Unsolved , unanswered and unpredictable but capable of doing all: ADHD

Recall in your mind the last time you saw the Ferris wheel IN ANY AMUSEMENT PARK with sparkling lights bright flash was impressive left some good impact for a while and went on. But people struggling with ADHD may be struck on the wheel, maybe on a lightning effect or maybe something we can’t even think of! Now, picture this brain inside a young child for whom coping skills is an ongoing learning experience, During bright flashes, rotating wheel activity there is an explosion of creativity, spatial discrimination, gravity influences interaction, attention and utilization of information.

However, between the episode of turning clockwise rotation of a wheel or anticlockwise music of wheel lighting effect creates silence, darkness, space, voids of productivity in the middle of ADHD.

Unknowingly different thoughts, many unsolved queries, stocking on the particular incident and trying to correlate that situation into the present scenario.

“Many questions are unanswered in the minds of ADHD “

According to DSM-IV: ADHD is a disruptive behavioral disorder characterized by a set of chronic and impairing behavior patterns that display abnormal levels of inattention, hyperactivity, or their combination.

It is primarily by inattention, easy distractibility, disorganization, temporize, forgetfulness and lethargy or fatigue. Symptoms usually show before the age of seven. It is most common in school-age children.

It is normally used to describe children who have three main kinds of problems:

• overactive behavior (hyperactivity)
• impulsive behavior
• difficulty in paying attention.

Children falling into this category are commonly encountered with all the above problems mentioned .they find difficulty adjusting and adapting to the environment, people, and society.

The symptoms are also pervasive, meaning they occur in multiple settings, rather than just one.

They are the same as another child of your house but there may be difficulties of a certain domain for example: sensory, cognitive, behavior or any other depending upon the need of the child.

It’s like “ Multiple Films on a Single Screen”, it means when multiple films are going on a single screen we can't understand similarly a child with ADHD have many incidents going on due to which they cant adjust and understand how to react.

ADHD IS NOT ONLY ABOUT :

X All about hyperactivity. Kids with the inattention type of ADHD may appear “daydreamy” or off in their own world.

X A problem with laziness.

X ADHD is caused by differences in brain anatomy and wiring.

X Something most kids totally outgrow.

X Many kids diagnosed with ADHD have symptoms that persist in adulthood.

It’s about what is less or what is more, some children have different symptoms of the same disorder, as a parent caretaker, the teacher you need to be more understanding about the pain the symptoms your child is growing through.

“The child might be alike of each other but grown differently

Red flags of ADHD

Inattention

• Has difficulty concentrating
• Has unrelated thoughts
• Has problems focusing and sustaining attention
• Appears to not be listening
• Performance depends on the task
• May have better attention to enjoyed activities
• Has difficulty planning, organizing, and completing tasks on time
• Has problems learning new things
• Demonstrates poor self-regulation of behavior, that is, he or she has difficulty monitoring and modifying behavior to fit different situations and settings

Hyperactivity

• Seems unable to sit still (e.g., squirming in his/her seat, roaming around the room, tapping a pencil, wiggling feet, and touching everything)
• Appears restless and fidgety
• Involuntarily jumping, a restive pattern of movement
• May bounce from one activity to the next
• Often tries to do more than one thing at once

Impulsivity

• Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences.
• Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting for their turns in games.
• Often interrupt conversations or others’ activities.
• Impatient

Combined presentation

• The individual meets the criteria for both inattention and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD presentations.

How to diagnose?

We know that young children have lots of energy and like to be active. Young children also tend to have a short attention span - they soon get tired of an activity and want to move on to something new. So how can you tell whether a child has ADHD or is simply restless or bored? To a certain extent, it may be a matter of degree - children with ADHD are not just very active but have a wide range of problem behaviors which can make them very difficult to care for and control.

It is important to remember that no label or diagnosis will give a perfect description of an individual child. Children are all different and will express their problems in different ways.

When symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsiveness are significantly affecting a child’s ability to learn and to complete activities of daily living, then a diagnosis and intervention should be sought.

Occupational Therapists, Medical practitioners are happy to conduct an assessment and begin intervention as required. Be sure to speak with your child’s teachers and carers to gather information about any concerns they may have as this will help prioritize therapy intervention goals.