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Many parents worry at times about how their children behave. Often, disruptive behaviour is simply part of growing up. But in some children, it is caused by a medical condition called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (or ADHD for short).
Children with ADHD find it hard to concentrate, are overactive and act without thinking. If your child has ADHD, it's important to get treatment. Otherwise, ADHD may affect how your child develops, and create problems at home and at school. A child with ADHD can have difficulty concentrating.
But with the right treatment, your child's behaviour can improve dramatically.
Key points for parents whose child has ADHD:
* ADHD is a medical condition. Children with the disorder find it hard to pay attention, are overactive and act without thinking.
* Not all children with behaviour problems have ADHD. Their behaviour may just be a phase or part of some other problem.
* The symptoms of ADHD tend to get better as children get older.
* Treatments for ADHD include drugs and talking treatments.
* Treatments can't cure ADHD, but they can help your child develop and learn normally.
You may hear ADHD called different things. Doctors used to call it attention deficit disorder or ADD. Children could have ADD on its own or with hyperactivity (being overactive). In 1987, this term was replaced with ADHD. But some doctors still use the old name.
You may also hear ADHD called hyperkinetic disorder, or HKD for short. The term HKD is usually used when your child's symptoms are severe and your child has all three signs of ADHD: inattention, overactivity and impulsiveness. If your child has ADHD, bear in mind that it's nobody's fault. Nothing you or your child has done has caused the condition.
You may feel as if your child is behaving badly on purpose. But being strict with a child who has ADHD is unlikely to make things better. Many parents of children with ADHD offer this advice: "Don't try to cope with your child's problems on your own".
What goes wrong in ADHD
Doctors aren't sure exactly what goes wrong in ADHD. But they think that the behaviour problems are linked to the way that the front part of the brain works.
Studies suggest that this part of the brain works more slowly in children with ADHD than in other children. Children with ADHD may have an imbalance in the neurotransmitters in the front part of the brain. Some doctors believe they don't have enough of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Children with ADHD may also lack the neurotransmitter noradrenaline.
How it feels to be a child with ADHD?
A child with ADHD is unable to process information in the same way as other children. This means that for a child with ADHD:
*The outside world rushes in with a flood of noise and images
* The child cannot decide what's important and gets confused.
This is why the child finds it impossible to organise daily tasks and to finish activities. For instance, a child without ADHD can sit happily in a room playing with a toy while the television is on, two adults talk and a car honks in the background. A child with ADHD will probably find this impossible. This child's brain can't deal with all the different sights and sounds and decide which is important. The child gets confused and can't concentrate.
Unfortunately, there are no tests that show whether the front part of a child's brain is working normally. So doctors have to rely on what children, parents and teachers say in order to diagnose ADHD.
Some children are much more active than most children their own age. They are always 'on the go' and can't sit still. If these children have ADHD they are usually diagnosed quickly because their symptoms are obvious. School can be a struggle for children with ADHD.
Other children pay less attention and do things without thinking more than most children their age. If these children have ADHD they may not be diagnosed for years. Parents and teachers may just think they are lazy or dreamy.
Children with ADHD may have three basic problems:
* They can't pay attention
* They are hyperactive
* They act on impulse.
Of course, nearly all children are like this at times. But children with ADHD are much more likely to act like this than children of the same age, at home and at school.
A child with ADHD may also find it difficult to communicate and make friends. They will give up during games and sports that require them to listen and follow rules. Children with this problem will find anything that requires concentration almost painfully hard and will try to avoid it. Homework may be a struggle. Planning ahead is difficult. This kind of behaviour is often most noticeable in toddlers and nursery-age children.
By the time children reach school age, they are not as hyperactive. But they still have a need to release pent-up energy. If they have to sit down at school they might squirm or sit on the edge of the seat, fidget, tap their hands, or shake their feet and legs. They tend to be noisy when they are supposed to be quiet.
As children get older, they will be less like this. But even teenagers and young adults with ADHD get restless and find it difficult to stay still.
How does my doctor know?
Doctors must take great care to make sure that a child really does have ADHD before they treat it. However, doctors disagree about how to decide if a child has ADHD. This means that while one doctor may say your child has ADHD, another doctor may disagree. A wrong diagnosis can be harmful because your child may be given unnecessary treatment or your child may not receive the treatment they need.
You may find it frustrating to wait for your child to be assessed for ADHD. But don't give up. If you think your child has a problem, then you have a right to have them assessed.
The BMJ Group (The Guardian)