Controversial Aspects Of The Attention Deficit Disorder Test

Article by Robert William Locke

The Attention Deficit Disorder test is just as controversial as the whole ADD and ADHD debate. Many regard it as too subjective and say that it is therefore not an accurate diagnostic tool. Others claim that ADHD has increased because now the diagnostic methods for the ADHD test are more sophisticated.

When problems at school become troublesome – there is a pattern of disruptive behaviour which disturbs the other children, interrupting and other inappropriate behaviour- then the school may actually request that the child should take the ADHD test. The teacher will have noticed that this behaviour, including inability to stay focused, has been consistent for a period of at least six months and contrasts sharply with the behaviour patterns of the other children. Many ADHD children have very little spatial awareness and keep on getting bruised by bumping into furniture. I know some parents who swear that playing with Wii will help to improve this.

In some schools, the school psychologist actually does the attention deficit disorder test and when ADHD is diagnosed, he may also confirm that there is a comorbid disorder present, such as Tourette’s syndrome which is characterised by tics, twitching and talking in spurts. You, as a parent may want to have the child tested privately. If your child does indeed have ADHD, you are entitled to ask for special education services from the school.

The actual attention deficit disorder test itself will consist of a physical exam plus a run down of the family medical history. If you have had ADHD yourself as a child or indeed still have it as an adult, there is a 60% chance that your child may have ADHD too, although as to what exactly the genetic link is, nobody is quite sure. Questionnaires, behaviour checklists and the TOVA (Test Of Variables of Attention ) plus clinical interviews are all carried out. The teacher also has to fill in a questionnaire. Then the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV edition) is followed in assessing the criteria and that basically completes the attention deficit disorder test. The basic rule of thumb is that if six of the long list of symptoms and signs of ADHD have been present for at least six months, then it is more than probable that the child has ADHD. The criteria are also measured against the behaviour of normal children.

There are heartbreaking stories on the blogs and ADHD forums of children suffering from severe side effects of ADHD psychostimulants. After the attention deficit disorder test results, millions of children are put on these drugs. We are now in the midst of an ADHD epidemic. While some children find relief with these drugs, there are many side effects which can destroy a happy childhood. Is the risk of poor health (loss of weight and insomnia) or the sinister shadow of substance abuse worth taking? If you would like to find out about a safer natural ADHD treatment which has no side effects, visit the site 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.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders – Getting The Best Help You Can For Your Child

Many parents are convinced that the best way to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorders is through medication. Little else matters and they are often backed up by doctors who have neither the time nor the energy to recommend any other type of comprehensive treatment which would go a long way to solving many ADHD problems.

What a pity that many parents just do not realize this. The fact of the matter is that most of the major medical authorities are now backtracking and playing down the benefits, if any, of medication alone. The research now shows unequivocably that medication with psychostimulants must be used in a limited way. Ritalin and Adderall are not enough. The main thrust of any treatment program must be centered round behavior modification programs, or simply effective parenting skills.

Other areas of treatment will be important and more emphasis is now placed on an ADHD diet which can help, more green time and an ADHD friendly home. These all play their part in that they are part of a comprehensive treatment program.

Did you know that the area of our brains which controls our wake sleep cycle is very closely connected to the action and attention brain transmitters as well. It is not surprising that sufferers of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders have lots of problems in sleeping. Some medications even exacerbate these problems.

There is a way round this if we establish certain routines for bedtime. These can eliminate most of the problems. We need to make sure that there are no media appliances in the bedroom. We should establish a winding down routine so that relaxing activities such as reading stories and listening to music are done at least an hour beforehand. Computers are all switched off and phones too. The computer screen is so bright that it can trick our brains into thinking that it is daytime. Some children have found that white noise such as a fan or other electrical appliance can actually help.

Diet and attention hyperactivity disorders have filed millions of search results on the Web. Not surprising but we do know a few things now about how diet can actually help with ADHD. The same solution is not valid for every child, obviously.

The work of Dr. Doris Rapp is very interesting and highly relevant in this regard. She has established that certain children have allergies and the typical reactions such as a runny nose are not the only ones. The allergy may actually affect how the brain is working and that can lead to behavior problems, inattention and hyperactivity. It needs a lot of patience to establish what may be causing the allergic reaction.

In treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, behavior modification is absolutely crucial as that will determine how a child behaves and will teach him coping and managing skills. No medication can ever do that, no matter what the doctors say. Why not discover how easy it is to implement a program like this in your home?

Attention Deficit Disorder Iadhd

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.

The Disturbing Facts About Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactive disorder or ADHD as it is now more commonly referred to is full of disturbing facts and mysteries. Here is the first one. The diagnosis of ADHD consists of various questionnaires which assess the child’s behavior and whether it is holding back his normal development. Nothing wrong with that, as the parents and teachers have to answer the questions. The problem is that the most likely cause of ADHD is a chemical imbalance in the brain and /or abnormal brain development. The most obvious thing to do would be a brain scan but this is done in very few cases. Dr. Amen, an ADHD expert has said that it will take about twenty years before the brain scan is actually standard practice. Until then, we are going to be swimming around in a sea of uncertainties.

