Attention Deficit Disorder in Children – Tough Decisions For Parents

Article by Robert William Locke

The first thing parents usually want to do is to get a diagnosis for ADHD as soon as they suspect that their child might have ADHD. The diagnosis of attention deficit disorder in children is now so widespread that many parents are seeking diagnosis for children at a very early age. I know one parent who had her son diagnosed at 3 years of age! Many doctors and pediatricians will refuse to diagnose a child until they are at least 5-6 years old. This is wise given that the child has not developed fully. How can they assess his behaviour at school? The child has not even started yet so how can you measure his attention span? How can you tell if he can concentrate or not? If the paediatrician is following the DSM -Vol IV manual, then he or she knows that there are at least 6 symptoms which must be evident in each of the inattention and hyperactive/impulsive categories. They must also be present in at least two settings such as the home, school, church etc.

If parents are really concerned that there is something wrong, then they can avail of the Early Childhood Intervention service which is free in most states and may have another name. There may be cases where he child is a danger to himself and the other children around him. The purpose of the ECI service is to give parents guidelines and advice about children between birth and 3 who may have some disabilities or may be showing delays in developing. The purpose of the service is to ascertain which children are eligible for special disability allowances. They will certainly be able to rule out attention deficit disorder in children or at least give advice about when to seek a proper diagnosis and at what age. They may be able to explain why the child is so restless or displays inappropriate behaviour, for example.

When and if attention deficit disorder in children is diagnosed some other tough decisions have to be made by parents. There is a battle going at the moment between the advocates of ADHD medication who claim that ADHD psychostimulant drugs are not only beneficial in controlling symptoms of ADHD but also play down the side effects of these drugs (amphetamines and methylphenidates) and say that the risks are just minimal. But there have been many controversial cases such as Mike Gilpin the footballer who died of a heat stroke and who had been taking Adderall. There was also the case of the skateboarder who dropped dead from a heart attack. He had been on Ritalin for nine years.

The drug companies who make these medicines have basically failed to give relevant and clear information on the long term effects on the neural development of children and also they really do not know how exactly these medications work! Parents now refuse to have the wool pulled over their eyes and are looking at homeopathic treatments for attention deficit disorder in children specifically tailored for this condition and which do not carry ANY risks at all. You may want to find out just what an ADHD natural cure consists of and the facilities where it is prepared. The link below will provide all the answers you need.

About the Author

Robert Locke is a Health enthusiast who specializes in Children’s Health. He has written extensively on ADHD. Discover what ADHD Alternative Therapy is available.

Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD – Problems, Challenges and Opportunities

Article by Robert William Locke

Nobody seems to know what exactly causes attention deficit disorder ADHD but there are a lot of theories out there. Whatever the cause, ADHD presents problems, challenges and even opportunities to parents and the children themselves. The first problems parents have is coping with behaviour which can ruin family routine and cause problems with other siblings. Parents have to know how to cope with behaviour which will not only disappoint them but also infuriate them! Parents often seek help and have to learn that an ADHD child is coping with a disorder which often involves an overload in terms of sensory signals coming at them. About half of kids will outgrow ADHD but the other half will have to bear the brunt of ruined marriages and careers unless they have been taught self-control or time management skills in childhood.

This first problem can be resolved as a challenge and that is to make sure that rewards and consequences are in place and the child knows exactly what they are. Ideally a similar set of behaviours, specific to the classroom situation, should be in place in the child’s class. Often parents have to learn this through ADHD support groups or behaviour therapy classes. We now know that genetics may well account for up to 80% of attention deficit disorder ADHD. It seems that there are as many genes as symptoms which is the only conclusion that experts have come to, so far. It does account for the fact that many parents themselves suffered or still suffer from ADHD themselves.

The second challenge will be to ensure that the problems of anti-social behaviour are dealt with. In the 7-10 age group of children with ADHD, up to a third or even more will be prone to lying and thieving. About a quarter will have problems in fighting with other children. At school there are special educational assistance facilities available and the parents can find out about these from their local support groups. Sometimes an ADHD coach can be employed to help with behavioural problems.

There will be opportunities too. There will be time to help the child develop their talents – they are often the funniest and most intelligent children. They should be aware of the problems they have as they grow up and encouraged to look at attention deficit disorder ADHD as an opportunity. Parents will be approaching ADHD from many different angles, such as behaviour therapy which I have mentioned above. They will also be aware of what the implications are of giving their children mind-altering psychostimulants. Thousands of parents refuse to even consider this option because of the risks involved. If you, like them would like to know what these alternative attention deficit disorder ADHD treatments are, click on the link below.

