ADHDBy: Brianna AndersonAP Biology ,Period 1A

What is ADHD? ADHD ,(attention deficit hyperactive

disorder), is a common behavioral condition that affects children and adolescents and it can also continue on into adulthood.

Symptoms Inattentive Type:

› Inability to pay attention, especially in class or when given instructions.

› Carless mistakes while doing work› Having difficulty following directions› Difficulty with keeping things organized› Refusal or dislike of doing tasks that require mental effort› Loses or misplaces things frequently and easily like toys, or work› Easily distracted › Forgetfulness with tasks• Hyperactive-Impulsive Type:› Excessive talking› Excessive fidgeting and squirming › Having a hard time staying in your seat› Blurting out answers before the question is fully given› Problems with interrupting people’s conversations

Age Ranges for On-set ADHD

ADHD usually appears early in a child’s life from ages 3 to 6 but because each child will have different symptoms and different personalities, it is hard to diagnose the disorder.

What Causes ADHD? Most scientists are not sure what really

causes ADHD, but they do know that it results from a combination of factors, especially genes. Most scientists suggests that it derives from environmental factors or nutrition that effects ADHD.

Other Causes of ADHD? Genes: We inherit them from our parents. Which shows that

ADHD can run in the family. Studies show that some children with ADHD carry a very specific gene that has thinner brain tissue where areas of the brain are associated with attention. When the gene starts to develop more, their attention span gets better. Genetic Variations that may or may not be inherited , like deletions or duplications

Environmental Factors: Studies show that cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking during pregnancy can cause development of ADHD.

Brain Injury: Some children who have brain injury might suffer from ADHD symptoms afterwards.

Sugar: Studies show that when children are given sugar additives, it can cause ADHD or make the symptoms worse.

Can Adults Have ADHD? Many adults actually have this disease but don’t know

it. Most of the adults with the disorder have problems with staying on task, staying organized, having problems getting to work on time and sticking to a job.

In order for the adults to be diagnosed correctly, it is best to be diagnosed by a licensed mental health professional because sometimes ADHD could be mistaken for other problems. They will look at their childhood history behavior and school experience to determine the diagnosis. They will also I interview their parents, grandparents, friends, partners, etc to get insight on how they perform daily with tasks.

Treatment ADHD can mostly be treated with a

combination of medication and behavior therapy.

Treatment Options for ADHD:› Medications› Behavioral intervention strategies› Parent training› ADHD and school

Treatments: Medication Medication can help your child through

everyday life situations. It can make learning and accomplishing tasks easier. It can also keep your child focused and more organized through out the day.

Help! Help your child during homework time

if you witness he/she struggling. It is best to start finding ways to make learning for your child easier now then worrying about it later in life.

Treatments: Behavioral Therapy

Research shows that behavior therapy can help a great deal with the children’s outlook on their disorder. It helps them cope with it, making it easier to handle. Therapy also can help the relationship between the child and their family.

Treatments: Behavior Therapy

This list might help your child’s behavior therapy be successful: › Create a routine: try not to w=switch things up so

much, make your daily schedule easy for your child to manage.

› Get organized: Keep your child’s bags, toys and other materials in the same spot every time , so it will be easy for your child to access them.

› Avoid distractions: Turn off all distracting things like TVs, radios, etc , especially if your child is doing homework.

› Limit choices: Giving your child a lot to choose from can overwhelm your child. Minimize them so that it will be easier for your child to make up their mind.

Bad Behavior Behavior problems are very common in

ADHD. It is best to find other alternatives for disciplining your child. They might not be able to understand forceful and physical ways of punishment.

Treatments: Behavior Therapy

This list might help your child’s behavior therapy be successful:› Change your interactions with your child: Instead of

having long lectures, briefly discuss with your child their responsibilities.

› Bribe them with rewards or goals: Use charts to track their good behavior, this will make them excited to behave because they know that they will be rewarded for it.

› Discipline: Be careful on how you discipline your child. You can easily and mentally mess them up if done wrong. Try not to do excessive yelling or spanking.

› Help them find a talent: Helping them reach their dreams can help their confidence in life.

Tips for Adults with ADHD Create an organized space: Make a storage or space that

specifically accommodates all of your work or important items like bills, letters, keys, etc.

Buy a day planning calendar: Keeping up with certain dates is very important. Using a planner or a calendar App for your phone can give you easy access to the information that you need to know.

Use Lists: Create lists that show upcoming dates of important events. It is easier to check them off as you complete the tasks rather than to keep up with them mentally. This is good for groceries, doctors appointments, projects, upcoming tests, and other things.

Don’t put things off for later: Instead of waiting till the last minute to complete a task, go ahead and do it now while its fresh in your mind. It is very common for people with ADHD to forget about their responsibilities.

