Signs Of ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that occurs in young children. Typically, the behavior manifests itself when the child is in preschool or the early school years. In some cases, ADHD can carry over into adulthood.

The main symptoms of ADHD are impulsive behavior, hyperactivity and inattention. Since ADHD often affects and challenges the entire family, the treatment includes the participation of all members of the family. There is still controversy over the best course of treatment for individuals affected by ADHD. In addition to medication, family, community and school support play a key role in coping with this condition.

Significance
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD--approximately 2 million children in the United States. In other words, in a classroom comprised of 25 to 30 children, at least one will have ADHD.

History
In 1845, ADHD was first cited by Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, a medical doctor who, in addition to writing books on medicine and mental health, started to write children’s books when he was challenged with finding appropriate reading material for his 3-year-old son. He soon completed a book of poems about children and their ADHD characteristics.

In 1902 Sir George F. Still presented to the Royal College of Physicians in England a series of lectures on children who displayed impulsive behavior and other behavioral problems. He theorized that their condition was caused by a genetic dysfunction, rather than by parents who follow unsatisfactory child-rearing practices.

Today, thousands of books, research papers and documents have been written about ADHD, its symptoms and treatment.

Features
The three main signs of ADHD are impulsiveness, hyperactivity and inattention. Since these symptoms may appear at different stages in the child’s development, in different situations and to varying degrees, diagnosing ADHD is very difficult.

Impulsiveness means that the child engages in behavior before she is able to think about the consequences of her actions. Behaviors like blurting out comments, quickly doing something that may cause harm to someone or not waiting for one's turn are all examples of impulsive behavior in children with ADHD.

Hyperactivity refers to a child who has a hard time sitting still. Even though kids are by nature very energetic, for the child with ADHD, his need to constantly keep moving, fidgeting or doing something becomes very disruptive to him and those around him. Examples of hyperactivity are incessant talking, constant foot tapping or fidgetiness.

Inattention has to do with the child’s propensity to become easily distracted. The child will have a hard time staying focused on one activity for a short amount of time and will quickly become distracted by noises, things or people that come into his view. Inattention also shows up in the child’s difficulty in following directions and completing a task.

Identification
According to the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), there are three patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD. These three subtypes were created because the primary symptoms of ADHD are not consistent for everyone.

The first type is the “predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type.” Children with this condition do not display the symptoms of inattention. The second type is the “predominantly inattentive type.” Children with this type do not show significant levels of hyperactive-impulsive behavior. In the past, these children were sometimes referred has having ADD. The final type is the “combined type.” Children with the combined type of ADHD displas both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.

Solution
For many decades, medications have been the most common treatment option for children with ADHD. Currently, medication and therapy are often used together to improve the child's behavior. The kind of medication that is used to treat ADHD is a class of drugs called psychostimulants. The more well-known drugs like Ritalin and Adderall fall under this psychostimulant category.

But even though psychostimulant medications are routinely prescribed, many parents, child-care workers, counselors and teachers are sharp critics of medicating children. The long-term effects of these drugs are still not known, and there are side effects. Some children may experience weight loss, decreased appetite, sleeping difficulties, facial twitches, jerky movements or reduced growth.

For those parents who want to treat their child naturally, there are a variety of experimental treatment options that have met with limited success. Biofeedback, special diets and supplements are some of the more common drug-free ways to treat ADHD. Biofeedback is a form of stress reduction that teaches the child to control the way his body responds to certain situations, like slowing down a rapid heartbeat through deep breathing. Many parents restrict the child's consumption of white sugar, white flour, trans fats, gluten and dairy in an effort to improve behavior.

ADHD is a very complex condition. Each person with this disorder has a unique set of symptoms that warrants a specific treatment plan. Since this disorder affects the entire family, receiving support from school counselors, support groups and mental-health workers can be a great source of information and coping skills.