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Frequently
Asked Questions? How Do I Know If My Child is ADHD? These common indicators have an onset before age seven, which persist for at least six months, and which are not due primarily to other psychiatric disorders or environmental circumstances, such as a reaction to family stresses etc. They are as follows: Hyperactivity Inattention Impulsivity :
There is a widespread labeling of children with ADHD in North America to difficult children with behavioral problems. Although ADHD was once known as minimal brain damage, it has become so widely used that is has a prominent place in our contemporary culture. In the US there seems to be three types of children labeled ADHD. The first group are those children that have a chemical imbalance in the frontal lob of the brain at the nurotaransmitter sight responsible for attending and focusing to tasks. This means that there is less activity going on at a tiny spot in the brain. These children are treated with a range of medications such as Adderall, Catapres (clonidine), Cylert (magnesium pemoline), Dexedrine (destroamphetamine), DestroStar (dextroamphetamine sulfate), Ritalin (methylphenidate) or Tenex (guanfacine). Three to five percent of all school age children are effected by ADHD and boys outnumber girls by 3 to 1, although ADD in girls is under-diagnosed. The hyperactivity needs not be present to be diagnosed ADD for up to 30% of children with ADD are not hyperactive but have trouble focusing. The second group of children most often labeled ADHD are children who are hypersensitive to certain chemicals used in foods such as Red or Yellow dyes, preservatives, and sugar. When these substances are eliminated from the diet the hyperactive behavior decreases. Sometimes these children are placed on ADHD medication and show a positive response. Even some normal children will show a marked improvement in attentiveness when they take ADD medications. The third group of children most often labeled ADHD are children who are in control of the household instead of the parents. These parents do not want to take responsibility for their child’s behavior, so they believe their child to be ADHD. For a parent to be certain that their child has ADHD, a progression of criteria is needed to be satisfied. What Can a Parent Do If They Suspect Their Child Is ADHD? First, have the child evaluated by your family physician with a complete physical examination so as to rule out any other medical condition which would cause ADD type symptoms. The Physician should first have the parent remove any foods, chemicals , or preservatives from the child’s diet so as to determine whether the child is allergic to these substances and producing hyperactive behavior. Second, have the child evaluated by a clinical psychologist or school psychologist. They will administer and interpret psychological and educational tests of achievement, social /emotional adjustment, cognition, perception, and language development. The later test contains testing of intelligence, attention span, visual-motor skills, memory, and impulsivity. Mental health professionals and psychologist interpret the data collected from teachers and parents who complete behavior rating scales regarding the child in question. These tests can provide information as to whether the child’s difficulties are related to ADD or other learning or behavioral disorders. These monitoring tools are as follows:
These scales offer quantifiable, descriptive information about the child and compares the child’s behavior to that of others of the same sex and age. Third, if the child has been evaluated as ADD or ADHD, have the school make an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the child. The IEP adjusts the curriculum to the learning ability of the child and becomes an evaluation of their academic abilities and educational needs. The parent then can request an extra set of text books from the school for the child to keep at home. It is very important for the parent and the school to work in harmony for the benefit of the child because the child’s self-esteem is at stake. In a Montreal study, normal adults who have been hyperactive children were asked what had helped them most. They did not mention drug treatment as a priority but credited a parent, teacher, friend, or counselor who believed in them. Fourth, have the parents take classes to learn how to parent their special needs child. A comprehensive treatment program uses medication, parent information, school strategies, social skills groups, and individual counseling to help the child. Medication is effective in decreasing the symptoms of ADHD but, once the symptoms have been reduced, the every day behavior must be addressed Old patterns of behavior that developed while a child was driven by ADHD needs to be unlearned and new, more productive behavior established. This is the area where the F.A.C.E.S. program is so important for parents to attend. Joining a parent effectiveness program and working with a family therapist can provide new strategies to manage a child’s behavior. FOR THE FAMILIES OF ADHD CHILDREN EMPOWERMENT SERIES!!! Is
there another way? If the child has been diagnoses as severe ADHD, than any alternative methods only place the child’s self-esteem at risk and his potential for learning. It can be equated in rather simple terms. If a man goes into his therapist and is diagnosed with a major depressive episode, he is prescribed an antidepressant which most likely will help him to resume normal living. If a patient is diagnosed with diabetes and the doctor prescribes insulin injections, she must take the insulin to prevent a life threatening reaction. Neither one of these examples will have the potential of becoming addicted to either drug being prescribed. It is the same with a child being diagnosed with ADHD and having Ritalin or another form of medication prescribed. It is very important that the parent consistently seeks the advice of the doctor in relation to any side effects that the child may be experiencing rather than making a decision to stop the medication without some type of alteration of either the drug or the dosage. There is no evidence that children build up a tolerance to the ADHD medication nor is it necessary to stop the medication when the child reaches a certain age. There are some side effects to taking medication for ADHD and one is a loss of appetite. It is recommended that the family eating schedule be altered to accommodate the down times of the medication. Such as, if the child receives a dose in the morning, he receives the dose after a good breakfast of protein. Lunch is sent to school with him and he often receives his second does at noon which can effect how much he eats if the dose is taken before lunch. This places the next dose at approximately 5:00PM. It would be advisable to have a large dinner prepared for him to eat because he will be very hungry and he will be on the down side of his medication. These are the times to take advantage of your child being hungry and wanting to eat a good sized meal. Some children are on two doses a day and these children may need a protein snack before going to bed. Protein is being recommended because there is presently research going on that links ADHD with hypoglycemia which is a low level of blood sugar or glucose. The research states that protein has some effect in some cases on the ability to relax and focus because protein changes the serotonin level thus causing a greater level of concentration. Concentration which is needed to go to sleep. | |
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