This is a condition that is normally first diagnosed as a young child, but it can also be overlooked until adulthood. There are times when it can be mistaken that a child has attention deficit disorder when they go through moments of being hyper and cooperative, but this is normal. It is normal for children to have a lot of energy and they tend to get excited over things, especially if they have had a lot of sugar. For children who actually do have attention deficit disorder, they are more or less consistently hyper, uncooperative, impulsive and have trouble focusing. Children who have untreated attention deficit disorder can often have difficulty in school because they are not able to focus on what they are doing and learn. It is recommended that a parent who believes their child might be suffering from attention deficit disorder seek out professional advice and help.
If unsure whether the child has attention deficit disorder a parent can always consult and online therapist or a telephone counselor. It helps to learn more about the disorder before drawing any premature conclusions and the people best to learn from are the professionals who deal with it in their job. Of course, the internet can only help so much. While it might help to talk to someone and get some preliminary advice and suggestions, the therapist or counselor that the parent has contacted will probably recommend that they bring their child in to see a therapist in person. Seeing the child in person and how they act can help the professional determine whether or not the child is just a little more active, or if they are in fact suffering from attention deficit disorder. There are occasionally younger children who have trouble concentrating or calming down as a result of their life style and their family's life style. If that is the case, then the professional can work with the parents to help resolve the situation. Children who are diagnosed with attention deficit disorder by a professional can usually get help from online therapy. The therapist might decide that a temporary medicinal treatment might help the child to calm down enough to be able to function properly in school and at home without causing a disruption for anyone else. This medication will help to calm down the child, and hopefully after a period of time the child will calm down naturally. Then they can eventually be taken off the medication. While the child is on medication, the therapist will sometimes work with the parents and the child to promote more self control in the child, as well as possibly make changes in the expectations the parents have for the child at home.
Attention deficit disorder is still not overly understood. The exact causes are speculated about, but research is still being done. Through online counseling, therapists will work with the parents and their child to bring about changes in the home life at home, as well as help monitor any medications that their child might be on.
If you or anyone that you know would like more information regarding this post, feel free to visit http://www.completecounselingsolutions.com or email [email protected]
All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.
Add a Comment2 Comments
Oppositional defiant disorder treatment may include is Parent management training (PMT) is recommended for families of children with ODD because it has been demonstrated to affect negative interactions that repeatedly occur between the children and their parents. PMT consists of procedures with which parents are trained to change their own behaviors and thereby alter their child's problem behavior in the home.
March 16, 2011 - 1:49amThis Comment
Thanks for providing such great information on ADHD. One of the interesting aspects of ADHD is that there a number of conditions that can accompany it. Here's a list of other conditions to be on the look out for should someone you know be ADHD:
Learning Disabilities
Approximately 20 to 30 percent of children with ADHD— also have a specific learning disability. In preschool years, these disabilities include difficulty in understanding certain sounds or words and/or difficulty in expressing oneself in words. In school age children, reading or spelling disabilities, writing disorders, and arithmetic disorders may appear. A type of reading disorder, dyslexia, is quite widespread. Reading disabilities affect up to 8 percent of elementary school children.
Tourette Syndrome
A very small proportion of people with ADHD have a neurological disorder called Tourette syndrome. People with Tourette syndrome have various nervous tics and repetitive mannerisms, such as eye blinks, facial twitches, or grimacing. Others may clear their throats frequently, snort, sniff, or bark out words. These behaviors can be controlled with medication. While very few children have this syndrome, many of the cases of Tourette syndrome have associated ADHD. In such cases, both disorders often require treatment that may include medications.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
As many as one-third to one-half of all children with ADHD—mostly boys—have another condition, known as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). These children are often defiant, stubborn, non-compliant, have outbursts of temper, or become belligerent. They argue with adults and refuse to obey.
Conduct Disorder
About 20 to 40 percent of ADHD children may eventually develop conduct disorder (CD), a more serious pattern of antisocial behavior. These children frequently lie or steal, fight with or bully others, and are at a real risk of getting into trouble at school or with the police. They violate the basic rights of other people, are aggressive toward people and/or animals, destroy property, break into people’s homes, commit thefts, carry or use weapons, or engage in vandalism. These children or teens are at greater risk for substance use experimentation, and later dependence and abuse. They need immediate help.
Anxiety and Depression
Some children with ADHD often have co-occurring anxiety or depression. If the anxiety or depression is recognized and treated, the child will be better able to handle the problems that accompany ADHD. Conversely, effective treatment of ADHD can have a positive impact on anxiety as the child is better able to master academic tasks.
Bipolar Disorder
There are no accurate statistics on how many children with ADHD also have bipolar disorder. Differentiating between ADHD and bipolar disorder in childhood can be difficult. In its classic form, bipolar disorder is characterized by mood cycling between periods of intense highs and lows. But in children, bipolar disorder often seems to be a rather chronic mood dysregulation with a mixture of elation, depression, and irritability. Furthermore, there are some symptoms that can be present both in ADHD and bipolar disorder, such as a high level of energy and a reduced need for sleep. Of the symptoms differentiating children with ADHD from those with bipolar disorder, elated mood and grandiosity of the bipolar child are distinguishing characteristics.
For more, check out the National Institutes of Mental Health Web site.
August 20, 2008 - 8:12amThis Comment