About the Author

Robert Locke is a Health enthusiast who specializes in Children’s Health. He has written extensively on ADHD. Discover what ADHD Alternative Therapy is available.

5 Practical Attention Deficit Disorder Natural Treatment Alternatives

Article by Jeff D McQueen

Going for Attention Deficit Disorder Natural treatment alternatives is the inclination nowadays. Many are opting for such approach, and are no longer as open to conventional ways. Conventional ways have not been proven to work anyways, and there are side effects that may result if one should insist in going for this treatment. So here are some natural ways for you to consider in treating ADD.

The 5 Practical Attention Deficit Disorder Natural Treatment Alternatives:

Alternative No. 1: Supplementation with Essential Fatty Acids, Zinc and Iron. These supplements have been known to have a healthy effect on the nerves of the body and of the brain. Some of these allow for better blood circulation, which indirectly affects the functioning of the brain as well. These supplements may be right for you. Just ask your personal physician though, before you actually take these just to be on the safe side.

Alternative No. 2: Cerebellar Training. This involves a series of exercises that will combine movement and balance. This activity is supposed to train the brain for fast processing of information and improve cerebellar functioning. This approach, however, is not backed up by scientific and published data. But even so, the approach is not invasive and is safe-so this may be worth your consideration to try out.

Alternative No. 3: Meditation and Music Therapy. This Attention Deficit Disorder natural treatment alternative is more of a symptom management, rather than a treatment for the underlying disorder. But nonetheless, since it can relieve the pain and may allow the affected individual to experience a relaxed state is already a big thing. Once the individual is relaxed, he or she can better focus and becomes less hyperactive.

Alternative No. 4: The Feingold Diet. This is already a well-known diet for those with ADD/ADHD. It is a salicylate-free and additive-free diet. This requires a controlled diet such that foods with artificial colors and flavors are to be avoided. Also, aspirin is to be avoided when subscribing to this diet plan. What is advised, however, is to have a healthy diet composed of fresh and natural foods.

Alternative No. 5: Avoidance of Sugar and Soft drinks. Those with ADD or ADHD are found to be unable to digest sugars efficiently. Soft drinks contain the ingredient, phosphates, which displace the healthy levels of calcium and magnesium-resulting to exaggerated muscle activity. The sugars here may also result to restless behavior.

As you can see here, there are many alternative ways to treating ADD. Though not proven scientifically, these have come out due to initial studies and due to some testimonials proclaiming a degree of effectiveness.

So, you can’t just dismiss these helpful alternatives right away, not unless the medical world has some clear cure on ADD and ADHD. The best thing to do, however, is to ask your doctor how you can incorporate these alternative ways in your overall program. These Attention Deficit Disorder natural treatment alternatives are effective in their own right and to certain degrees-thus, it becomes worthwhile to ask the blessing of your doctor to incorporate these in your treatment.

About the Author

To find out more, check out: AttentionDeficitDisorderNaturalTreatmentDistributed by Content Crooner

Attention Deficit Disorder – Is It A Learning Disability?

Article by Stuart Farrar

Attention Deficit Disorder, in itself, isn’t a learning incapacity. The term learning disability typically refers to a perceptual incapacity , such as a visual or auditory processing disorder, like dyslexia or autism. Somebody with ADD, on the other hand, has no problems perceiving or interpreting information. Therefore, it doesn’t count as a learning disability.

While it is usually mixed in with the mass of disabilities, ADD actually doesn’t obstruct the process of learning. A child with ADD can take in info, process it appropriately, and store it in memory, just like any other person. The difficulty includes getting them to listen for long enough to hear the information in the first place!

A kid with Attention Deficit Disorder might have difficulties in school and with learning in general, but it isn’t thanks to a learning disability. Often, when a child is given treatment for ADD, their educational performance gets better by leaps and bounds. From the other viewpoint, a child who has ADD may not have any difficulty in learning at all ; this can vary by person.

However, while ADD is not a learning incapacity, it is typically accompanied by one or more related issues. Some children, especially at the preschool age, may have difficulty interpreting sounds or words and may also have speech issues. Older kids might have problems spelling and reading, writing, and mathematics disorders may pop up. Likewise, dyslexia, a reading disorder, is widespread in kids with ADD.

