Almost every child seems to have a short attention span. It is natural for children to let their minds wander, but sometimes it is much more serious. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) appears in the early stages of a child’s life. Approximately 3 to 5 percent of children in the United States have ADHD, which equals about two million. There are different types of ADHD that vary by situation, making it difficult to diagnose. It is easy to believe that these symptoms will disappear on their own; however, ADHD usually remains into adult life.
Symptoms
1. Impulsivity: Inability to think before actions, difficulty restraining emotions, speaking inappropriately without thinking of the consequence, acting out regardless of possible punishment.
2. Hyperactivity: Constant moving or fidgeting, inability to sit still in class or stay quiet, overwhelming urge to touch or play with something.
3. Inattention: Incompletion of tasks, easy distraction by sights or sounds, failure to follow directions, forgetfulness.
Types of ADHD
There are two types of ADHD. Hyperactivity-Impulsivity ADHD does not always include inattention, but the inability to be calm and think rationally. Children with Inattentive ADHD seem to be easily confused, lethargic, and often appear to daydream. They are not hyperactive or impulsive, but have difficulty concentrating or focusing.
Diagnosing ADHD
Diagnosis is often difficult because many children display these characteristics. In order to have ADHD a child must fall into these guidelines:
• Behavior is detrimental to at least two aspects of a child’s life such as school, home, and social settings.
• Behaviors appear before the age of seven and continue for at least six months.
• Behavior is inappropriate to the child’s age.
Treatment
There are many different treatments of ADHD. The Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD used medication, behavioral treatment, a combination of both, or community care. Medication and the behavioral treatment combined were found to be the best treatments for ADHD. Behavioral treatment attempts to organize the child and change his or her behavior. Ask your doctor to help choose what treatment is best for your child.
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