Your Guide to Attention Deficit Disorder
Mental Health > Your Guide to Attention Deficit Disorder
Is your child hyperactive or aggressive? Is he unable to focus? Is he easily distracted? If yes, then he might be suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Attention Deficit Disorder is a biological condition that affects a person’s ability to concentrate, which results in reduced productivity. There are three basic forms of ADD: primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive-impulsive and their combined form, which is the most common.
What causes ADD? The medical fraternity still does not know the exact cause of this disorder. However, there are factors that contribute to it such as lower socio economic status, problems in the womb, disruptive and destructive home life, heavy use of drug, or even things like television, video games, and sugar.
The symptoms of ADD are not physical but behavioral such as the inability to plan and organize, loss of memory, being distracted, forgetful, fidgety, making careless mistakes, talking too much etc. Children not suffering from ADD also exhibit these symptoms but their behavior is non-disruptive and the symptoms do not last over the years.
If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, you must seek medical help at the earliest. The check-up should include a detailed medical history of the child. Psychometric and educational testing is also a very important tool to diagnose ADHD. It helps to identify any learning disabilities. The test spots the strengths and the weaknesses of the child and advises on how to go about putting the strengths to the maximum advantage.
Treatment of ADD is two fold: psychotherapy and medication. Psychotherapy involves a support group, which helps the child to cope up with the symptoms. In school, education specialist and the teachers are asked for performance feedback of the child on a standardized scale. Medication involves use of psycho stimulants that stimulate and increase the activity and functioning of the brain. However, these medications are controlled substances and their use on children should be carefully monitored. A balanced diet and regular physical activity will also be beneficial for the treatment of ADD.
Research related to the prevention of ADD has still not given any concrete answers. Nevertheless, once ADD is diagnosed, parents and teachers can use specific behavioral and learning techniques to help keep it under control.