Look at the second disturbing fact about attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Dr. Jon Jureidini is Head of Psychiatry at Adelaide’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital and he is alarmed about the increase in the number of psychotic episodes (almost doubled in 3 years) in children who are on these ADHD drugs. These drugs are psychostimulants and they are household names by now. Ritalin, Adderall, Strattera all spring to mind. Hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, depression, psychosis and mania are now being reported (admittedly in very small numbers) in ADHD children on this medication. There have even been a few cases of five year old children attempting suicide! It seems like a horror movie looking at the future but it is happening now and it is for real, unfortunately. Dr. Jureidini is doubtful about the benefits of these drugs and is alarmed at the fact that there has been so little research done on the side effects.

The third disturbing fact to haunt us parents is that attention deficit hyperactive disorder is being overdiagnosed. Not only is the actual method of diagnosis highly questionable but the number of diagnoses has taken an exponential leap and the numbers of children with ADHD is now about 5% of the child population. Very often, child behavior problems are caused by a multiple of other conditions and these are often confused with ADHD. Let me give you a few examples. It could be a food allergy, emotional problems at school or indeed in the home, thyroid deficiency, mineral or vitamin deficiency, yeast infections, hearing problems or an eyesight problem. There have even been cases of teachers insisting that children are put on psychostimulant drugs long before there has been a proper diagnosis by a child specialist or psychiatrist.

Isn’t it time to stand back from all this and get a proper diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactive disorder if it is suspected. Then, consider all the treatment options and there are many. Look at the drugs and assess whether you want your child on a powerful mind altering drug which could also affect his heart. Then take a look at ADHD homeopathic remedies where you will be surprised to learn that there are no side effects and no health risks at all. Because of powerful lobbies, these facts are not well known. Learn more about these unsung remedies by clicking on the link below.

Identifying And Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder

Article by Jon Arnold

Attention Deficit Disorder is a neurological dysfunction but your best chances of coping with it and making it better for the afflicted child (or adult) is an early diagnosis. Learn to identify the signs of ADD and ADHD and be aware of a consistent display of these symptoms. Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD, sometimes also referred to as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD needs to be diagnosed as early as possible to provide treatment and even a possible cure for the afflicted person. But in reality, the diagnosis of ADD should be considered a start to the process, not an end.

ADD is a neurological dysfunction and at this point in time, there are no studies that can conclusively report that there is a cure. To a certain extent, diagnosis of ADD or ADHD is almost subjective and a matter of opinion, but even so, it really is a disease or a dysfunction, although some people (typically children) have it more severely than others. The diagnosis of ADD is never simple and typically requires a thorough investigation into the possible causes of it. There are almost always external factors that play a large role in ADD, and medication will never be the sole cure or sole treatment of it.

Attention Deficit Disorder usually begins early in childhood when a child first begins to develop their verbal speech and language skills. Experts in this field have a very strong theory that the ADD/ADHD child is for some reason being delayed in their development of self-control and self-regulation, and they will get extremely frustrated with their inability to adequately communicate. To be more concise, the ADD/ADHD child is unable to stop and think before responding to a situational demand or requirement. Some studies indicate that the ADD/ADHD child is about 30% or more behind their peers in their ability to self-manage, self-control, organize, and plan for the future. One of the problems with this is that parents need to realize that this 30% is not made up for in total as the child continues to develop unless treatment and accommodations for the ailment can be provided.

ADD and ADHD afflictions are not limited to children, even though that is the most common place it is seen. But consider also that ADD rarely comes on suddenly, so an adult who is diagnosed with ADD very likely had ADD as a child and was never diagnosed with it. In the adult, the symptoms of ADD/ADHD are often disruptive, though it is not intentional disruption. One of the signs of ADD/ADHD in adults as well as children is that anxiety is amplified. Given a situation that might cause one to feel anxiety, the anxiety level in the ADD/ADHD patient is at an even greater level.

Unfortunately, Attention Deficit Disorder and its closely related cousin Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are complex conditions that are not well understood by the scientific or medical community today. But studies continue and new information is being learned about this affliction all the time. While it is known that ADD and ADHD are neurological disorders, tests and studies are being done to determine what part of the brain or nervous system is affected most, and if there are medications that can reliably treat this without causing even more severe side effects.

The best thing you can do is to get an early diagnosis by a trained medical professional for ADD. They can evaluate the severity of the affliction and make sound recommendations as to how to work with the afflicted patient and steps you should take for them to give them the best chance of success as they grow older.

About the Author

Jon is a computer engineer with a wide variety of skills and expertise in many areas. To get more information about href=”http://www.all-about-add-adhd.com”>Attention Deficit Disorder, please visit his web site at http://www.all-about-add-adhd.com