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A child who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) finds it hard to control his or her behavior. The cause is unknown, but experts know that it is a neurological condition that affects how children's brains process external stimuli. It is one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood, and can linger through adulthood as well.
All children have problems controlling their behavior at one time or another. The difference with ADHD is, a child with the condition has frequent and severe problems that interfere with daily living and schooling. A child with ADHD has symptoms in all social settings, including home, school and at play. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is not a developmental disability; in fact, children with ADHD are often found to have higher IQ’s than their classmates.
A child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can, as the name suggests, have problems with hyperactivity, or paying attention, or both. Researchers have found that boys more often have the hyperactivity component, while girls more often have attention-deficit symptoms.
If you suspect your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, contact your pediatrician. He or she will assess your child based on guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is difficult, if not impossible, to diagnose ADHD in children younger than six. So with a younger child, your pediatrician may suggest behavior modification and positive reinforcement as a treatment until it can be determined for sure that your child has ADHD.
A teacher or school official cannot diagnose ADHD. It is also against the law for school officials to pressure parents into putting their children on ADHD medications solely because of behavior issues at school.
With an older child, your pediatrician will ask about his or her behavior at school and home, as well as with friends and caregivers. It's important to distinguish ADHD from other disorders that it may mimic, such as pediatric bipolar disorder, anxiety, conduct disorder and depression.
Medication is the first step in controlling Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. For reasons that scientists don't quite understand, children with ADHD calm down and focus better when given stimulant medication.
Some parents worry that stimulant medications can lead their child to abuse drugs or alcohol. But recent studies show that teenagers with ADHD who take stimulants are actually at lower risk of using illegal drugs. Stimulant medications are not addictive, although there are reports of teenagers who don’t have ADHD borrowing stimulants from their classmates with ADHD in order to get “high”. This happens because while ADHD medications can calm children with ADHD, they can stimulate children who don’t have ADHD.
ADHD medication has been used for decades, and is generally determined to be safe. However there are some side-effects parents may encounter, including weight loss and slower growth. Some children on ADHD medications may also get moody. Often changing brands or dosages can reduce or eliminate symptoms.
There is also a new non-stimulant medication approved for treatment of ADHD. It is related to antidepressants and works on brain chemistry. Studies show that it seems to work better for attention deficit than for hyperactivity.
Therapy and behavior modification also work well in conjunction with medication. Parents can learn ways to help their children focus on tasks and calm down when overstimulated.
There is no cure for ADHD. There is also no guarantee that your child will outgrow it, although many do. But with medication, therapy and parental attention, a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can become, and remain, a happy and contributing member of society.
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