What it feels like to have adhd

Not everyone with excessive hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity has ADHD. Since most people sometimes say things they didn't want to say, jump from one task to another, be disorganized and forgetful, the question arises: how experts determine whether a child has ADHD or not.

Since every child has these problems from time to time, this diagnosis requires that such behavior be unacceptable for a person of this age. The diagnostic standards also contain specific criteria for identifying symptoms that are indicative of ADHD. Behavioral problems should start in early childhood, before age 7, and last for at least 6 months. Most importantly, such behavior must actually create severe problems in at least two areas of a person's life: at school, on the playground, at home, in the group of people to which he belongs, or in the environment where he has to communicate. Therefore, if a person has these symptoms, but they do not disrupt their school life and relationships with friends, then they will not be diagnosed with ADHD. Nor would such a diagnosis be given to a child who is overly active on the playground but has no difficulty in other social settings. nine0016

To determine if a child has ADHD, psychiatrists consider several crucial questions: is the behavior excessive, how long has it been present, is it creating difficulties in life? That is, does this behavior occur more often in a child than in peers? Is this a permanent problem or is it a response to a temporary situation? Do these behavioral problems occur in multiple social settings, or only in one particular place—on the playground or at school?

Diagnosis

Some parents notice signs of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity in their infant long before they start school. The child may lose interest in the game and the TV show, or run aimlessly back and forth, not listening to the parents at all. But since all children develop differently and vary greatly in personality traits, temperament and activity, it would be useful to hear the opinion of an expert on how acceptable such behavior is at a given age. Parents can see a pediatrician, child psychologist, or psychiatrist to determine if their child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or, more commonly at that age, it's just immaturity or unusually high energy. nine0016

ADHD may be suspected by a parent or caregiver, or may go unnoticed until the child has problems at school. Due to the fact that ADHD most strongly affects a child's activities in school, sometimes the teacher is the first to determine that the child is hyperactive or not attentive enough, and can point this out to parents and / or the school psychologist. Since educators work with many children, they begin to understand how "average" children usually behave in lessons that require attention and self-control. However, teachers sometimes fail to notice the needs of children who are inattentive and passive, and also quiet and cooperative, such as children with an inattentive form of ADHD. nine0016

Specialists who can diagnose

If ADHD is suspected, who is the first place a family can contact? Which specialists should be contacted?

Diagnosis should ideally be made by a specialist in the field of ADHD. Psychiatrists, pediatricians, neurologists - these are the specialties most often involved in the differential diagnosis of ADHD.

Parents can start by contacting their pediatrician. Some pediatricians can make the diagnosis themselves, but more often they refer parents to a suitable psychiatrist they know and trust. nine0016

Psychiatrists are doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood mental disorders. A psychiatrist can provide treatment and prescribe any necessary medications. Psychologists can also treat ADHD. They can help the family develop ways to deal with the disorder. Neurologists—doctors who treat disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems—can also diagnose ADHD and prescribe medications. But unlike psychiatrists and psychologists, they cannot provide treatment and correction of the emotional aspects of the disorder. nine0016

The main task of the specialist is to collect information that excludes other possible reasons for the child's behavior. Here are the possible causes of behavior similar to ADHD:

• A sudden change in a child's life - the death of a parent or grandparent; divorce of parents; job loss by parents
• Undiagnosed epilepsy
• Otitis media causing hearing loss
• Somatic diseases affecting brain functions
nine0032 Teaching below the level of one's ability due to learning disabilities
• Anxiety or depression

In most cases, the child's social adaptation and mental health are assessed. He is given tests to determine the level of intelligence and school knowledge to see if the child has learning difficulties and in what subjects these problems occur.

After that, the specialist creates a general picture of the child's behavior. What type of ADHD behavior is the child exhibiting? How often? In what situations? How long ago did he have it? How old was the child then? Are the behavior problems chronic and permanent, or are they temporary due to some cause? How seriously do behavioral problems interfere with the child's friendships, school activities, home life, or participation in social activities? Does the child have other related problems? The answers to these questions will help determine whether the child's hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention are indeed significant and have been around for a long time. If so, the child may be diagnosed with ADHD. nine0016

A correct diagnosis often clears up confusion by clarifying the causes of a child's problems, and this allows parents and children to move on with more accurate information about what is wrong and what can be done to help. Once the disorder is diagnosed, the child and family can begin to receive the combination of educational, medical, and emotional support they need. This may include providing guidance to school staff, selecting the most appropriate class, selecting the correct drug, and helping parents establish and maintain control over their child's behavior. nine0016

