Let?s look at five behavioral issues which are not ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). While these difficulties may be found along with ADHD, it doesn?t mean that they are symptoms of ADHD.
The five problems we?ll discuss are Anxiety, Depression, Disruptive Behavior, Learning Disabilities, and Sensory Integration Disorder. Please believe me ? I don?t want to make your life more complicated! Yet if we wish to approach treatment and outcomes with a degree of scientific objectivity, an accurate understanding of a child?s behavior is essential. Unfortunately, we live in a time when all kinds of behavioral problems are herded under the umbrella of ADHD. But what if some attention problems have a different foundation, and what if psychostimulant medication isn?t always the best response to behavioral problems ? even those that appear to involve hyperactivity?
1. Anxiety is a problem that may easily affect attention because a child can be preoccupied with internal thoughts or worries. As a consequence, he or she may appear to be zoning out. An important question to consider is whether your child is equally distracted when he or she is relaxed. If not, situational factors may be triggering anxiety and inattention. Sometimes children who do not know how to handle a worrisome situation, or who have difficulty expressing their feelings, ?clam up.? Don?t you have a harder time concentrating on work if you?re nervous or worried about a personal situation? It can be much more difficult for a child to articulate his or her worries. A concern that seems trivial to adults can also cause great anxiety for a child, as well. For example, a preschool boy was very worried in school until it was discovered that he was having trouble handling his buckles and snaps at the bathroom break but was afraid to ask for help; a 7th grade girl couldn?t focus in her Language Arts class because she was seated next to a girl who had mocked her in gym.
Depression is a mood disorder which can impair executive thinking skills like working memory, cognitive flexibility, planning, and attention.
2. Depression turns our mind?s idle down, and as a result we can appear ?out of it? ? but the cause is not ADHD. Irritability, lack of initiation or interest, and inattention may be symptoms of depression or ADHD. Of course, most children can?t describe exactly what they feel, or whether a mood problem or poor focus came first. In such cases, it is critical to evaluate a child?s behavior in multiple contexts, and to determine if an improvement in mood helps focus. (Some dual-action antidepressants such as Effexor (TM), which effect norepinephrine, enhance executive thinking skills much better than other antidepressants. Please consult your doctor about possible advantages of dual-action antidepressants for children with both a low mood and executive dysfunction).
3. Disruptive Behavior is an especially prevalent problem in school. Some kids just won?t settle down and are a significant learning liability for other students. Sometimes, disruptive behavior is mistaken for hyperactivity. Indeed, hyperactivity may lead to disruptive behavior, but they are not the same thing. All kinds of kids can be disruptive, sometimes intentionally. A hyperactive child has trouble slowing down, even though he may wish to. An intentionally disruptive child may be feeling frustrated by classroom expectations, rebelling against authority, developing self-control at a slower rate than peers, or seeking attention. If a child is invested in gaining attention through mischief, loudness, or intrusion, a medicine such as Ritalin (TM) is not likely the best course of treatment.
4. Learning Disabilities may affect one or more subject areas, as well as social interaction. It stands to reason that if a child has a learning problem, in reading for example, he or she will be less attentive to that aspect of instruction. A learning disability can certainly be exacerbated by ADHD, but ADHD itself is better understood more as a learning liability than something like dyslexia ? a specific learning disability.
5. Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) is a problem with either being oversensitive or undersensitive to sensory stimuli. These problems can make a child appear either hyperactive or inattentive. This disorder is often confused with ADHD, especially in preschool children whose sensory integration difficulties undermine ?self-control.? A child with a sensory integration disorder may be distressed by loud noises, bright lights, rough textures, or smells; or conversely, may need to handle things, hang upside-down, or shout boisterously. For an excellent discussion of Sensory Integration Disorder, read Carol Stock Kranowitz?s book, The Out-of Sync Child.
Each of the disorders described above could potentially be found along with ADHD, in which case both disorders need to be treated. Without question, ADHD is major health epidemic facing children. The Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have both affirmed this fact. In the midst of managing this crisis, we?ve got to work hard to resist ?one size fits all? thinking. Let?s make sure children?s behavior is carefully evaluated and understood within a social and emotional context. If we were the person being treated, we wouldn?t expect or accept anything less!
