Attention deficit hyperactivity (1692)

What is ADHD?

Children with ADHD have problems with controlling their attention, impulses, and activity level. Having ADHD makes it hard for children to stay on task. ADHD is one of the most common chronic conditions of childhood.

What causes ADHD?

Doctors are often unable to tell what caused a child to have ADHD. A child is more likely to have ADHD if they:

• were born prematurely.
• were exposed to alcohol before they were born.
• have a close relative with ADHD.

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

Not all children with ADHD have the same symptoms. Their symptoms fall into three groups; mainly inattentive, mainly hyperactive and impulsive, or a combination of both groups.

Mainly inattentive children often:

• are easily distracted.
• daydream.
• seem to not listen.
• make careless mistakes.
• lose things.
• are disorganized.

Mainly hyperactive and Impulsive children often:

• talk a lot.
• have trouble playing quietly.
• act without thinking.
• constantly move.
• interrupt others.
• have trouble taking turns.
• have a hard time waiting for things
• fidget a lot

How can ADHD affect my child?

• They often struggle to pay attention and focus long enough to take in information. This makes it hard to finish a task.
• They may have problems finishing a task. This may make them seem lazy or careless.
• They may not do as well as they could in school and fall behind.
• They may also have mood swings because of problems handling their emotions. Their reactions may seem more intense than those of other children.

How can I help my child?

Ideal treatment usually includes parent training and medicine.

Parent Training

Parent training teaches parents how to deal with common struggles children with ADHD have at home and school. Training is often done by a psychologist, social worker, or mental health counselor.

At home

• Look for good behavior and praise your child right away. Be specific when praising your child. Note the exact behavior you were pleased with.
• Give your child rules that are clear and brief.
• Keep a consistent morning and evening routine. Have a regular time for meals, homework, going to bed and TV. Use charts and checklists to help your child finish these routines.
• Make sure your child understands the rules and consequences for breaking rules. Be consistent with rules and consequences.
• Only give directions when you can follow through on them. Give only one direction at a time. Give directions as statements, not questions or requests.

At school

Talk with your child’s school about a 504 plan based on their diagnosis. Some things your child may need in the plan:

Students should be allowed to:

• Sit in front of the classroom.
• Move around and take extra breaks during the school day.
• Take tests in a quiet area.

Teachers should:

• Use pictures as reminders and to explain things.
• Walk by the child often, to help keep them on task.
• Keep assignments brief or break them into smaller chunks.
• Vary the format and presentation of material to help keep interest.

Medicine

It may take time to find the right medicine and dose for your child. You can work with your child’s pediatrician, a developmental pediatrician, or child psychiatrist to figure out which medicine is best for your child.

For more information:

• www.chadd.org Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (English website)
• www.add.org National Attention Deficit Disorder Association (English website)
• Ninos Hiperactivos/ Taking Charge of ADHD (Guias Para Padres / Parent's Guide) by Russel Barkley (English and Spanish book editions)
• 101 School Success Tools for Students with ADHD by Iseman, Silverman, and Jeweler (English book)