laurathistle
04-30-2008, 08:29 PM
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - or ADHD as it is more commonly known – is an emotional developmental disorder which is estimated to affect around 3-5% of the population. The condition is usually identified in children but increasingly in adults. ADHD is generally regarded to be non-curable although there are some effective treatments available.
History
The physician/scientist Hippocrates described a condition in 493 BC that is similar to what is now recognised as ADHD. He noted patients as having quick responses to sensory experiences. He likened the condition to an over balance of fire and water. His advised treatment was to eat barley rather than bread, fish rather than meat, drink lots of water and to do lots of physical exercise.
In 1902 an English paediatrician George Still gave a series of lectures to the Royal College of Physicians in which he described a condition know known as ADHD.
The idea that hyperactivity not being directly causes by brain injury was first described as Hyperactive Child Syndrome by Stella Chess in 1960. Many new studies into it were taken after this and as a result emerged a greater understanding and eventually the condition came to be known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It has been referred to as Hyperactivity, Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder, Hyperkinetic Syndrome, Minimal Brain Dysfunction, Specific Learning Disability, Dyslexia, or a combination of the above.
Causes
It is still fairly uncertain what the exact cause of ADHD is and there is a large amount of research currently being carried out. It is believed that around 50% of cases can be explained by genetics. This is further supported by the fact that ADHA appears to run in families. It is estimated that between 10% and 35% of children with ADHD have a close relative who has or has had ADHD. Approximately half of parents who have and ADHD diagnosis themselves will have a child with ADHD. There have been a large number of studies carried out on twins, either one or both siblings having ADHD. Results show that if one twin has ADHD, it is significantly more likely also to be present in and identical twin in a non-identical twin.
Extensive research still being carried out on non-genetic (environmental) causes of ADHD. Results so far suggest that exposure to toxins such as lead, a birth weight lass them 3.3 pounds and complications during pregnancy and birth such as oxygen deprivation could be contributing factors. It has recently been suggested that low levels of omega-3 fatty acids could be a cause or significant contributory factor to ADHD.
There are many misconceptions into what causes ADHD which clinical research has proved to be untrue. These include sugar, caffeine, food colourings, poor home life, poor schooling and watching too much television.
Characteristics
People with ADHD do not have different physical features from people who do not. Only when you look closer at their actions and behaviours do the characteristics become apparent. These can include:
Compulsive Aggression - Disruptive at home and in school; compulsively touches everything and everybody; disturbs other children; cannot be diverted from an action; commits acts dangerous to the safety of self and often others.
Exceptionally Clumsiness - Poor muscle co-ordination. Eyes and hands do not seem to function together. Difficulty with writing and drawing. Generally poor fine motor skills
Excitable, Impulsive - Unpredictable behaviour; panics easily. Has frequent temper tantrums which are usually an expression of frustration.
Hyperactivity and Restlessness - Rocks, jiggles legs, fidgets dances, and wiggles hands, feet fingers and toes. In very young children this may be displayed as rocking and head banging.
Normal or High IQ - yet often fails at school.
Poor Sleeping Habits - Difficult to get to bed, hard to get to sleep; wakes easily and early.
Short Attention Span - Flits from one game/toy/ activity to another. Unable to concentrate. Unable to complete school projects; unable to sit through a meal or a TV program.
Tolerance of Failure, Frequent Frustration - Demands must be met immediately; will throw a tantrum if they are not met. Cries often and easily, sometimes for no apparent reason.
As well as displaying these ‘negative’ characteristic, people with ADHD also have many ‘positive’ attributes. These include being creative, inventive, artistic, inventive, sensitive, original, intuitive, empathetic, loving and exuberant,
Health Issues
Although there are no health problems directly related to AHDH there are health problems which are evident in some people with ADHD. These include:
Alcoholism- Recent findings have suggested that adults with persisting ADHD symptoms have a higher risk of developing and alcohol dependence than adults without ADHD. Research is still in its primary stages and the findings are not conclusive.
Bowel and Bedwetting- Many parents of children with ADHD report that there children have bowel and bedwetting problems as well as persistent urinary tract infections. This is thought to be caused by poor awareness of bowel and bladder control and usually corrects itself as the child gets older.
Vision- Many people with ADHD appear to have problems focusing their eyes at close range. It is estimated that 16% of people with ADHD have a sight problem of some degree although it is not thought that there is a direct link between sight problems and ADHD. No extensive research has been carried out in this area.