What causes ADHD

One of the very first questions parents ask is "Why? What went wrong?" "Am I to blame for what happened?" There is currently little direct evidence that ADHD can only arise from adverse social factors or poor parenting. The most well-founded causes seem to lie in the fields of neuroscience and genetics. This does not mean that environmental factors do not affect the severity of the disease, in particular, the degree of damage and suffering inflicted on the child may depend on them, but such factors do not cause ADHD by themselves. nine0016

Parents should focus on the future and look for the best possible ways to help their child. Scientists are studying the causes in an effort to find better treatments, and perhaps someday even ways to prevent ADHD. They are finding more and more evidence that ADHD does not depend on the situation in the family, but follows from biological causes. Knowing this, you can remove a heavy burden of guilt from parents who may blame themselves for the child's misbehavior.

Over the past decades, scientists have proposed several theories of ADHD. Some of these theories have stalled, while others lead to new lines of research. nine0016

Environmental factors

Studies have shown that there is a possible relationship between smoking and drinking during pregnancy and the likelihood of ADHD. To avoid this, it is better to refrain from using cigarettes and alcohol during pregnancy.

Another environmental factor that may be associated with an increased likelihood of ADHD is high lead levels in young children. Since the use of lead in paint was banned, it can only be found in older buildings, and exposure to toxic levels of lead is not as dominant a cause of ADHD as it once was. Children living in older homes where lead is found in plumbing and lead-based paint surfaces that have been repainted are at risk. nine0016

Brain injury

One of the first theories claimed that attention disorders were caused by brain injury. Some children who have had accidents that lead to brain injury may exhibit some of the behaviors that are characteristic of ADHD. But it was found that only a small percentage of children with ADHD had suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Heredity

ADHD is often present in several family members, therefore genetic causes are likely. Studies show that 25% of close relatives of children with ADHD also have this syndrome, while in the general population this figure is approximately 5%. Most studies of twins have now shown that heredity strongly influences the occurrence of this disorder. nine0008 Scientists continue to study the influence of genetics on ADHD and identify the genes responsible for a person's predisposition to ADHD

ADHD treatment

Every family wants to know what treatment will be most effective for their child. Each family should answer this question to their attending physician.
The results of the study showed that the combined treatment was the most effective. An additional benefit of combination treatment was that these children were successfully treated with lower doses of drugs compared to the drug-only group. nine0016

What treatment should my child receive?

No single treatment can be considered one size fits all for every child with ADHD. Sometimes a child may have unwanted side effects, and this may make the use of drug therapy unacceptable. And if the child also suffers from anxiety or depression in addition to ADHD, then the combination of drug treatment and psychotherapy is the best option. The child's needs and personal medical history must be carefully considered. nine0016

Things to remember about ADHD medications

• ADHD medications help many children concentrate and be more successful at school, at home or on the playground. The ability to avoid negative experiences can really help children avoid alcohol or drug addiction in the future and cope with other emotional problems.

• About 80 percent of children who need medication for ADHD continue to take medication into adolescence. More than 50 percent need the drug as adults. nine0016

Family and child with ADHD

Drug therapy can help a child in his daily life. It will be easier for him to control some of the behavior problems that lead to difficulties in relationships with parents and siblings. But in order to remove the despair accumulated over a long period of time, the habit of blaming and anger takes time. Both parents and children may need specialized help to learn how to manage their child's behavior. In such cases, psychiatrists and psychotherapists can counsel the family and the child, helping them develop new skills, attitudes, and ways of communicating with each other. During individual conversations, a psychotherapist helps children with ADHD learn to improve their self-esteem. In addition, a psychotherapist can help them find and build on strengths, deal with everyday problems, and control attention and aggression. Sometimes psychological counseling is necessary only for a child. But more often, because a child's disorder affects the family as a whole, all family members need help. The therapist helps the family find the most appropriate ways to deal with the child's destructive behavior and suggests new options. If the child is small, the therapist works mainly with the parents, teaching them how to cope with the child and improve his behavior. nine0016

There are different methods of influence. Having information about various methods of influence, it is easier for the family to choose the right psychotherapist.

