ADHD, also known as Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common childhood disorders in the United States of America. As per the official reports, there are more than 3 million-plus cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the United States of America alone each year.
ADHD is very common in childhood, but it may sometimes last until adulthood. Because it’s a neurological or brain disorder, many people don’t get tested for it, and parents think that talking about their child’s mental health might hamper the child’s growth.
What is ADHD?
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is related to the brain that affects how one person pays attention, stays still, and controls their behavior.
Even though it starts in children and teens, it may continue into adulthood. The disorder can affect a child’s performance at school, at home, or even friendship with friends and family.
Types of ADHD
ADHD has three different types depending on the symptoms. You can categorize each individual.
Inattentiveness is one of the most common symptoms among children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
In the inattentive type of ADHD, the affected person will have a hard time paying attention. The affected person easily gets distracted, and it will be hard for him to pay attention to detail or follow instructions.
The other type of ADHD is hyperactive. It is less common than an inattentive type of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
In this type of ADHD, the person will talk a lot, and it will be very hard for him to sit still for a longer period, such as eating a meal or doing homework.
A hyperactive child will jump, climb or run a lot, and it will be hard for him to wait for their turn or listen to directions.
There are a few cases in terms of percentage where the affected person will have both of the symptoms combined, and it depends on their mood.
Either the affected person will get very sad and stay Inattentive, or the effective person will get very excited and stay in the hyperactive zone.
Symptoms of ADHD
In childhood, all children struggle to pay attention, listen, and follow our directions, but this doesn’t mean that every child is suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Because there are two different types of ADHD, it will be good for us to categorize the symptoms according to the type.
A child affected with ADHD who has symptoms related to unattentive will have a hard time paying close attention to details or making careless mistakes.
Focusing on one task or activity, such as lectures in the classroom or conversations with parents, will be a very tough job for him.
Doing daily tasks such as eating meals, playing in the field, or even doing homework he’s also going to be a hard job for a child with inattentive ADHD.
The affected person might stay sad all the time and avoid tasks that require mental effort.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder’s hyperactive symptoms are the opposite of inattentive ADHD symptoms.
A person affected with hyperactive ADHD will keep tapping their hands or feet, and even after asking to stop, the person will have a hard time doing it.
In most cases, the affected person cannot stay still, and he may keep running or jumping. Doing something seated it’s also going to be a hard job for the affected person.
Diagnosis of ADHD
Diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is very hard to do, especially in children. No test in the world can diagnose if a child has ADHD or not.
Yes, doctors can diagnose a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after discussing the symptoms of the child with parents, teachers, and children. Still, differentiating between a child’s normal behavior and the behavior of an ADHD child is very hard.
To diagnose a person with ADHD, especially children, doctors have to use American Psychiatric Association guidelines. The guidelines are based on thorough research on how to differentiate symptoms depending on how many symptoms a person has and how long they have them.
Doctors also have to rule out many other things that may be causing this type of behavior, such as health conditions or parental problems as well.
There are some tests related to the neurological and psychological performance of children. And those tests determine the status of a child under the keen observation of a specialist.
Treatment of ADHD
Before we start talking about the treatment of ADHD, let me clear that there is no cure for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
But this doesn’t mean that the road to treatment for ADHD ends here. Doctors use different coping mechanisms to lower the symptoms and help the children to behave normally and grow as well as other children.
Many people argue that giving medication to an ADHD person is like giving a drug. The medication can help the person control the hyperactivity or help to improve attention, but it is not a permanent solution.
Doctors use different combinations of medication to lower the symptoms of ADHD and improve the overall health, but there are some side effects of these drugs, such as
- Skin patches
- Loss of appetite
- Upset stomach
These are just a few well-known side effects of taking medication for ADHD, but the medication can improve a person’s ability to cope with ADHD.
Behavioral therapy is one of the most effective treatments for ADHD so far. In behavior therapy, the therapist will help the affected kid improve his social life, control his emotions, and help focus on the work rather than daydreaming.
In recent times support groups for ADHD people have helped a lot of people. Children feel more comfortable in the company of other children with the same symptoms.
In support groups, children learn about how to improve behavior and start paying attention to important things. All of the children in the support group are going to have nearly the same type of symptoms.
A child spends most of its time at home with its parents, so it becomes very important for parents to learn the best ways to respond to the behavior problems of a child.
Children diagnosed with ADHD are not going to listen to anything or follow instructions told by their parents, which may frustrate parents as well.
Other than home, children spend more time at school than anywhere else. A school for ADHD children should also be supportive. All the teachers who might have to teach children with ADHD should learn the best way possible to teach hyperactive or attentive children. [Source]
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a very common thing among children. More than three million children in the United States of America alone are affected by ADHD.
There is no clear-cut diagnosis or treatment available for ADHD at this time, but there are a few things you can do for the better future of your child.
Shouting or hitting Is not a solution, and it is not going to help you normalize the behavior of a child affected with ADHD.
If you feel your child is not like any other, you should go and consult with a psychiatrist and check if your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Which is the best medication for ADHD?
There is no direct medication available for ADHD. Doctors used different combinations of drugs depending on the symptoms. For a person affected with hyperactive symptoms, medication-related to inattentiveness is not going to help. Similarly, for a person affected with the inattentive disorder, medication-related hyperactive symptoms are not going to work.
My child is not behaving well. Does he have ADHD?
Good behavior of children is not directly related to ADHD. You should pay attention to all the activities of your child, and if you find irregularities in most of them, you should pay a visit to a psychiatrist.
I am in my teenage years. Can I have ADHD?
Yes, even teenagers can have ADHD. Kindly do not come to any conclusion unless you have paid a visit to a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist has diagnosed you with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. u003cbru003eThere are many symptoms related to ADHD, and not just one or two symptoms are responsible for the disorder. If you did not have anything related to ADHD in your childhood, you might have anything else rather than ADHD.