Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hypertension Disorder
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Have you observed an individual who is always anxious at one minute and extremely active the other minute? They usually have a condition which is a neurobehavioral disorder that scientists refer to as Attention deficit hypertension disorder, commonly known as ADHD. In psychology, this is a brain disorder that results in a group of behaviorally characterized by hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsiveness. The symptoms of ADHD become are evident when a child is between the ages 6 and 12 (“ADHD | Child Mind Institute,” 2016). At this stage that the diagnosis is more efficient than if the diagnosis is made during teenage years or in adulthood. ADHD is a heredity gene whose primary cause is unidentified. in children, the medics have reports several reasons highly linked to the occurrence of this disorder. They vary depending on an individual with the most common include being born with low birth weight, being born while still early and ingestion of alcohol or smoking during pregnancy by the mother.
The disorder results in three behavioral problems which are hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsiveness. Inattentiveness results in zoning out from conversations and reality and they usually have short attention spans. It means that they are unable to concentrate in school for long hours if the same activity is continuously carried out without a change in activity. They also do not take part in tedious activities that require a lot of time and energy to conduct.

Such individuals are usually poor at following instructions and are also quite forgetful (“ADHD | Child Mind Institute,” 2016). These signs in a child who is in school can result in a bad performance and also the loss of school materials due to their poor organization skills.
Character traits that result from hyperactivity include too much talking and increased physical movements which can be explained by the constant fidgeting and inability to be calm and quiet. A student with such a disorder is usually seen to be impatient as he or she lacks the patience to wait their turn and instead, they keep interfering with others during conversations. Impulsiveness as a behavioral disorder is seen in individuals who act without stopping to consider the consequences that may arise from the actions. They have a poor sense of danger and more often landed in trouble by their rash acting.
For treatment of ADHD, certain medications are set aside to try and make the symptoms dormant. Most common stimulant drugs used in ADHD patients include amphetamines such as Dexedrine and methylphenidate such as Metadate CD (Emilsson, Baldursson & Young, 2011). However, there exist non-stimulant medications used on children, teens, and adults and these include Atomoxetine. However, these medications have their side effects that range from loss of sleep and irritability to loss of appetite and weight loss. A drug chart is usually prepared to ensure that the medication is taken at the right time intervals and to suppress the symptoms
The ongoing myth is that any child that is diagnosed with the disorder has ultimately been subjected to a lifetime of medication to ensure that the disease is in check. However, there are other alternative methods of treatment other than the use of medicines. Children diagnosed with ADHD are advised to introduce their children to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of hands-on psychotherapy treatment that will help an individual with the disorder to be able to change their thinking patterns and behavior, and ultimately be able to manage the symptoms of the disease. In children, therapy also helps to alleviate disruptive behaviors.
Children with severe symptoms of ADHD are given treatment alongside their medication, while those whose symptoms are not severe can manage the symptoms simply with therapy alone. However, according to Dr. Russell Barkley interventions by parents and teachers on the behavior of a child with ADHD do not effect significant change but only prevent the accumulation of failures and problems that are secondary to ADHD such as chronic lack of focus or high levels of anxiety. He also says that increased research will only help to find the treatment to problems secondary to ADHD but not on the particular disorder itself. For children over the age of 12, it is hard to determine if CBT has any change in their behavior. They are thus usually at a higher risk of getting mood disorders.
Cognitive therapy for adults frequently involves five components with different aims. This form of therapy is designed to improve the neurocognitive skills of an individual such as improving their attention plan through various strategies and controlling their memory. Problem solving helps an individual to learn how to make decisions and develop skilled thinking. Emotional control, on the other hand, helps an individual to get to manage their feelings of anger or anxiety, and this is usually useful when controlling impulsiveness. Critical reasoning enables an individual to learn how to critically analyze options while social skills aim at enabling a person to be able to acquire social skills such as empathy and excellent negotiation skills (Emilsson, Baldursson & Young, 2011)
For parents with children who have ADHD, it can be hectic hence it is advisable that they find proper ways to handle their children so that they do not aggravate the situation. Parents are advised to develop a schedule for their children who will help them plan their day. A routine helps a child with ADHD to get used to the regular activities that should be done at a given time. For example, a daily routine of what the child should do when preparing for school is helpful, and it helps the child to be able to cope. They should also stick to a strict plan, one which ensures that their bedtime is a constant time daily to make sure that they receive enough rest. It is also important to ensure that positive behavior is reinforced and the consequences for poor behavior clearly stated. It helps to control impulsiveness in children. When giving instructions to a child with ADHD, it is important that the instructions be broken down and simplified to make it easy for the child to understand what it is that they are supposed to do. A parent should say “Put the forks in the upper drawer and the spoons in the lower drawer” rather than saying “Arrange the cutlery in the drawers.” (Bhandari, 2016).
It is important for adults to be observant when dealing with children, teens or adults with ADHD as this will be helpful in knowing when any of the symptoms begins to show to facilitate right actions as soon as possible before the situation becomes difficult to handle. Distraction also helps in suppressing the symptoms when a particular action triggers them. It is important to observe the food that is induced to avoid foods containing substances that contain additives or caffeine that may trigger hyperactivity in children. Such foods should also be avoided when bedtime nears so as to keep hyper activeness at bay (” ADHD- NHS Choices,” 2016).
For adults with ADHD, it is important for them to keep a diary and have reminders of their planned schedules. They should also seek ways to help them relax and should be involved in regular exercise. It is also important for them to inform driving agencies whether the ADHD affects their driving.
A persistent myth that children can outgrow ADHD has convinced many people globally that the disorder goes away as one age. This belief is supported by the small number of adults with ADHD while there exists a significant number of children with the disorder. However, this is a neurobiological disease whose treatment is yet to be known. The disease does not go away with age. Early diagnosis and therapy help an individual to learn to manage the disorder, making it hard to detect. Through cognitive therapy, they can manage the symptoms easily and thus the symptoms cannot be easily diagnosed in their adulthood. However, there few adults who still continue to use their medication and require therapy to manage the symptoms of ADHD. In conclusion, it is important for parents to ensure that their children are taken to treatment so that the disorder becomes manageable for them. They should also avoid constant change of environment to prevent any feelings of anxiety that may be triggered by the modification.
References
ADHD | Child Mind Institute. (2016). Child Mind Institute. Retrieved 2 December 2016, from http://childmind.org/topics/disorders/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – Living with ADHD – NHS Choices. (2016). Nhs.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2016, from http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/LivingwithADHDpage.aspx
Bhandari, S. (2016). Behavioral Treatment for ADHD. WebMD. Retrieved 2 December 2016, from http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-behavioral-treatment
Emilsson, B, Baldursson & Young, S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy in medication-treated adults with ADHD and persistent Symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. BioMedCentral – Psychiatry. Retrieved 3 December 2016, from http://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-244X-11-116