Do People Grow Out of ADHD

Most children grow out of ADHD, but some can suffer to the age of 18 and up. On the other hand, symptoms of ADHD such as having trouble getting organized, staying on task, fidgeting, and etc can eventually improve as they get older.

Frustration Having this learning disability can causeChildren to get heavily frustrated during Homework time. It is easier for them to pout and give up when something is toochallenging for them.

Commonly used medication for ADHD Patients

Adderall: Adderall (amphetamine) is a prescribed medication used to decrease the symptoms of ADHD. It is a central nervous stimulant which increases the level of the brain dopamine. It creates a calm and focusing effect on people who take the pill.

Focalin (oral): Dexmethylphenidate is a mild stimulant which alters the amounts of natural substances in the brain. This medication helps increase your ability to pay attention, stay focus, and control behavioral problems. It also helps you to organize tasks and improve listening skills.

Ritalin LA (oral): Methylphenidate can also be used to help increase your ability to pay attention, complete tasks, control behavior, and stay focus.

What are the most common side effects of these medications?

Adderall: Nervousness, restlessness, headache, nausea, dry mouth, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

Focalin: Stomach pain, loss of appetite, heart burn, weight loss, difficulty falling asleep, drowsiness, and head ache.

Ritalin: Nervousness, vomiting, muscle tightness, difficulty falling asleep, loss of appetite, stomach pain, dizziness, and diarrhea.

Parents, Calm Your Temper as Well!

Children at ADHD have trouble communicating to their parents already, don’t make it worse by excessively yelling and doing long lectures. This can also make a child sad and confused because they cannot understand why they are in trouble. On the other hand, most children that take these punishments try to tune their parents out so most of these methods are a waste of time.

Myths about ADHD ADHD is caused by the child’s diet: There is no

evidence to prove that taking sugar out of a child’s diet will help them focus and stay still.

ADHD is willful disobedience: The symptoms of ADHD might make parents think that the child is acting up and being rebellious on purpose but that is untrue.

ADHD is caused by poor parenting: Parents/guardians should know that it is not their fault that their child has ADHD. It is genetic, not a parenting problem.

Facts About ADHD ADHD is diagnosed more often in boys than

girls. ADHD is a long-term, condition that can

potentially lead to drug and alcohol abuse, low performance in academics, or having problems keeping their jobs as well as following rules.

The causes of ADHD can derive from hereditary, genetic, head injuries, poor nutrition, substance abuse, and exposure to toxins during childhood.

More About ADHD ADHD has nothing to do with how smart

your child is. ADHD is estimated to affect about 3 to 7

out of 100 school-age children in the United States.

About 70 out of 100 children with ADHD continue to have symptoms during their teen years and about 50 out of 100 have symptoms into adulthood.

Communicate Have a family meal together, ask about

how your child's’ day went and what did he/she learn. Studies show that families that communicate more throughout the day have a healthier relationship.

Have Fun Have fun with your children, the better

experiences you have with your child, the more positive they will be about life. Anything that has to do with being positively active will suffice.

Help them Cope with Anger Teach your child various methods to cope

with their anger. It is very easy for a child with ADHD to lose their temper when something doesn’t go right. Sit down and have a face-to-face reasonable conversation with your child. NO YELLING!

Is There a Cure? Sadly, there is no exact cure for ADHD,

there is only medication and behavior therapy to minimize the symptoms. It is just something that you have to manage, even through adulthood.

Make Sure they are Learning in Class

Constantly keep in touch with their teachers, and make sure that their hard work in class reflects their grades.

Put them in Tutorials If your child is still struggling in class,

put them in tutorials or enroll them in a learning center such as Sylvan or Huntington Learning facility.

Put Your Child in Extracurricular Activities

Since your child is already energetic, put that into good use by letting he/she play sports! Studies also show that this is a great stress reliever.

Most of All, Give them Confidence!

Make them believe that they have the ability to accomplish anything they put their minds to. Giving them confidence helps with most children with ADHD low self-esteem

My Opinion In my opinion, and from having ADHD

myself, I think that it is not something that you should dwell on, it is something that you can use to push you through life. We’re all affected by this disorder differently so we all have ways of coping with it. All that matters is that we don’t use it as a crutch and we continue to be successful and productive citizens in this world like everyone else.

Works Cited http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/adhd.html# http://

www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/index.shtml?utm_source=REFERENCES_R7

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/treatment.html http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z/

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http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a601234.html http://www.parenting.org/article/myths-about-adhd http://www.factsbarn.com/facts-about-adhd/ http://

www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/tc/adhd-myths-and-facts-topic-overview