Psychotherapy aims to help people with ADHD love and accept themselves for who they are, despite the disorder. It does not deal with the symptoms or causes of the disorder. During psychotherapy, patients talk to the therapist about sad thoughts and feelings, identify self-destructive behaviors, and look for alternative ways to manage their emotions. During the conversation, the therapist tries to help them understand how they can change, or how best to cope with their disorder. nine0016

Psychological Correction helps people develop more effective ways of dealing with immediate problems. It helps the child to change his way of thinking and psychologically adapt rather than to understand his feelings and actions - and thus can change the behavior of the child. Support can take the form of practical help, such as help with homework or schoolwork, or in dealing with emotionally stressful situations. Or support can be about self-control of behavior, self-reward, and self-rewarding for actions performed in a desired way - say, if a person coped with anger or thought before doing something. nine0016

Communication training can also help children learn new behaviors. By teaching communication skills, the therapist discusses and models appropriate behaviors that are important for developing and maintaining relationships with others in situations such as waiting in line, sharing toys, asking for help, or responding appropriately to teasing. Subsequently, the children are given an attempt to practice these skills. For example, a child may learn to read other people's facial expressions and tone of voice in order to answer them correctly. Communication skills training helps a child find better ways to play or interact with other children. nine0016

support groups help parents connect with others who have similar problems and who are concerned about their children with ADHD. Members of support groups meet regularly (eg, monthly) to hear lectures from ADHD specialists, share frustrations and successes, get referrals to qualified professionals, and learn about their work. Their strength lies in numbers, and by sharing their experiences with others who have similar problems, they learn things that they could never have known if they were alone. nine0016

Parenting Skills Training , provided by psychotherapists, provides parents with methods and techniques to manage their child's behavior. One such method is the use of badges or points systems to immediately assess good behavior or performance. Another method is to "time out" or isolate the child in a chair or in the bedroom when he becomes too rebellious or out of control. During "time-outs" the child is removed from the disturbing situation and sits quietly alone for a while to calm down. Parents are also sometimes advised to spend time with their child every day doing something enjoyable and relaxing. During this time spent with the child, the parent looks for opportunities to note and point out what the child is doing well and to praise him or her for success and ability. nine0016

Rewards and penalties can be an effective way to change a child's behavior. The parent (or teacher) identifies several good behaviors that they want to encourage in the child (for example, asking for a toy rather than grabbing it, or completing a simple task in its entirety). The child is directly told what he must do in order to receive a reward. The child is rewarded when he performs the desired behavior and moderately punished when he does not. The reward may be small - for example, a badge of honor is given to a child for special merits - but it must be something desired for the child to want to earn it. As a punishment, you can remove the badge of honor or give a short "time-out". The goal is to eventually teach the child to control his behavior and choose the most desirable way of behavior. This method works well with all children, although children with ADHD may need additional, more frequent encouragement. nine0016

In addition, parents can learn to create situations for their children in which they can succeed. This may be the case, for example, when parents allow only one or two partners to take part in the game so that their child cannot become overexcited. Or, when a child has trouble completing tasks, they must learn to help their child, break a large task into several smaller ones, and reward the child for completing each small part. Regardless of how parents specifically influence their child's behavior, some general principles will be helpful to most children with ADHD. These principles call for more frequent and even immediate responses to a child's actions (this applies to both rewards and punishments), to take the necessary measures in advance to prevent potentially problematic situations, to look after children more closely and to encourage them in situations when they are not interested or boring. nine0016

Parents can also learn how to use stress management techniques, such as meditation, relaxation techniques and exercise, to help them cope when things go wrong and to respond more calmly to their children's behavior.

Some Simple Ways to Influence Behavior

Children with ADHD may need organizational help. Therefore, you need:

• Schedule. Organize the same routine for every day from the moment you wake up until you go to bed. The schedule should allocate time for homework and play (including outdoor walks and home activities like computer games). Hang this schedule on your refrigerator door or on a stand in your kitchen. If changes need to be made to the schedule, make them as early as possible. nine0016

• Get all the essentials in order. Everything must have its own place, and everything must be kept in its place. This applies to clothing, backpacks and school supplies.

• It is necessary to use diaries to control homework. Emphasize the importance of writing down assignments and having all the necessary books at home.
Children with ADHD need a consistent set of rules that are clear and strict. If children follow these rules, give them small rewards. Children with ADHD are often criticized, and they are already waiting for criticism. Try to find examples of your child's good behavior and praise for it. nine0016

Your child with ADHD and the school

You are your child's best advocate. To be a good advocate for your child, learn as much as you can about ADHD and how it affects your child at home, at school, and in community life.

