You Think your Child has ADHD? Think Again!

Ajay is a 10 yr. old boy, studying in one of the best schools in the city. His academic & extra-

curricular record is good and he has many friends. Ajay is naughty at times, for e.g., he starts

walking around the classroom once he finishes his class work. At home, his mother feels he is

very high on energy. Sometimes, when he does a lot of mischief, his mother talks to him about

his behaviour and he understands. However, lately Ajay’s mother has started reading a lot of

stuff about hyperactive children and worries if Ajay suffers from ADHD.

Carol is another 10 yr. old girl, studying at a premier institute, and is a very bright & energetic

child. Her grades at school are usually below average. She does not seem to be forming lasting

friendships. Every parent – teacher meeting, her parents speak of Carol’s inability to concentrate

while studying and her teachers reiterate the same. They also talk of how Carol keeps walking

around the classroom even while the teacher is explaining concepts and if forced to sit, she

always squirms in her seat. Even when someone is trying to talk to Carol about these issues, she

does not seem to be paying attention. Carol’s teachers and parents have also heard about

ADHD.

With the progress of technology, information is now at the tip of our fingers. As much as it is a

blessing to be always informed, fortunately or unfortunately, due to the availability of more

information than required, all of us have become experts in all the fields that one could think of.

In both of the above cases, the parents and teachers of Ajay and Carol, have heard about the

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and seem to have a reason to believe that their ward may

be suffering from the same.

Approximately 3 to 5 % of the current school age population is suffering from ADHD. The

symptoms may become evident during the child’s infant years and may continue into adulthood.

ADHD broadly has three clusters of symptoms:

Inattention

Individual does not pay attention to details and makes careless mistakes

Distracted easily and has trouble focusing

Seems not to listen when being spoken to directly

Has trouble following directions and remembering things

Unorganized, and trouble planning ahead or finishing activities

Often loses or misplaces items

Hyperactivity

Constantly moving and fidgeting

Often gets up from seat at times when sitting quietly is expected

Always moving around

Talks excessively

Has trouble playing quietly

Appears to always be on the go

Impulsiveness

Screams out answers without waiting to be called on

Has trouble waiting for their turn

Frequently interrupts and disturbs others

“Intrudes” on other people’s conversations or activities.

If we compare the above symptoms with the cases discussed here, we can see that some of these symptoms are present in either Ajay or Carol or both. Does that mean that either one or both of them have ADHD?  No, it does not. ADHD can be diagnosed only if the behaviour displayed by the person in question causes significant disruptions to activities of daily living, one of them being the child’s academics here.

The terms active and hyperactive have a rather thin distinction but it is nonetheless, an important one. An active child is someone who perhaps is tireless with bounds of energy supply but he / she does not face difficulties at school, has good relations with friends, and is able to control self when needed (for e.g., school assemblies). They also understand when their shortcomings are pointed out and change can be expected from them. Does that sound like Ajay’s case above?

A hyperactive child is one who is tireless & has significant difficulty in getting organized (e.g., packing school bags) and staying focused. They do not have lasting friendships and often have difficulty making friends. Even if they do understand that their behaviour is causing difficulty to themselves or others around them, it is difficult for them to control it. Many times, they also have difficulty understanding the implication of their behaviour even when spoken to directly. Carol, from the above example, seems to be having some traits of a hyperactive child but we cannot say it for sure yet. To be sure that Carol is a hyperactive child with or without attention issues, we have to talk to her, run some psychometric tests, observe her behaviour at home / school, and then decide.

Attaching labels is becoming easier with each passing day. Although, ADHD and its variations are common childhood conditions, the over diagnosing of these conditions is on a rise. Labeling young, happy, energetic, children as hyper-active simply because they did not follow a teacher’s instructions or did not make their bed when the parent commanded, wrongfully takes away their rights to childhood. You as a parent or teacher will know when there is an actual problem that needs to be

addressed. If in doubt, talk to a mental health professional and avoid loosely labeling children as what they are not.Let children be active, for they are children, and if not they, then who will jump around & be merry?Also see more info @ http://www.parentedge.in