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Today we are having a look at ADHD a condition my grandchild Sam
has, I also have a niece with it.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a
neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a person's behaviour and
learning. It's characterized by symptoms like:
- Inattention,
or difficulty focusing
- Hyperactivity,
or excess movement
- Impulsivity,
or acting without thinking
It is often first diagnosed in childhood, but some people don't
discover they have it until they're older. The exact cause of ADHD is
unknown, but it's thought to be caused by differences in the brain that impact
attention and behaviour.
It can impact a person's life at home, school, and with
friends. Treatments include:
- Behavioural
therapies, like psychotherapy or talk therapy
- Medication,
which can help manage impulses and actions
Sam was diagnosed when he was in kindergarten and had to be
medicated before he was allowed to attend a full day at school later, she moved
on to a full week. When Sam first started school, she was only going two half
days a week.
It is one of the most common mental disorders affecting
children. Symptoms include the following:
inattention
hyperactivity
impulsivity
finding it hard to sit still
constantly fidgeting.
being unable to concentrate on tasks.
excessive physical movement.
excessive talking.
being unable to wait their turn.
acting without thinking.
interrupting conversations.
Yes, Sam has all these symptoms.
Usually, the most difficult times for persons with ADHD are
their school years these are the years when children are faced with the
widest range of tasks to do and the least opportunity to escape from the tasks
that they struggle with or find to be boring.
You cannot outgrow the condition but as you age you learn how to
control it or yourself and your symptoms, it is likely you may need some form
of medication even as an adult. My niece is in her 30’s and was only diagnosed this
year and is now on medication and coping much better than she was.
It tends to run in families, and,
in most cases, it's thought the genes you inherit from your parents are a
significant factor in developing the condition. Research shows that parents and
siblings of someone with ADHD are more likely to have ADHD themselves.
Sam’s father has ADHD
I find this very interesting, Jo-Anne because my husband has ADHD. He had a grand mal seizure as a toddler due to a high fever. It was about this time he was diagnosed with Hyperactive disorder, the precursor to ADHD. It also was called ADD. He was prescribed phenobarbital. His father worked with him one on one, he was able to learn that it was okay to learn in a different way. He still has many of those symptoms. He also has a high IQ and studied engineering. He’s also Dyslexic.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing is his daughter, also had a grand mal seizure as an infant due to a high fever. She was mentally damaged and did not fair as well. She doesn’t have ADHD. But the seizure must have been inherited.
It does seem so many children have this now. My husband’s mom gave him coffee before school to calm him down. Today there is so much help and support so that children can reach their potential. It’s not as bleak as it must have been 100 years ago when they didn’t know what or how to deal with this.