By AFRA NAUSHAD, LIFE.STYLE@ARABNEWS.COM
Published: Oct 12, 2011 19:57 Updated: Oct 12, 2011 19:57
Ever wondered what legends in the likes of Einstein, James Dean, Socrates, Nostradamus, Pablo Picasso, Leo Tolstoy, Lord Byron, Che Guevara, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Edison, Sir Walter Raleigh, Beethoven, Vincent Van Gogh, Kurt Cobain, Mark Twain, John F Kennedy and Bill Gates have in common?
They have been suspects of or possessed ADHD symptoms!
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, frequently called ADHD/ADD, is a developmental disorder affecting large populations of both children and adults worldwide. Between three and five percent of children have been known to be affected globally. In addition, according to the National Center for Health Statistics in the US,
5.2 million children aged 13 to 17 years were diagnosed with ADHD in 2010.
The major inherent cause has been attributed to neurobiological causes or genetic aberrations with other contributing factors, including environmental agents, such as use of cigarettes and alcohol during pregnancy, presence of above-limit lead levels in pre-school children, refined sugar or food additives, traumatic brain injuries and brain abnormalities.
Telltale signs that indicate the possibility of ADHD
Predominantly hyperactive, impulsive type
Excessive fidgeting with hands and/or feet
Squirming in the chair, difficulty remaining seated
Talking excessively
Answering before questions are completed
Interrupting others continuously
Difficulty waiting for turns or standing in line
Running and climbing constantly
Predominantly inattentive type
Easily distracted
Little attention given to detail
Does not listen when spoken to directly
Short attention spans
Losing things frequently
Difficulty in organization
Forgetful in daily tasks
Combined type may reveal a set of both symptoms. This causes children to perform poorly in school, causing overall academic sufferance due to the lack of focus and attention. It may also result in frustration and affect peer relations. Adults may show a decreasing severity of the symptoms as age progresses in response to coping mechanisms. Difficulty in adhering to commitments and decreased performance at jobs results when the condition progresses into adulthood.
Diagnosis for ADHD remains tricky before the age of six, since children remain naturally hyperactive with a limited attention span. Hence, an appropriate diagnosis can be made satisfactorily during school age should the symptoms continue to persist.
Ways to cope with ADHD
The most effective strategy in the treatment of ADHD should be a multidisciplinary approach, which includes:
Education for both parents and child about diagnosis and treatment
ADHD medication
Behavior modification
School teacher involvement
School counselor involvement
Counseling
Psychotherapy
Hypnotherapy
Regular exercise, yoga
Diet therapy
Research suggests that appropriate nutrition can play a role in improving IQ and behavior. Diet therapy alone may not cure ADHD, but it can improve symptoms. In 1982, the National Institute of Health in the US held a scientific consensus conference to discuss this issue. It was found that diet restrictions helped about five percent of children with ADHD.
Consuming foods abundant in omega-3 fatty acids is a good approach. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, low levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the bloodstream may co-relate with learning and behavioral problems.
In addition, prevent junk and refined foods. Spikes in blood sugar can cause the hallmark ADHD symptom of restlessness and inattention. White bread, white rice and processed breakfast cereals are among the foods with high glycemic indexes. Instead, include walnuts, flax oil and green tea. Chamomile aromatherapy is also great for inducing relaxation.
How can parents help?
Ask your child’s doctor about training sessions that teach you how to encourage good behavior in your child
Seek chances to praise your child for doing something good. Don’t constantly tell your child to stop misbehaving
Parent balance in developing a nurturing relationship with the child and set ground rules
Work with your child’s teachers. The child may focus better if he/she sits near the teacher. Shorter assignments may also help
Ask your child’s teachers and doctor whether he/she should be evaluated for learning and language problems, since they often go hand in hand with ADHD. You may need to work with the school to draw up an individual education plan
Seek child counseling. This can help him/her from taking advantage of the diagnosis and can make them accountable for their behavior
Encourage the teachers to make the teaching process more exciting. The information will be more receptive to the child
“The teacher needs to learn how to deal with children suffering from ADHD. They have to avoid mistreating them by judging their level of intellectuality by performance. Discovering their strengths, facilitating alternatives and utilizing those strengths is important,” says Dr. Samer Arar, chief counseling psychologist at Maharat Center, a non-profit NGO that provides cognitive and skills development for children with specific learning disabilities.
The exciting bright side of ADHD
Many ADHD sufferers have made creative breakthroughs in all fields from literature, science, arts, music, politics to business.
Published: Oct 12, 2011 19:57 Updated: Oct 12, 2011 19:57
Ever wondered what legends in the likes of Einstein, James Dean, Socrates, Nostradamus, Pablo Picasso, Leo Tolstoy, Lord Byron, Che Guevara, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Edison, Sir Walter Raleigh, Beethoven, Vincent Van Gogh, Kurt Cobain, Mark Twain, John F Kennedy and Bill Gates have in common?
