| DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE ADHD? |
| Assessing Your Child for ADHD |
| Hyperactivity is a catch-all definition that is over-used (giving stigma to an ordinarily energetic child) or under-used so that the truly ADHD-afflicted child does not receive the help that is needed |
| If, by the definitions that follow, you disagree with your physician's assessment that your child does or does not have ADHD, discuss it with your physician. If after the discussion you still disagree, ask for a referral. You are entitled to a second opinion |
| Among the many mysteries of childhood is a debilitating disorder called Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder. Over the years it has been known as 'Minimal Brain Dysfunction', 'Hyperactive Syndrome' , and/or 'Hyperkinesia'. The DSM III-R described Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder as "a unified syndrome characterized by behaviours of inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity". The DSM-IV establishes three subtypes of the disorder: 1. Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, predominantly Inattentive Type 2. Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type 3. Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type. In addition, the DSM-IV requires that the behaviours associated with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder be present in more than one setting (i.e. home and school). |
| Millions of dollars have been spent in an effort to try and discover the cause or causes of this disorder. It is widely believed that it is a neurobiological imbalance of chemicals called "neurotransmitters" within the brain. These neurotransmitters are insufficiently supplied to trigger the inhibitory centers that control behaviour |
| Medications such as Ritalin, Dexedrine, Cylert and, more recently, Adderall and Concerta are found to be effective in the therapeutic treatment of this disorder (check on the availability of certain medications ~~ some are not approved for use by Health Canada). There are new medication treatment modalities investigated daily; the above list is by not definitive by any means. Do your research to find what is best for you and your child. Amphetamines or 'stimulants' are proven by research to have a "paradoxical effect" when taken by a child with A.D.D. In other words, they do not act as a stimulant, but rather they act quite the opposite. They act by allowing the inhibitory center of the brain to function as it should to filter out unnecessary stimuli which in turn allows the brain to focus on a specific task. The child can then concentrate more clearly |
| When a parent or teacher suspects A.D.D. in a child, it is imperative to begin the investigation with a complete medical assessment. Parents of these children are vulnerable to "quick-cure" promises, which can give only a partial chance of success. Pinning all your hopes on one aspect of a condition caused by many factors can result in failure |
| All of the following factors need to be considered and resolved: |
| * physiological reasons: have your child's vision or hearing been assessed? does your child get enough exercise and/or outdoor activity? * behavior management: does the child lack social skills? does he/she interact well with others? * parental attitude: are ALL of your children affected by ADHD? are parental expectations too high or too low? do parenting skills need adjustment? * appropriate classroom management: is there a problem with ALL of the teachers or just one? is the problem in just one classroom? * medication testing: adverse reaction(s) to other drug therapies? * allergies: are there any foods, pollens, dust, medications that the child may be allergic to |
| A.D.D. can be characterized by some or all of the following behaviors: |
| Restlessness - to such a degree that it adversely affects the child's learning, and his/her relationships with others. i.e. - excessive running or climbing, difficulty in sitting still or staying seated, excessive fidgeting, having a "driven" quality - always on the go, seems to require little sleep, or has poor sleep habits with insomnia or frequent terrifying dreams or 'night terrors' |
| Inability to Pay Attention - failure to complete tasks, easy distractibility, difficulty in concentrating on tasks requiring sustained attention (including play activities), apparent poor perception (doesn't seem to listen), poor memory (cannot retain simple instructions, difficult to discipline) |
| Impulsiveness - acts or vocalizes irrelevant to context, acts without thought, shifts from one activity to another, difficulty in organizing work, difficulty in awaiting turns, frequently calls out in school or makes inappropriate noises, needs a lot of direction and supervision |
| Emotional Lability - has low frustration tolerance, quick to anger, aggressive or easily weepy, cannot handle stimulation from sight, sound movement or numbers of people, cannot handle changes in routines or unpredicted events, overreacts and seeks attention, depression |
| Gross and/or Fine Motor Coorbination Problems - may appear clumsy, lacking balance, has poor body sense, writing may appear large and spidery, mixed left-right dominance, reversals in letters and spelling, writing may vary radically day to day |
| Your child does not enjoy having A.D.D.! |
| Parents of children with A.D.D., especially mothers, are open to a wide range of criticism from the schools, professionals, and even family members. A parent must learn how, where and when to seek help for their child, then advocate for the child to ensure that their request is honoured. The best way to accomplish this is to educate oneself about A.D.D. The more knowledge one gains about A.D.D., the better eqipped one is to deal with it on a daily basis. Support groups can be found in most communities and are available to provide moral support, supply links to professional assistance and provide current information about the disorder. Contact your local library or school to find a location near you. If there is none, consider starting your own support group. More and more books and videos are becoming available today about ADD/ADHD - ask your local librarian to help you find and select the appropriate material. Also, with the expansion of the World Wide Web, information on ADD/ADHD is available if you have access to the Internet. The help is there if you have the desire to seek it out! The important thing to remember is that you do not have go through this alone. Seek assistance from a trusted family member, neighbour or a teacher you trust. Please feel free to contact us and maybe we can help a little. Be kind to yourself...you are your best friend |
| Copyright @ January 1999 - 2007, Webmaster: K Nikischin Special thanks: J. Nikischin. All rights reserved. |
| A.D.D.'s young victims break into frantic motion ranging from the merely annoying (jumping on the furniture) to the dangerous (lighting fires). They live in a bizarre world where their conscious minds struggle toward normalcy, but their bodies seem to have a restless, angry will of its own. |
| If you or your child's teacher suspect that your child might be suffering from A.D.D., make an appointment with your family physician to discuss your concerns. The following signs and symptoms are not 'exclusively' indicative of Attention Deficit Disorder but could involve other physical or behaviourial problems that should be addressed for your child's safety. |
| ADD ~ ADHD Family Support Group |
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