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My Kid’s Got ADD/ADHD-HELP!!!!

“Pay attention!” 
“Would you calm down and sit still!” 
“For the 15th time, listen to me and do what I’m telling you to do!”
 
Sound familiar? So you have a child with ADD/ADHD. Not to fret. Although the symptoms may feel overwhelming and difficult to deal with, it is not an impossible task to help your child develop the skills and structure necessary to adapt to the symptoms of this problem and function successfully.  Let’s start with the basics…what is ADD/ADHD?    
 
The symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) include:

 

  • Inattention: Having a short attention span and being easily distracted.
  • Impulsivity: Behaviors that seem to be spontaneous without much thought, which can cause a person to do dangerous things without much thought for the consequences
  • Hyperactivity: Inappropriate or excessive activity.

 
 
Obviously all of us are easily distracted at times and sometimes may have way too much energy, but the difference is that people with ADD/ADHD experience some or all of these symptoms to such a degree that it becomes difficult sometimes to function at school, in after school activities, at play or at home with day to day tasks.     
 
To complicate things, kids of different ages often show different symptoms. What follows is a brief summary of what symptoms of ADD/ADHD you may expect to see in children of different ages:
 
Preschool Aged Children: Since inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity are expected behaviors of preschool children, it is often hard to identify in young children. Usually, the distinguishing factor from normal behavior is the severity and consistency, across settings, of the symptoms.  
 
Elementary School Children:  Since there are more expectations placed on elementary school children (e.g., being able to complete homework, working with others, sitting still and listening in class), ADHD symptoms tend to be more noticeable among this age group.  Often children with these problems have trouble achieving in school, may have difficulty with peers, struggle with low self-esteem because of the academic and social difficulties, and may present with poor organizational and study skills. 
 
Middle School/High School: Teenagers who present with ADHD often look very different than young children with ADHD, because they have learned to control their disruptive behaviors. However, teenagers who have not learned the strategies to cope with the other aspects of ADHD (such as inattention and impulsivity) may demonstrate significant decline in their ability to manage their responsibilities in school and subsequently may struggle with self-esteem, and possibly social, problems. As increased demands and pressure are placed on the high school student (e.g., college, issues related to self-efficacy), anxiety and depression may emerge. Overall, teaching children and/or adolescents strategies to deal with problems of impulsivity and hyperactivity can be life changing. Treatment may mean the difference between feeling effective as a student and feeling inadequate.  
 
However, the first step in treatment for ADD/ADHD, whether in the form of medication management, therapy or a combination of treatment approaches, is a proper diagnosis, especially since this diagnosis in particular tends to be misdiagnosed or over-diagnosed.  The psychologists at Equilibria Psychological and Consultation Services are experts at providing comprehensive diagnostic evaluations in order to direct appropriate treatment.  If diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, we help children/adolescents and their families learn the necessary strategies to manage their ADD/ADHD symptoms so that they can successfully function at home, school and in their day-to-day activities.  Our clinicians incorporate behavioral management tools, cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy (depending on age) and creative arts activities to empower and teach children/adolescents and their families how to master focus and attention.  In addition, if medication management is chosen, we work closely with the treating psychiatrist to coordinate care.  If you would like more information about our services, please do not hesitate to contact us at 267-861-3685, Option 1.