When you have a child that is restless, can't stand still, going around all the time and can't be focused on one thing, you don't have a bad kid: maybe it just has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (or shortly ADHD) is a term that describes a chronic condition that initially manifests in childhood and is characterized by problems of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention. These symptoms are connected with difficulty in school, emotional, and social life. The condition may be associated with other neurological, behavioural, developmental or learning disabilities (or a combination of them).
ADHD is nothing unusual: that's one of the most common disorders of childhood. Data vary from country to country, but we can say that 3%-10% of children have that condition. It occurs two to four times more in boys than in girls and it doesn't stop in adults: patients have symptoms that can affect their whole life. In most cases ADHD is diagnosed before the age of seven years, but it can also be diagnosed in teenagers or young adults. Kid with ADHD are often "emotionally delayed", in other words, a 20 years old adult may respond to social life like a 14 years old.
We know three basic types of this disorder. The first is primarily inattentive: in plain English that means that the child is unable to maintain focus on tasks or activities. In the classroom, this may be the child who "can't stay on track." The second type is primarily hyperactive-impulsive: its characteristics are impulsive behaviour, inability to keep still, and restlessness. These children are usually called "class clowns". There is also a third type: this is a combination of the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive forms and this combined type of ADHD is the most common.
The bad news is that the cause of ADHD is not known for sure. One theory says that ADHD brain is different than a normal one, another study points to genetics, and another to chemicals in brain. However, those are just theories. There are six major functions that are affected with ADHD: shifting from one thinking to another, organization, planning, working memory, separating emotions from reason, and regulating speech and movements.
The good news is that ADHD can be under control very successfully and that the person with it can live absolutely normal life (some of Nobel Prize winners had it and you couldn't tell that they have any problem at all).
Parents can help their child with setting a daily schedule, keeping distractions to minimum, setting reasonable goals, rewarding positive behaviour, and finding activities in which the child will succeed (that is some sport in most cases). Many children function well throughout the entire school day with their peers although they need a little bit more patient from their teachers. In developed countries the law states that the school must provide support and separate rooms if needed to all ADHD students.
Psychologists and child psychiatrists can be help greatly to both children and their parents and they usually achieve great results. It is very important here: a child should not be taken to adult psychiatrists, this is a mistake some parents tend to make and it may have disastrous results.
When it comes to drugs, doctors use psychoactive drugs, in plain English: drugs that affect the chemistry of the brain. Psychostimulants are most widely used medications in treating ADHD and with great results: about 80% of children show an excellent response in reduction of symptoms. But, a word of caution: if parents and psychiatrist are doing a good job drugs should be avoided.
There are many myths about ADHD and food. The only thing we can say for sure that persons with ADHD should avoid caffeine (coffee and tea) and fuzzy cola drinks. Cola can turn a dynamic child into angry and violent one. That's true for all children, not just those with ADHD. Sport can help kid a lot. Sport tasks improve concentration, reduce anxiety and bad mood, and it's, as we know, good for overall health.
So, if your kid can't sit a half an hour in the class, but it's not violent or angry all the time, don't yell at it to calm down, to sit and learn. Go together to the school doctor, maybe you have a lively future Nobel Prize winner at home. ■