Support Strategies
With the correct support and effective strategies in place people with ADHD can lead normal lives and reach their full potential in all area of life. Support may include:
Routine – Having carefully organised yet flexible routines in areas such as work, home and school can help the person feel secure and help gain confidence. Not knowing what is going to happen next can confuse and panic a person with ADHD, causing a knock on effect that will cause a change in behaviour.
Individualised Education Plan- Whether attending a mainstream or special needs school; every child with ADHD (no matter how mild or severe) should have an IEP in place. This will detail the child’s needs and well as stipulating their curricular targets.
Simplifying Instructions- Again this should be done at home, school and work. By breaking tasks and instructions into smaller steps, the brain does not have to deal with too many things and the thought process becomes quicker.
Lowered noise levels- this could be implemented in school or place of work. By doing this it allows the person wit ADHD to concentrate on the task in hand.
Behaviour- Children with ADHD should be praised when they display correct and/or appropriate positive behaviour. This reinforces to them what is acceptable and what is expected of them.
Inappropriate behaviour should be ignored. In most cases the behaviour is unintentional and drawing attention to it can make it worse and embarrass the person.
Providing a visual cue for the person, such as holding out your palm can remind the person to stay on task.
Providing a distraction- While some toys and objects can distract a person with ADHD from the very thing they should be concentration on, in some cases providing an object that keeps there hands and fingers busy may actually help them concentrate on what they are doing, providing the object is not noisy and distracting others.
Classroom seating- in a classroom, a child will benefit from limited distractions, such not being seated beside the window, sitting near a role mode of theirs and possible from sitting near the teacher. The teacher will also benefit for being near the pupil, as they can keep a close eye on the pupil.
Diet- There are many arguments as to whether or not diet makes a difference to a person with ADHD, especially where essential fatty acids are concerned. However, everyone should follow a nutritionally balanced died whether they have ADHD or not.
Safety- As many children with ADHD have little sense of fear, it is important that the risk of them having accidents and harming themselves (or others around them) is minimised. This may include keeping doors locks, keeping sharp objects and chemicals out of reach. Children should be taught about potential dangers such as stranger danger road safety from an early age and the point reinforced regularly.
Social Skills Training- by teaching children how to manage their relationships better - like reading the non-verbal signals of communication - children learn to understand what impact their behaviour has on other people, so they can change it. This will also help them in being accepted by their peers.
History
The physician/scientist Hippocrates described a condition in 493 BC that is similar to what is now recognised as ADHD. He noted patients as having quick responses to sensory experiences. He likened the condition to an over balance of fire and water. His advised treatment was to eat barley rather than bread, fish rather than meat, drink lots of water and to do lots of physical exercise.
In 1902 an English paediatrician George Still gave a series of lectures to the Royal College of Physicians in which he described a condition know known as ADHD.
The idea that hyperactivity not being directly causes by brain injury was first described as Hyperactive Child Syndrome by Stella Chess in 1960. Many new studies into it were taken after this and as a result emerged a greater understanding and eventually the condition came to be known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It has been referred to as Hyperactivity, Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder, Hyperkinetic Syndrome, Minimal Brain Dysfunction, Specific Learning Disability, Dyslexia, or a combination of the above.
Causes
It is still fairly uncertain what the exact cause of ADHD is and there is a large amount of research currently being carried out. It is believed that around 50% of cases can be explained by genetics. This is further supported by the fact that ADHA appears to run in families. It is estimated that between 10% and 35% of children with ADHD have a close relative who has or has had ADHD. Approximately half of parents who have and ADHD diagnosis themselves will have a child with ADHD. There have been a large number of studies carried out on twins, either one or both siblings having ADHD. Results show that if one twin has ADHD, it is significantly more likely also to be present in and identical twin in a non-identical twin.
Extensive research still being carried out on non-genetic (environmental) causes of ADHD. Results so far suggest that exposure to toxins such as lead, a birth weight lass them 3.3 pounds and complications during pregnancy and birth such as oxygen deprivation could be contributing factors. It has recently been suggested that low levels of omega-3 fatty acids could be a cause or significant contributory factor to ADHD.
There are many misconceptions into what causes ADHD which clinical research has proved to be untrue. These include sugar, caffeine, food colourings, poor home life, poor schooling and watching too much television.
Characteristics
People with ADHD do not have different physical features from people who do not. Only when you look closer at their actions and behaviours do the characteristics become apparent. These can include:
Compulsive Aggression - Disruptive at home and in school; compulsively touches everything and everybody; disturbs other children; cannot be diverted from an action; commits acts dangerous to the safety of self and often others.
