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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Children
WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects an
estimated 5 to 10 percent of school-aged children. It's 10
times more likely among boys than girls. Children with this
disorder are impulsive and easily distracted. They often seem
"hyper," although hyperactivity is
not always part of the problem.
The disorder usually starts before age 4, and invariably
before age 7. It's almost certain to interfere with schoolwork,
and often disrupts relations with friends and
family.
Causes
Scientists have yet to find a cause, although an
imbalance in the brain's chemical messengers seems a likely
culprit. The problem seems to run in
families.
Signs/Symptoms
Children with this disorder typically exhibit some or all
of the following:
-
Constant talking or
motion
-
Trouble following
directions
-
Inattention to what people
are saying
-
Inability to focus on a
single activity for long
-
Moving from task to task
without completing the job
-
Difficulty staying seated in
school
-
Squirming and fidgeting while
seated
-
Difficulty playing
quietly
-
Failure to wait their
turn
-
A tendency to lose things and
to be disorganized
-
Doing and saying things
without thinking
-
Lack of control over their
actions, sometimes resulting in damage or
injury
-
Failure to consider the
consequences of an action. For example, running into the
street without checking for traffic.
Care
Providing the child with a structured routine, consistent
discipline, and well-defined limits often proves helpful.
Professional counselors can offer you tips. Your doctor may
also prescribe Ritalin, a stimulant drug that often has the
paradoxical effect of increasing the child's attention span,
slowing down activity, and improving both schoolwork and
friendships.
Risks
Without some form of treatment, the problem can
degenerate into a vicious circle in which both the child and
those around him become steadily angrier and more upset.
However, treatment with Ritalin does pose the risk of side
effects, including insomnia, loss of appetite, and weight
loss.
WHAT YOU SHOULD
DO
-
Make sure the child takes his
medicine regularly, exactly as directed.
-
Take advantage of family
counseling services. They can give you valuable advice for
dealing with the situation.
-
Sessions with the doctor can
also help. They give both you and the child a chance to
discuss the problem away from your usual
routine.
-
Make lists and use a calendar
to help the child remember obligations. Be sure to praise
him for doing well.
-
Call a time-out when the
child acts up at home. After he calms down, discuss what
happened.
-
Make sure that the people in
your child's life are familiar with the disorder. Work with
his teachers to help solve classroom
problems.
-
Each month have meetings at
home where family members can ventilate their feelings
about the way things are going.
-
Provide plenty of
opportunities for exercise and active play. It will help
your child feel better.
-
Regular sleep is very
important for a child with this problem. If your child
can't sleep, let your doctor know.
-
For more information, call or
write:
-
-
Attention Deficit
Disorder Association (ADDA)
P.O. Box 972
Mentor, OH 44061
Phone: 1-800-487-2282
-
Children and Adults with
Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD)
499 NW 70th Avenue
Suite 308
Plantation, FL 33317
Phone: 305-587-3700
FAX: 305-587-4599
Call Your Doctor
If...
-
The child can't sleep or
sleeps too much.
-
The child is hurting himself
or others.
-
You feel you can no longer
cope with the situation.
-
You fear you're going to lose
patience and hurt the child.
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HealthCentral.com's
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