others who truly understand
- Lets you share strategies for coping and success
Usually a therapist or trained ADHD/ADD coach/practitioner leads an ADD/ADHD support group, so this will give you an opportunity to talk with them and get one to one advice if need be. And you also have the great opportunity to make some nice new friends.
10 Great things about having ADHD/ADD
- Compassion
People with AD|HD have a tremendous power to connect with other people. But it goes a step further than that. They also have an advanced ability to empathize with others, and to see many different perspectives. - Creativity
AD|HD people are almost always creative! Writers, painters, musicians, film makers, designers, sculptors, comedians – the list goes on! Artistic talents are abundant. Composers Mozart and Beethoven are believed to have had AD|HD. - Drive
When a person with AD|HD is bored with a task, completing it can seem like torture. But give someone with AD|HD an interesting project to work on and watch out! When they want to succeed, and they have the necessary tools to do so, there is no stopping them! - Problem Solving Ability
People with AD|HD thrive on solving problems and puzzles. Give them an interesting problem to solve and they won’t be able to drop it until they have found the solution! Important historical inventors such as Thomas Edison and Thomas Jefferson are believed to have had AD|HD. - Hyper-Focus
The ability to hyper-focus is something that people with AD|HD can use to their advantage. When kept under control and directed towards productive tasks, like accomplishing goals and living dreams, it can be an incredible asset that allows them to get the job done, and done well! - Sense of Humour/Comedic Flair
Most people with AD|HD love to laugh, and many also have a knack for making others laugh! Famous comedians such as Jim Carrey, Robin Williams and Lee Evans are rumoured to have AD|HD. - Resiliency
There’s no denying that even though there are many great qualities that come along with AD|HD, There are also challenges. But those with AD|HD have an incredible ability to bounce back from those challenges, and others’ criticism of those challenges that we’ve endured. - Intuition
People with AD|HD have a sharp sense of intuition. This may be due to highly tuned levels of perception, or great insight into the human mind, or something else that we have yet to understand. Whatever the reason, it’s a very useful gift! - Idea Generating
Also people with AD|HD are wonderful idea generators. They don’t usually like to be bothered with details, but we can come up with ideas at lightning speed! We’re a true asset in brainstorming meetings! - That “Special Something”
Many people AD|HD feel that they have a unique way of looking at the world, a perspective that others just don’t understand. That is, until the person with AD|HD meets other person with AD|HD You might say that they are on their own wavelength!