They have been suspects of or possessed ADHD symptoms!
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, frequently called ADHD/ADD, is a developmental disorder affecting large populations of both children and adults worldwide. Between three and five percent of children have been known to be affected globally. In addition, according to the National Center for Health Statistics in the US,
5.2 million children aged 13 to 17 years were diagnosed with ADHD in 2010.
The major inherent cause has been attributed to neurobiological causes or genetic aberrations with other contributing factors, including environmental agents, such as use of cigarettes and alcohol during pregnancy, presence of above-limit lead levels in pre-school children, refined sugar or food additives, traumatic brain injuries and brain abnormalities.
Telltale signs that indicate the possibility of ADHD
Predominantly hyperactive, impulsive type
Excessive fidgeting with hands and/or feet
Squirming in the chair, difficulty remaining seated
Talking excessively
Answering before questions are completed
Interrupting others continuously
Difficulty waiting for turns or standing in line
Running and climbing constantly
Predominantly inattentive type
Easily distracted
Little attention given to detail
Does not listen when spoken to directly
Short attention spans
Losing things frequently
Difficulty in organization
Forgetful in daily tasks
Combined type may reveal a set of both symptoms. This causes children to perform poorly in school, causing overall academic sufferance due to the lack of focus and attention. It may also result in frustration and affect peer relations. Adults may show a decreasing severity of the symptoms as age progresses in response to coping mechanisms. Difficulty in adhering to commitments and decreased performance at jobs results when the condition progresses into adulthood.
Diagnosis for ADHD remains tricky before the age of six, since children remain naturally hyperactive with a limited attention span. Hence, an appropriate diagnosis can be made satisfactorily during school age should the symptoms continue to persist.
Ways to cope with ADHD
The most effective strategy in the treatment of ADHD should be a multidisciplinary approach, which includes:
Education for both parents and child about diagnosis and treatment
ADHD medication
Behavior modification
School teacher involvement
School counselor involvement
Counseling
Psychotherapy
Hypnotherapy
Regular exercise, yoga
Diet therapy
Research suggests that appropriate nutrition can play a role in improving IQ and behavior. Diet therapy alone may not cure ADHD, but it can improve symptoms. In 1982, the National Institute of Health in the US held a scientific consensus conference to discuss this issue. It was found that diet restrictions helped about five percent of children with ADHD.
Consuming foods abundant in omega-3 fatty acids is a good approach. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, low levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the bloodstream may co-relate with learning and behavioral problems.
In addition, prevent junk and refined foods. Spikes in blood sugar can cause the hallmark ADHD symptom of restlessness and inattention. White bread, white rice and processed breakfast cereals are among the foods with high glycemic indexes. Instead, include walnuts, flax oil and green tea. Chamomile aromatherapy is also great for inducing relaxation.
How can parents help?
Ask your child’s doctor about training sessions that teach you how to encourage good behavior in your child
Seek chances to praise your child for doing something good. Don’t constantly tell your child to stop misbehaving
Parent balance in developing a nurturing relationship with the child and set ground rules
Work with your child’s teachers. The child may focus better if he/she sits near the teacher. Shorter assignments may also help
Ask your child’s teachers and doctor whether he/she should be evaluated for learning and language problems, since they often go hand in hand with ADHD. You may need to work with the school to draw up an individual education plan
Seek child counseling. This can help him/her from taking advantage of the diagnosis and can make them accountable for their behavior
Encourage the teachers to make the teaching process more exciting. The information will be more receptive to the child
“The teacher needs to learn how to deal with children suffering from ADHD. They have to avoid mistreating them by judging their level of intellectuality by performance. Discovering their strengths, facilitating alternatives and utilizing those strengths is important,” says Dr. Samer Arar, chief counseling psychologist at Maharat Center, a non-profit NGO that provides cognitive and skills development for children with specific learning disabilities.
The exciting bright side of ADHD
Many ADHD sufferers have made creative breakthroughs in all fields from literature, science, arts, music, politics to business.
ADHD is not a guarantee of being a genius, but people with ADHD are often very bright and have something different to contribute. They can easily get uninterested and bored in the absence of an opportunity that allows their creativity to flourish. People with ADHD may be inattentive, yet they often display the ability to hyper-focus on an area that may particularly interest them.
“Don’t be scared,” says Arar. “Know that there is a way to help your child and that he/she can be very successful if we can assess the problem and treat them with a proper plan.”
With those growing numbers of ADHD diagnoses, the world will witness an emergency state of creative chaos. Rather exciting!
Maharat Center for Cognitive and Skills Development, Jeddah
Tel: (02) 665-6218/ 664-5764/ 664-5663
www.maharat.org
© 2010 Arab News
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