ADD

ADD

Have you ever had a conversation with a person and you can see that their interest seems to be drifting to somewhere else?  There are many young people as well was adults who are members of a group whom suffer from this problem of wondering.  They suffer from what is called ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  Along with ADHD, is the disorder of ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder?  Both are similar and can have an enormous impact on a child’s life.

According to Encyclopedia.com, ADHD and ADD is a “chronic, neurologically based syndrome characterized by any or all of three types of behavior: hyperactivity, distractibility, and impulsively.  Unlike similar behaviors caused by emotional problems or anxiety, ADHD does not fluctuate with emotional states.  Often diagnosed when a child begins school, ADHD is usually accompanied by learning difficulties and social inappropriateness. Treatment may include medication such as methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin), which corrects neurochemical imbalances in the brain; sugar intake is no longer considered to be a factor. Also behavioral modifications therapy a way of teaching people the organizational techniques and coping strategies, which is one of the most effective ways to curb symptoms.   Symptoms may decrease after adolescence, although adults can also have ADHD and ADD as well.” The most recent news about medications is that the first Lady and U.S Senate candidate Hillary C!

linton responded to recent studies that show a doubling or possible tripling of the number of children under age four taking Ritalin, a drug that is believed to increase a child’s alertness by stimulating the central nervous system.  Clinton has called for a plan that would create

new government warning labels for such drugs, a national study of their use and a fall conference on children’s mental health.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a learning disorder in which psychiatrists have been looking into since the 1940’s.  Serious studies were not started until the 1980’s and then “within the past several years, medical researchers have begun to clarify its symptoms and causes and have found that it may have a genetic underpinning. Today’s view of the basis of the condition is strikingly different from that of just a few years ago. We are finding that ADHD and ADD is not a disorder of

attention, as had long been assumed, rather it arises as a developmental failure in the brain circuitry that underlies inhibition and self-control. This loss of self-control in turn impairs other important brain functions crucial for maintaining attention, including the ability to defer immediate rewards for later, greater gain.” (Barkley).Young children are most often diagnosed with ADHD in there early years of development.  Russell A. Barkley is a doctor who diagnosed his young patient Keith with ADHD.  Here is how Keith was acting before Russell Barkley saw him.  “As I watched five-year-old Keith in the waiting room of my office, I could see why his parents said he was having such a tough time in kindergarten.  He hopped from chair to chair, swinging his arms and legs restlessly, and then began to fiddle with the light switches, turning the lights on and off again to everyone’s annoyance-all the while talking nonstop.  When his mother encouraged him to join a group of other children busy in the playroom, Keith butted into a game that was already in progress and took over, causing the other children to complain

of his bossiness and drift away to other activities.  Even when Keith had the toys to himself, he fidgeted aimlessly with them and seemed unable to entertain himself quietly.

Once I examined him more fully, my initial suspicions were confirmed: Keith had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).”  There are no known cures for ADHD.  There are ways to help control it to a confinable disorder.  CHADD is an organization that tries to help those children and adults with ADHD.  It is a national non-profit organization that was founded in 1987 by a group of concerned parents.  CHADD works to improve the lives of the people who live with a person suffering with ADHD and ADD through education, advocacy and support.

“Today, children and adults with ADHD and ADD have CHADD, the national organization with over 32,000 members and more than 500 chapters nationwide, to provide that support and information. Thanks in large part to the efforts of CHADD, AD/HD is now recognized as a treatable, yet potentially serious disorder, that affects up to 2.6 million school-aged children between the ages of 5 and 18, and an estimated 2-5 million adults. Today, children with ADHD can receive special education services or accommodations within the regular classroom when needed, and adults with ADHD may be eligible for accommodations in the workplace under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 guidelines issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 1997.” (CHADD.com).  “CHADD is a success story, inspired by the desire of countless parents to see their children with ADHD succeed. From one parent support group in

Florida, the organization grew dramatically from year to year to its present status as the leading non-profit national organization for children and adults with ADD. CHADD’s first annual conference in 1989 attracted 300 attendees. The fourth annual conference, held in Chicago in 1992, drew over 2,500 people. Despite the growth in size and

reputation, CHADD has not lost the passion and commitment of its founders. The organization still relies heavily on dedicated volunteers around the country who offer their support and encouragement to all those living with or affected by ADD.” (CHADD.com.).

Even though there is no cure for ADD and ADHD there are ways in coping with

the destructive disorder.  I had the privilege to go see a speaker by the name Michael

Asher, an East Brunswick psychologist at The Middlesex County Educational Service

Commission on March twenty-eighth.  This seminar was so informative he disguised

behavioral management for students with ADD and ADHD, how to properly diagnosis,

and important facts.  He said there are four ways to detect ADD and ADHD.  First,

extensive history has to be taken because there are serious genetic connections.

Secondly, questionnaires are sent to people who are involved in that child’s life. Thirdly,

you must observe that child in a classroom environment. Finally, a CPT test, which is

continuous performance test to measure audio and visual difficulties.  Important decisions in that child’s life such as college and the background of the disorder was also touched on.  Recently they discover that a disorder is a defect in the brain but it also is caused by the lack of glucose, which causes the abnormalities in the struct.............