You have probably heard about hyperactivity in young children. This is a fairly common subject but we do not really know it in its entirety. Do you know what ADHD is? Do you know if your child or a member of your family has it? Do you know how to treat it?
Below I will show you information that will help you to know this condition, to capture the possible signs that indicate its existence and some tricks and tips to help children suffering from ADHD.
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What is ADHD or Childhood Hyperactivity?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly called Hyperactivity. It is a neurological disorder that begins in childhood, which is characterized by impulsivity, excessive physical activity, talking without control.
The term ADHD has existed since the 1980s, the year in which the American Psychological Association (APA) agreed that this condition was based on differences in the functioning of the brain or the incorrect interpretation of the information received by the child; however it was in the 1960 when hyperactivity was presented as a behavioral disorder.
How to identify the signs of ADHD
The symptoms of ADHD seem easy to detect, however, the symptoms of the syndrome can be several in each child and usually the child has one or two of the most common symptoms. Normally this condition is confused with undisciplined and badly educated children, so it requires specialized attention to be correctly diagnosed.
Symptoms or signs of ADHD:
• Lack of attention
• Talk constantly
• Interrupting when others speak
• Running constantly or moving quickly even when sitting or standing
• Impulsivity
• Crash or throw things around
• Difficulty of learning due to attention deficit
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Causes of ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a complex condition, which is why a specific reason can not be attributed to it. ADHD is made up of different elements and this leads to different subtypes:
• Genetic Factor:
Some studies show that ADHD is mainly linked to genetic factors. ADHD has a heritability percentage of 76% (76% of the factors related to ADHD are linked to genes, and the rest to non-genetic factors).
• Environmental Factor:
Brain infections, cranial brain trauma, prematurity, consumption of psychoactive substances (alcohol, or tobacco) and / or psychotropic substances (natural or synthetic drugs) during pregnancy. These are some of the environmental factors that can influence the condition and development of ADHD.
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Diagnosis of ADHD
After a child has shown clear signs of hyperactivity, it is common that both parents and teachers consider the existence of ADHD possible, so it is necessary to consult a specialist either pediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist or neurologist, which, based on the Manual diagnosis and statistics of mental disorders, perform a series of studies necessary for the official diagnosis, which include:
• Surveys done to parents or relatives, in which questions related to the child's habitual behavior are made.
• Preparation of pediatric medical history in which any type of physical condition or pathology is indicated.
• Psychosocial evaluation in which the behavior of the child at a social level is analyzed, how it acts with its environment and how you relate to other people.
• Psychological analysis, which includes different special tests (drawings, conversations, identification of images ...)
In my next post I will talk about the treatment of ADHD, the useful tips to help your child are the activities to do at home and at school.
