|

Author:
Dean Novosat

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and it is a chronic condition that can have a great impact on a child if a child does not get help, or if the right ADHD treatment is not prescribed. Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD are impulsivity, inappropriate behavior, and hyperactivity. These children have difficulty staying on task and completing projects, which if not identified and treated early can be a huge barrier throughout the school years and eventually on the job. Before there was a diagnosis, these children were just seen as having lots of energy, or were just wild and always getting into trouble. Now that ADHD treatments are available, parents have the option of getting their child help so that they can be more productive in school and have fewer disruptions at home.

Not all parents and professionals agree on what type of ADHD treatment is the best, or if it should be used at all. Some parents feel that it is unnatural to treat a child with prescription medication that could have significant side effects, or otherwise harm the child. Side effects are dose dependent and can be lessened by reducing the dosage or switching to a different medication. Many times behavior modification therapy is not effective on its own, which is why ADHD treatment usually requires use of a stimulant drug. Stimulants have a paradoxical effect on children; these drugs do not increase hyperactivity, which is a normal response in adults, but help the child focus, control behaviors, and improve self-esteem. Stimulants used in ADHD treatment help children to complete tasks, learn more efficiently, and interact more positively with their peers.

In some cases, ADHD can be treated without medications at all. Some psychologists use behavior modification and behavior awareness for ADHD treatments. In some instances, ADHD has been eliminated by prayer. So medication is not the only option when it comes to ADHD treatments and one should not always assume that because their child has been diagnosed with ADHD that he or she will need to be on medication.

Physicians and psychiatrists develop individualized ADHD treatments for each child, because not all experience the same symptoms or have the same level of severity. There can also be other conditions that are present as well, such as mental or physical disorders that need to be addressed in addition to ADHD treatment. Such conditions may have a great impact on how the child responds to therapy, and if not treated simultaneously will tend to slow down progress. There are a number of sites on the internet that discuss ADHD, the symptoms, and how to go about getting help for your child. ADHD treatments and the controversies surrounding them are also discussed in depth. If you suspect your child has ADHD have him or her evaluated by a professional as soon as possible, so that your child can get the treatment he or she needs.

Dean Novosat writes for WellHabit.com. Here you’ll find a collection of health and fitness research and articles.

| Article Keywords: ADHD News

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to ADHD News... Fidgety Philip - A Brief History of ADHD Many people think ADHD is a recent "fad," a new diagnosis. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In 1845, Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, a physician who wrote books on medicine and psychiatry, wrote an illustrated book of children's poetry about children and their characteristics. "The Story of Fidgety Philip" was a portraite of an ADHD boy. ADHD was not "discovered" by Hoffman, however, or for many years later. In 1902 Sir George F. Still described a group of impulsive children with significant behavioral problems which he ascribed to a genetic disorder and not poor parenting. He was describing ADHD over 100 years ago. He called it "Morbid Defect of Moral Control." In 1922 the name of what we now call ADHD was changed to "Post-Encephalitic Behavior Disorders" in 1922 and "Minimal Brain Dysfunction" in 1960. The term "Attention Deficit Disorder +/- Hyperactivity" (now ADHD) came into being, after "Hyperkinetic Reaction" in 1968. All of these names for ADHD give an idea of where the research was going at particular times. In the 1960's and '70's much of the focus on what is now ADHD was on hyperactivity, with an awareness of the "daydreaming" and distractibility coming only in the 1980's. In 1980 the National Institutes of Mental Health recognized Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity as a disorder. ADHD was on its way to becoming recognized as a "real" illness. In 1998 the American Medical Association (AMA) stated that ADHD is "one of the best-researched disorders in medicine." Unfortunately, even with all of this research, no one knows what causes ADHD or how to cure it. But perhaps knowing a little of the history of ADHD will help you talk to your ADHD child and understand him a little better. Angie Dixon is a writer and ADHD mom of an ADHD...