Exceptionally Clumsiness - Poor muscle co-ordination. Eyes and hands do not seem to function together. Difficulty with writing and drawing. Generally poor fine motor skills
Excitable, Impulsive - Unpredictable behaviour; panics easily. Has frequent temper tantrums which are usually an expression of frustration.
Hyperactivity and Restlessness - Rocks, jiggles legs, fidgets dances, and wiggles hands, feet fingers and toes. In very young children this may be displayed as rocking and head banging.
Normal or High IQ - yet often fails at school.
Poor Sleeping Habits - Difficult to get to bed, hard to get to sleep; wakes easily and early.
Short Attention Span - Flits from one game/toy/ activity to another. Unable to concentrate. Unable to complete school projects; unable to sit through a meal or a TV program.
Tolerance of Failure, Frequent Frustration - Demands must be met immediately; will throw a tantrum if they are not met. Cries often and easily, sometimes for no apparent reason.
As well as displaying these ‘negative’ characteristic, people with ADHD also have many ‘positive’ attributes. These include being creative, inventive, artistic, inventive, sensitive, original, intuitive, empathetic, loving and exuberant,
Health Issues
Although there are no health problems directly related to AHDH there are health problems which are evident in some people with ADHD. These include:
Alcoholism- Recent findings have suggested that adults with persisting ADHD symptoms have a higher risk of developing and alcohol dependence than adults without ADHD. Research is still in its primary stages and the findings are not conclusive.
Bowel and Bedwetting- Many parents of children with ADHD report that there children have bowel and bedwetting problems as well as persistent urinary tract infections. This is thought to be caused by poor awareness of bowel and bladder control and usually corrects itself as the child gets older.
Vision- Many people with ADHD appear to have problems focusing their eyes at close range. It is estimated that 16% of people with ADHD have a sight problem of some degree although it is not thought that there is a direct link between sight problems and ADHD. No extensive research has been carried out in this area.
Support Strategies
With the correct support and effective strategies in place people with ADHD can lead normal lives and reach their full potential in all area of life. Support may include:
Routine – Having carefully organised yet flexible routines in areas such as work, home and school can help the person feel secure and help gain confidence. Not knowing what is going to happen next can confuse and panic a person with ADHD, causing a knock on effect that will cause a change in behaviour.
Individualised Education Plan- Whether attending a mainstream or special needs school; every child with ADHD (no matter how mild or severe) should have an IEP in place. This will detail the child’s needs and well as stipulating their curricular targets.
Simplifying Instructions- Again this should be done at home, school and work. By breaking tasks and instructions into smaller steps, the brain does not have to deal with too many things and the thought process becomes quicker.
Lowered noise levels- this could be implemented in school or place of work. By doing this it allows the person wit ADHD to concentrate on the task in hand.
Behaviour- Children with ADHD should be praised when they display correct and/or appropriate positive behaviour. This reinforces to them what is acceptable and what is expected of them.
Inappropriate behaviour should be ignored. In most cases the behaviour is unintentional and drawing attention to it can make it worse and embarrass the person.
Providing a visual cue for the person, such as holding out your palm can remind the person to stay on task.
Providing a distraction- While some toys and objects can distract a person with ADHD from the very thing they should be concentration on, in some cases providing an object that keeps there hands and fingers busy may actually help them concentrate on what they are doing, providing the object is not noisy and distracting others.
Classroom seating- in a classroom, a child will benefit from limited distractions, such not being seated beside the window, sitting near a role mode of theirs and possible from sitting near the teacher. The teacher will also benefit for being near the pupil, as they can keep a close eye on the pupil.
Diet- There are many arguments as to whether or not diet makes a difference to a person with ADHD, especially where essential fatty acids are concerned. However, everyone should follow a nutritionally balanced died whether they have ADHD or not.
Safety- As many children with ADHD have little sense of fear, it is important that the risk of them having accidents and harming themselves (or others around them) is minimised. This may include keeping doors locks, keeping sharp objects and chemicals out of reach. Children should be taught about potential dangers such as stranger danger road safety from an early age and the point reinforced regularly.
Social Skills Training- by teaching children how to manage their relationships better - like reading the non-verbal signals of communication - children learn to understand what impact their behaviour has on other people, so they can change it. This will also help them in being accepted by their peers.