If your child has ADHD symptoms at an early age, has been evaluated, diagnosed and treated with behavior modification, medication, or a combination of both, notify the child's teachers when the child enters school. Then they will be better prepared to assist the child in entering this new world away from home. nine0016

Never forget the fundamental rule: Your child's best protector is yourself.

Your teenager with ADHD

Your child with ADHD has successfully made it to the end of elementary school and is starting middle school and then high school. Although your child has been examined periodically during these years, now is the time to fully re-examine his health.

The teenage years are challenging for most children; for a child with ADHD, these years are doubly difficult. With all the problems of youth - pressure from classmates, fear of failure, both in school and in communication, low levels of self-esteem - a child with ADHD is more difficult to cope with. The desire to be independent, trying new and forbidden things - alcohol, drugs, sex - can lead to unforeseen consequences. The rules of conduct hitherto largely followed have now been abandoned. Parents may disagree with each other about how to deal with a teenager's behavior. nine0016

Now – more than ever – these rules should be clear and easy to understand. Communication between teens and parents can help the teen understand the reasons behind each rule. When a rule is set, it should be clear why it is set. Sometimes it is useful to have a table - usually hung in the kitchen - that lists both all the rules of behavior at home and all the rules of behavior outside the home (in society and at school). Another table might contain a list of chores with space left to mark the completion. nine0016

When rules are broken—and they will be—react to such inappropriate behavior as calmly and calmly as possible. Use punishment sparingly. "Time-outs" work even with teenagers. Impulsivity and a hot temper often accompany ADHD. A short time alone can really help.

As teens spend a lot of time away from home, over time there may be demands to be allowed to come back later and rent a car. Listen to your child's requests, explain your point of view on these issues and listen carefully to their opinion, and try to negotiate. nine0080 Communication, negotiation and compromise should be helpful .

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a widely recognized childhood disorder affecting approximately 3-5% of children. What is less well known is that many children with ADHD are more likely to have it as they grow up. Several studies have been conducted in recent years that have shown that between 30 and 70 percent of children with ADHD continue to show symptoms into adulthood. nine0016

The first studies of adults who were not diagnosed with ADHD as children but had symptoms as adults were conducted in the late 1970s by Drs. Paul Wender, Frederick Reimherr, and David Wood. These symptomatic adults were retrospectively diagnosed with ADHD after the researchers interviewed their parents. Researchers have developed clinical criteria for diagnosing ADHD in adults that combine a past history of ADHD with current evidence of ADHD. nine0016

Adults with ADHD usually do not realize that they have this disorder - they often just feel that it is difficult for them to organize themselves, pay attention to work, and show up on time for an appointment. The daily responsibilities of waking up, getting dressed and getting ready for the day's work, the need to arrive on time at work, and remain productive at work can be a major challenge for adults with ADHD.

Diagnosis of ADHD in adults

Diagnosing adults with ADHD is not easy. In many cases, when a child is diagnosed with such a disorder, the parent may feel that he (or she) has the same symptoms as the child, and for the first time in his life begins to understand some of his features that have been causing him problems for many years. years - distraction, impulsiveness, restlessness. Other adults seek professional help for depression and anxiety and find that the root cause of some emotional problems is ADHD. They may have a whole chain of school problems or work problems. Often they are involved in frequent car accidents. nine0016

To be diagnosed with ADHD, an adult patient must have childhood-onset, persistent, and current symptoms. An accurate diagnosis of ADHD in adults is of particular importance, and this diagnosis should be made by a clinician with experience in the field of attention disorders. An accurate diagnosis will require a history of the patient's behavior during childhood, as well as interviews with his life partners, parents, close friends and other people who are in close contact. An examination of his physical condition and psychological tests should also be carried out. This disorder may be accompanied by other disease states such as specific learning difficulties, anxiety, and affective disorders. nine0016

Adult ADHD treatment

Drug treatment. As with children, if adult patients are on medication for ADHD, they often start with stimulants. Antidepressants are considered as second-line drugs for the treatment of ADHD in adults.
When prescribing drugs to adult patients, special circumstances must be taken into account. Adult patients may need smaller doses of drugs per kilogram of body weight. Drugs may have a longer half-life in the adult body. Adult patients may also take other drugs for other medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus or hypertension. Often, adult patients may also take medication for anxiety or depression. All of these variables must be taken into account before the medication is prescribed. nine0016

Education and psychotherapy. Although drug treatment may bring the desired relief, a person can succeed on his own. In order to help him in his struggle, both "psycho-education" and individual psychotherapy can be helpful.

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