Children and ADD/ADHD
The Basics of Childhood ADD
Both ADD and ADHD are conditions that
could affect the lives of infants, toddlers, and
school aged children. It attacks the ability
to concentrate.
According to the American Psychiatric
Association, ADD is characterized by limited
attention spans, quick impulses, and hyperactivity.
Hyperactivity is not the only thing associated with
the condition. ADHD can affect up to 10 percent of
the child age population, with 20 percent estimated
to be diagnosed sometime in their lifetimes. Boys
have a higher prevalence than girls.
ADD usually hits at the onset of age seven
and is usually diagnosed before a child’s 10th
birthday. The younger a child when diagnosed, the
more severe the symptoms. When older children are
diagnosed, signs are usually less intense. ADD
can manifest itself in social settings and work
situations where cooperation and attention span is
required. ADD behaviors usually don’t appear in
one-on-one interactions. For instance, there are
more chances a child will act up in a 30 student
class than in a lesson alone with the teacher.
The Classic Signs of Childhood ADD
Some signs associated with Childhood ADD
include inattentiveness, impulsivity,
and hyperactivity. With
inattentiveness, finishing tasks can be tough and
listening could be unfocused and very hard to do. A
child is easily distracted and schoolwork is
hard to focus on.
With impulsivity, children are
not aware of consequences to their actions and
tasks are usually done in quick succession
because of a lack of interest. Organizing work is
almost always impossible and talking out of turn in
class is like clockwork.
Hyperactive children have a
tendency to run or climb excessively while fidgeting
in a sitting position. Even when sleeping,
hyperactive children have a tendency to move.
ADD
symptoms can usually be seen before age seven
with symptoms lasting no less than six months before
a true diagnosis can be performed.
Learning disabilities could cause
childhood ADD sufferers to face emotional
problems and be susceptible to harassment in
school and chiding by teachers for poor
performance. There is not one definite
cause for the
condition, and many in the scientific community
believe that biological problems and the environment
contribute to ADD. A lot of children with ADD have
parents with the same condition.
(See Adult ADD)
The Gifted Child with ADD or ADHD
Are gifted children assigned the ADHD label despite being
gifted?
It’s very possible for a gifted child to
have ADD. Many in the scientific
community have expressed concerns gifted children
could be misinterpreted as having ADHD and
that quick conclusions are being rushed into.
When a
mistaken diagnosis is the case, you may be
putting your gifted child on ADD medication for no
reason.
Treading carefully is the key to preventing
over diagnosis. This way, the right evaluation
and treatment could be done. Once again, ADHD and
being gifted could go hand in hand.
Many CEO's
of Fortune 500 Companies have ADHD.
Can gifted children who spend too much time on
tasks still have ADHD?
 Many professionals and parents believe that
children who can focus on a task for long periods
cannot have ADHD. This has been proven wrong
time and time again. Although onlookers could say
ADHD is impossible since the child is well focused
into his task, this could also be interpreted as
'hyper focus' which is a common
behavior ADHD children exhibit.
Watching children engage in high attention tasks
cannot indicate ADHD accurately, whether it is
watching TV, playing games, or reading. It is all
about effort. Performance during tasks that
require effort (doesn’t have to be a high
interest task) is a better way of telling the
difference.
Can ADHD children concentrate for a long time?
ADHD does not depend on a child’s ability to
concentrate, but by his or her
inability
to control his concentration. Any
activity that requires effort for an ADHD child will
be rebuffed.
'Hyper focus' could mean
commitment to a task and a sign of motivation;
it turns into a problem when gifted children are
asked to do another task over another. In essence,
deep concentration could be an advantage to
thinking, yet cause behavioral problems at the same
time.
Gifted children could show less signs of ADHD
than a non-gifted child who shows it more
profoundly. Since they are gifted, simple
effortless tasks could be done with ease, so
not exhibiting ADHD symptoms could be easier for
gifted children than misdiagnosing them with the
condition. Many children are able to hide or
conceal their ADHD while others have a harder
time.
Ultimately, gifted children have strengths
which they rely on a lot to hide their own
disability. Although reminding them of strengths
could hone their talent, it does not make ADHD go
away. The reality is many children could start
doubting their abilities because of the struggle
required to keep it active. If a child is able to
recognize their hardships as ADHD, valuable
coping skills could be learned.
In order to evaluate ADHD, one must figure out
the degree to which impairment blocks a child's
ability to behave. If a child suffers from poor
social skills, bad academics, or slowed development,
it is important to consult with a mental care
physician in a clinical environment to look at
options, even if this behavior is seen as creative
or gifted.
Medication is Not the
Best Solution
Every gifted child with ADHD does not need
medication. There are lots of ways children can
cope with the condition without the use of
pharmaceutical drugs. Recent studies have
revealed that
ADD medication can stunt a child's growth and
has numerous other side-effects.
If you have a gifted child with ADHD,
Attend might be the perfect solution.
It’s an
all natural homeopathic remedy that
should be tried before using the more dangerous
drugs usually prescribed. Attend is a natural
alternative ADD treatment,
without all
of those risky side effects of
pharmaceutical agents with its inherent risks and
possible addiction.
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