ADHD is an initialism for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a condition that affects a person’s brain development, in particular their self-control, attention and ability to sit still. This can have a far-reaching impact on a person’s life if the right intervention is not taken. As symptoms of ADHD involve difficulties with attention processes, this can impact the academic success of children with the condition. This can have long-term consequences on future success in academia and the workplace. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the steps you can take to help reduce the symptoms that your child experiences which will reduce the impact it has on their day-to-day life.
Symptoms of ADHD
Throughout their time in school every child will experience moments where they struggle to listen, follow instructions, sit still or pay attention. However, for a child with ADHD these struggles will be more difficult and occur more often. These symptoms are split into 2 behavioural problems
- Inattentiveness
- Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
Inattentiveness
A person who is inattentive is best described as having a difficulty focusing and concentrating. Some of the other signs include:
- Easily distracted, short attention span
- May spend a great deal of time daydreaming in class.
- Forgetful and lose track of their belongings.
- They may have some problems listening to directions and finishing the tasks or work they have been set
- Careless mistakes in school work
- Disorganised
Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
The signs of these behaviours include:
- They are easily bored
- Restless, very fidgety
- Unable to sit still.
- Act before thinking things through
- Can’t wait their turn
- Can’t concentrate on tasks
Causes of ADHD
It remains unclear what the exact cause of ADHD is. However, it is believed that ADHD is inherited as many children who have this disorder also have a parent or relative with it. There are some other factors that are believed to play a role which includes premature birth, alcohol or substance abuse during pregnancy and low birthweight.
Diagnosing ADHD
If you are worried about your child’s progress you should begin by discussing them with their teacher as this will allow you to see if they have had any concerns with their behaviour or school work. In the event that these concerns are shared it would be a good idea to book an appointment with a GP. After asking you some questions including the extent and impact of your child’s symptoms as well as any family history of the condition it is likely that the GP will recommend an observing period of around 10 weeks. This would be for the purpose of seeing if the symptoms stay the same, worsen or improve. In the event that these symptoms do not improve the GP would refer you to a specialist for an assessment.
Co-occurring conditions
There are certain disorders that have been found to be present more commonly in those with ADHD. One of these is an anxiety disorder which can make it feel like some of the symptoms are worsening. This includes feelings of restlessness, stress and constantly worrying about different things.
Another condition that is present along with ADHD is depression. This is because over time the symptoms of ADHD takes a toll on their lives, resulting in them becoming sad and isolated. The negative experiences and social interactions that they have in school can also contribute to feelings of depression.
Autism spectrum disorder has also been found in those with ADHD. This could be because they are both disorders where the brains development has been affected. This includes the brains executive functioning which has the responsibility of impulse control, organisational skills, focus and decision making.
As stated above, the chances of other conditions being present along with ADHD are high. This can also have an effect on the treatment that is selected. When a specialist is working on a treatment plan for your child, they will begin by finding out which of these symptoms or conditions are causing the greater impact on their lives. With depression and ADHD, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be used to help turn any negative feelings or thoughts about a situation into more positive ones.
Available Treatment
Although ADHD cannot be cured there are several treatments that are available that can be used to manage the symptoms. This would then help to reduce the impact they have on your day-to-day life. These treatments which would be arranged by a specialist would normally include therapy or medication, however, to make them more effective it would be worth discussing a combination of both.
A programme that is vital after the diagnosis of ADHD is what is called psychoeducation. This is where you are given all the information about ADHD so that you are able to discuss the condition. It will also allow you to understand the effect it will have on your life whilst educating you on the different ways you can cope with and live with the condition. A worry you may have with the diagnosis is that they will not have a normal life or succeed. However, this will serve as a reminder that they can and will succeed with your help, support and guidance.
In addition, support in school can be offered as some of the most challenging tasks that they face such as sitting still and concentrating are the ones that they have to do all day. Teachers have a difficult time as it is looking after a large group of children and they will do their best to help a child with ADHD. However, by getting the parents involved it can be a vital step to improve their child’s education. This can be done by scheduling regular meetings with the teachers to keep track of their progress. There would also be the chance to work with them to help manage their symptoms at school.
Medical Treatment
A specialist can prescribe one of the following medications as part of the treatment plan; methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine or dexamfetamine. These medicines are referred to as stimulants as they work by increasing activity in the brain. This is especially in the areas that are responsible for controlling behaviour and attention. As a result, their use will help to reduce impulsive behaviour and improve focus and attention levels. However, like with any form of medication there are side effects which can potentially add further troubles. Depending on the specific medicine, the side effects could include sleeping problems, headaches, loss of appetite or mood changes. Therefore, you will need to go through a trial-and-error process to identify which medication works best for you. To keep track of how effective they are and any side effects there will be regular check-ups with a GP.
Living with ADHD
Coping as a parent
Raising a child with ADHD can be challenging as their impulsive and chaotic behaviours can make the day very stressful. However, despite these difficulties you should remember that they cannot help their behaviours. These impulses will also be very difficult for them to suppress. This means that you will need to provide them with added guidance until they can acquire these skills by themselves. You can talk about this with a specialist so they can provide you with more detailed advice. But for now, here are a few basic tips that you can follow:
- Plan the day – if they know what is planned it will help to make a difference with how they cope
- Praise efforts – if they do something good, point it out, the praise will motivate them to behave in acceptable way. This is because at school they have been used to being corrected on their behaviours and getting complaints about them.
- Rewards – a system of rewards for positive behaviour can help reinforce behaviours that you are trying to encourage in them. The rewards can be selected by something that they have asked for or you have observed that they want.
- Consequences – the aim of this is to help your child understand the consequences of their actions which may help to control their impulse to act on them. In order to do this, you must first decide which behaviours are tolerable and which are not. This is because you do not want to punish every minor thing that they do. Also, there should be a consistency in the handing out of punishments because doing it for a behaviour one day and looking over it the next can be damaging to their progress.
