| If your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder | | | | than it should, sometimes hours. Your child complains |
| you will know it early on. Hyperactive children are | | | | he cannot concentrate without music or TV playing. |
| nearly always identified by the teachers in elementary | | | | (Kids with attention problems are helped to |
| school, because they are so disruptive in class. | | | | concentrate by distracting noises). Your child may also |
| But what about the child with mild ADD, (Inattentive | | | | show other signs of ADD, such as social problems or |
| Type)? These are the kids who dream through school. | | | | anger problems. |
| Their problems are often not noticed by the teachers. | | | | Another problem that can look very similar to mild |
| If the child is bright, he can often do well in elementary | | | | ADD in young teens is mild Depression. The symptoms |
| school without really trying. | | | | can be very similar - loss of interest in school and |
| Once the child gets to middle school, it is a whole new | | | | failing grades, refusal to do homework, increasing social |
| ball game. Skills needed to do well in middle school | | | | problems and problems with anger or negativity. The |
| such as - keeping tabs on many classes and | | | | timing is also similar. Early adolescence is a time when |
| homework due dates, tracking complex assignments, | | | | there can be an onset of mild Depression in some |
| learning and remembering detailed information, and | | | | children. |
| concentrating during classes and homework - are | | | | If the situation is unclear, it is important to get a |
| noticeably missing in kids with attention problems. Often | | | | diagnosis of your child. The schools do not test for |
| middle school is the first sign of trouble for ADD kids. | | | | Attention Deficit. Your pediatrician can make the |
| A whole new skill set is required. Even for children with | | | | diagnosis. If you suspect a mild Depression or are not |
| no attention problems, middle school is a difficult | | | | sure what is going on, a mental health professional |
| adjustment. | | | | who specializes in working with teens can help. You |
| The signs of mild Attention Deficit Disorder can be | | | | can go to a Psychologist, Marriage and Family |
| unclear to parents. Some common patterns are: Your | | | | Therapist or a Psychiatrist. Once you have a diagnosis |
| child has one teacher each quarter that he does not | | | | of the problem, you will know what treatment is likely |
| like. In other classes he does well. In this class he is | | | | to be effective. |
| failing. The subject he does poorly in changes from | | | | It is important to treat any child who is suffering from |
| quarter to quarter. (ADD kids can only pay attention to | | | | poor or uneven school performance, social issues, or |
| subjects and teachers they are interested in). You child | | | | persistent bad moods. Successful treatment will allow |
| often misses homework assignments completely, or | | | | your child to get back on track and continue his normal |
| does them but never turns them in. His backpack looks | | | | development. If these problems are left untreated, they |
| like a disaster area. (ADD kids are disorganized and | | | | can lead to low self-esteem and more serious |
| scattered.) Homework is a struggle, taking much longer | | | | problems in later adolescence and early adulthood. |