By Margarita Bleier, MA, MSW, LCSW
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often diagnosed in children when they exhibit six or more of the symptoms of inattention of hyperactivity which have been present for six months or more.
Symptoms of ADHD
- Making careless mistakes
- Having difficulty sustaining attention
- Not seeming to listen
- Difficulty organizing tasks
- Avoiding or dislike tasks that require mental efforts
- Losing things necessary for school work
- Being easily distracted by others, and/or
- Failing to finish chores, school work, doesn’t follow through
When diagnosing the addition of hyperactivity or impulsivity, the following must be present:
- Fidgeting with hands or feet; squirming in seat
- Leaving their seat in classroom / church
- Running around and climbs excessively
- Difficulty playing quietly
- Talking excessively
- On the go as if driven by a motor.
Myths About ADHD
Myth: There is a single well-known cause for ADHD
While there is no single cause for the disorder, ADHD has been attributed to:
- Genetic factors
- Biologic factors (including fetal alcohol syndrome, lead poisoning)
- Social factors (learned behavior)
Myth: It’s better to ignore ADHD and not label my kid as having a problem.
Fact: Studies show that without treatment, children with ADHD are more prone to alcohol and drug abuse, school and work problems and difficulty with interpersonal relationships.
Myth: Medication use by adolescents could lead to abuse and addiction.
Fact: Early treatment may in fact provide protection against the development of an abuse problem. Long-acting formulations are taken once daily and additional dosage outside the home is not necessary.
Myth: ADHD is just a disorder of childhood.
Fact: ADHD is not just a disorder of childhood. The adult form of the disorder is known as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) because the symptoms of hyperactivity tend to diminish with age.
Myth: ADD in adults is not common.
Fact: ADD is far more common than popularly believed. While ADHD presents as a series of symptoms that usually become evident in preschool or early elementary years, more than 8 million adults in the US may have ADD.
Myth: All children outgrow ADHD.
Fact: Although in some cases symptoms can change or even disappear during adolescence, the condition continues into adulthood for 60 percent of children with ADHD.
Myth: Bad parenting causes ADHD.
Fact: While research shows that ADHD tends to run in families, ADHD may be a neurobiological disorder. How parents raise a child may contribute to the persistence of ADHD symptoms, but not cause it.
Myth: Eating lots of sugar causes ADHD.
Fact: Carefully controlled trials have shown that there is no relationship between high sugar levels and the behavior of children with or without ADHD. Additionally, there is no proof that there is a definite abnormality or chemical imbalance in the brain.
Myth: Behavioral therapy is enough to treat ADHD.
Fact: ADHD can be treated through a combination of individual and family therapy, behavioral therapy (a system of rewards and punishments, and time-outs applied systematically and consistently by all the people involved in the care of the child), and/or medication therapy.
None of these treatments work efficiently by themselves. Family therapy addresses family dysfunction, individual therapy addresses low self esteem, behavior medication changes behavioral habits, and medications decrease impulsivity and hyperactivity. Medication can only be prescribed by a physician after a careful evaluation and diagnosis.
Myth: There are more children with ADHD now than in the past.
Fact: The number of children that are being treated for ADHD has risen because there is more awareness and better ways of diagnosing and treating this disorder. More children are being helped.
Myth: Schools are putting children on ADHD medication.
Fact: Certain medications, combined with individual and family interventions, can help to improve children’s behavior. While teachers are often the first to notice ADHD symptoms, only physicians can prescribe medications to treat ADHD, and only the child’s parents or legal guardians can consent to treatment.