However, none of these incapacities is inherent to Attention Deficit Disorder – while some children might have them, plenty will not.

Whereas ADD may result in difficulty in learning, steps can be taken to help the child perform well despite the disorder.

Most ADD kids perform better with a schedule – the exact same thing, every single day. Because they may have issues with memory retention and are easily distracted, this helps them stay on track, because they are acting because of habit.

The same goes for organisation ; a fixed way to do places and things to put things makes it easier to remember and stay on course. By the same token, teaching the kid to utilise organizational binders and planners also helps them keep in control and keep up with vital assignments.

During lesson time, it helps if an interactive approach is taken in opposition to a lecturing style – this keeps the child’s attention better and can lower the likelihood of distractions.

The most important thing is to not make ADD a crutch for the kid ; they can grow and achieve success, even allowing for this disorder.

About the Author

Even if you or your child does have ADD (or dyslexia or ADHD), did you know that you can achieve reading speeds (including near-perfect comprehension and retention) that are in the tens of thousands of words per minute – that’s over 100 times most people’s usual reading speed? Find out how you can acquire an eidetic memory.

And if you just want to take a free IQ test for a bit of fun, then check out http://FreeOnlineIQTest.info/ now.

AN INTRODUCTION TO ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

Article by Peony Wong

AN INTRODUCTION TO ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

One of the most wrongly diagnosed and wrongly understood neurological conditions in the world is Attention Deficit Disorder or more commonly known with its acronym of ADD. The reality is that the majority of people lacks a proper understanding of the disorder, and also would not be able to identify it if they met a person with ADD. This article, and there is more to follow, intends to give you information about ADD, the meaning of the disorder, the methods by which it is diagnosed, the various treatments, and some topics regarding the issue. And let’s hope that this would be a valuable tool by which your knowledge and ability to understand the disorder will increase.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or shortly ADHD/ADD, is a problem where the individual who is affected by it fails to be attentive for a long period of time. Motor restlessness and impulsive behavior are other indications of the disorder. Reports suggest that approximately 4.4% of all adults possess some degree of ADD.

ADD is understood as a disorder of the neurobiological type caused in brain by a glitch in the dopamine neurotransmitter systems. Genes play a huge part in maximum cases. There is 30% chance for a child to have ADD if a parent or near kith and kin has the disorder. In cases of twin children, if one of the pair has ADD, the other’s chances of being struck by the disease increases by 50%. At one time the belief was held that ADD could be caused by poor nutrition, but it has been dismissed now as a myth. Similarly, allergies, drugs or bad parenting could be cut off from the list. Deep head trauma, fetal alcohol syndrome, intoxication through lead, and thyroid irregularities, are some of the other medical conditions showing symptoms like ADD. Hence it is advised that the other possibilities are rules out completely before the person could be said to have ADD for sure.

Having ADD means that an individual having it is not getting sufficient neuro-chemicals. Said in simpler terms it signifies that proper stimulation of the brain is missing, as a result of which the brain attempts to find methods by which the release of the chemicals can be increased. People with ADD try to stimulate their brains with things like physical activities, movements, and always doing things that stimulate or are stimulating. This is not a conscious decision on the parts of the people with ADD. They really cannot help themselves and it becomes a reflex action and they act in a hyperactive manner. The difficulty caused by this is that individuals who suffer from ADD, when face a circumstance that do not stimulate them, like school work, try to put their attention on something that is stimulating to them. Of course the school work is completely hampered by this, and the child cannot perform well in his or her studies. I can narrate a story here told to me by a friend. This incident happened when knowledge about the disease was poor. There was a child who would suddenly get up on his desk when the class is still commencing, and would begin to tell jokes. In the beginning people thought that he was trying to be funny and consciously disturb the others. But over time it came to be known that the child had ADD, and his actions were beyond his control.

Personal relationships and the ability to be permanently employed also become cause of concern for people with ADD. Then legal issue also crop up when ADD causes people to take dangerous chances with themselves and end up doing careless things to stimulate themselves.

For further information on ADHD. please check it out at http://www.adhdhelpguide.com

About the Author

Peony is a therapist that has been dealing with children from age 3-15 who are facing AHDH. Currently, she is doing her research and development on the human behavior aspects for people of all ages.