We live in a country where no one wants to even think about a disorder when it comes to their kids until things get completely out of hand. No one even wants to read up about it and it’s almost a taboo talking about disorders in children. I am no expert at this but I love to read to keep myself informed of things that happen or could happen to anyone and today I would like to talk to you about ADHD.
I believe every child go through a phase of hyperactivity as they are such energy balls and their energy needs to be channelized positively. But sometimes nothing helps.
The symptoms of ADHD appear in childhood but continue through adolescence and adulthood. It’s characterised by problems with inattention, disorganization and poor impulse control well into teens and adulthood. Children find it difficult to pay attention, are overactive and act without thinking (impulsively).
The genes do play a big part in it but there are some other factors as well like low birth weight, brain injuries, cigarette smoking, drug or alcohol use during pregnancy, exposure to toxins like lead at a young age.
Hyperactivity symptoms always show up before middle school and you might be able to notice it in preschoolers. Children with hyperactivity like to –
– Fidget and squirm when seated
– Get up frequently to walk or run around
– Restlessness
– Have trouble playing quietly
– Talk excessively and always be “on the go”
Impulsivity symptoms include impatience and having a hard time waiting to talk to react.
Inattention symptoms include the following.
– They are forgetful about daily activities
– Have trouble listening to others and don’t like following social rules
– They get easily distracted by noises that others don’t bother with
– Lack of focus and are disorganised
– Tend to make careless mistakes and find it difficult to pay attention to details. The work they do looks like a mess and done carelessly.
If you feel there is any reason you need to consult a therapist, please do. There is absolutely no harm and shame about getting your child diagnosed. Anyone can suffer from this and it’s better to be detected in childhood than being carried onto adulthood and making their life crazier.