Adam Cox, PhD, is a board-certified clinical psychologist and author of "Boys of Few Words: Raising Our Sons to Communicate and Connect" (Guilford Press 2006). For more parenting resources, or for help setting up a social skills group in your school, please visit http://www.dradamcox.com
Parenting Child With ADHD
Lets be totally, brutally honest: raising a child with ADHD can be very draining and place a heavy strain on your emotions.m Many people keep asking on how to parent an ADHD child. Frustration and impatience can slowly develop for parent of child with ADHD, and stress just seems to well up inside of you, and the best and most effective way on parenting children with ADHD is a near impossible question to answer.
Understand ADD/ADHD And Stimulant Meds
Stimulant drugs do not cure ADHD. These medications only help people with ADD or ADHD to have better control of their behaviours so that they can be productive academically, when they are at home, or when in social gatherings. Therefore, stimulant medication can be viewed just as a `tool' to alleviate problems related to ADD or ADHD. To be truly effective, stimulant medication should be taken together with behavioural skills training.
Dealing with ADHD
If you?ve been noticing peculiar behavioral patterns in your child, he may be exhibiting typical ADHD behavior. ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition in children which compels them to act differently than most kids their age. You may also be more familiar with ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. This term was later changed to ADHD to create a more accurate description of this condition.
Co-Morbidity Rates: Other Problems That May Come With ADHD
Diagnosing children and teens with ADHD can be a challenge. Very often the child or teen that comes to the office will have both a neurologically based Attention Deficit Disorder, as well as some other clinical condition that requires treatment.
Distance Education Now Supports Those Affected by Attention Deficit Disorder
It is estimated that over 5% of the population in the United States is directly affected by Attention Deficit Disorder. Those affected by ADD or ADHD may now get support without leaving their homes.
ADHD Psychological Treatment for Children More Accessible Through a Unique Program
Based on research and established ADHD treatment guidelines, Total Focus provides education for parents and therapeutic activities for kids through a multimedia program available for home use. Total Focus can be used with or without ADHD medications.
The What and Hows of ADD/ADHD in Children
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD or ADHD) is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood and unfortunately most of its causes are unknown. It can persist through adolescence and into adulthood.
Adult ADHD and Fear: Why We Procrastinate
One of the things people with Adult ADHD symptoms really struggle with is procrastination. And procrastination really comes out of fear. What kind of fear?
ADHD Improved Without Drugs
Advancing the circadian rhythm has been shown to improve both objective and subjective measures of ADHD symptoms. University scientists have developed special glasses that block the blue rays that cause a delay in the start of the flow of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Putting on the glasses a couple of hours ahead of bedtime eliminates this delay thereby advancing the circadian rhythm.
Stress Can Create Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder
Stress can affect virtually any part of the body and produce physical, mental and emotional symptoms weakening the immune system and impairing coordination and thinking ability. Stress comes from relationships, from school or work situations, and from our own expectations.
Has ADHD Put Your Career in Danger? 3 Steps to Get You Back on Track
"Roger, you must get those contracts completed for this month's sales and don't forget, we have a meeting tomorrow at 9:00. Don't be late again!"Roger was a super salesman, but he risked losing his job because he was too busy rushing from client to client to get his paper work completed.
Fish Oil?s Powerful Abilities Against Add Or Adhd
Does your child have problems concentrating or remaining on an activity? Impulsive? Then your child probably has a specific learning difficulty called Attention-deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD).
School Issues: When Should an ADHD Child Be Held Back In School?
This can be a very complicated issue, so I don't mean to suggest that my comments here are the definitive thoughts on the subject. For a parent to even consider the issue, things have to be pretty problematic at school.
Dexedrine, Cylert, and Adderall in the Treatment of ADHD
Dexedrine is not prescribed very often for the treatment of ADHD out here in California, but those patients that we've seen on it have done well. Typically it is prescribed to patients who have not responded to Ritalin very well.
Finding Natural Alternatives Adhd Children Can Use.
Most doctors, when they encounter a case of ADHD, turn to stimulant or anti-depressant drugs to counteract most of the disorders symptoms. However, in taking these drugs the effects are short lived and the medication needs to be constant. There is also the possibility of various side effects to contend with too. Because of this, it is only natural that parents try to find alternatives. Most parents are attracted by natural alternatives ADHD children can take as opposed to prescribed drugs mainly because they are considered to have less side effects. Here are some natural alternatives for ADHD that have shown promise: