| Every parent is liable to worry if they see their child | | | | of their child. |
| behaving in what they think is an abnormal manner. | | | | 4 Some parents have been told that their hyperactive |
| Maybe their child has limitless supplies of energy and | | | | child will always be so and cannot learn to concentrate. |
| can’t sit still for any length of time. Or maybe they | | | | That’s not true. Many a parent or teacher who |
| can’t concentrate on one task and switch to | | | | knows about the ADHD child can develop strategies |
| something new after a few minutes. This of course | | | | such as maintaining eye contact which greatly helps |
| does not mean their child has ADD or ADHD. Many | | | | the child sit still and concentrate. It is certainly possible |
| children are energetic and restless. But to be sure, it is | | | | to teach many skills to a child who has ADHD. |
| advisable to have a proper diagnosis for ADHD. | | | | 5 Some parents believe that their ADHD child will grow |
| Sadly though there are stories and incorrect facts | | | | out of the condition. This is not true. It is a condition for |
| doing the rounds which may cause extra alarm to | | | | life. In addition, there are many adults who have been |
| some parents. They are myths, stories or facts which | | | | diagnosed as ADHD after they left school and started |
| are not true. Here are some of those situations which | | | | work. They did not know they had the condition |
| have caused confusion. | | | | throughout their childhood. |
| 1 Children who seem to misbehave are not deliberately | | | | Now the diagnosis of a child is not a painful experience. |
| disobedient. If they are diagnosed with ADHD/ADD | | | | But many experts believe a proper person should |
| that may be the reason why, at times, they seem to | | | | carry out the diagnosis. It should be someone like a |
| be out of control. They may mean to be happy and | | | | psychiatrist or a neurosurgeon who has the skill and |
| well behaved but their condition makes them act | | | | training to examine the child’s brain and its functions. |
| differently. | | | | The tests may be complex and be taken over a |
| 2 ADHD should not be associated only with | | | | period of time but there is nothing to fear for either the |
| hyperactive children. In fact some children who have | | | | parent or the child. |
| the condition are not hyperactive at all. They are quiet | | | | It is sometimes a difficult condition to diagnose |
| and often sit still happy to be in their own little world. | | | | because some ADHD children may also have other |
| 3 Drugs are not necessarily the answer in helping a | | | | conditions such as depression or anxiety. It is possible |
| child with ADHD. Some children have a bad reaction | | | | to treat the child with ADHD in such a way that they |
| and some children are treated without medication. | | | | can live a full and interesting life. And there are new |
| Every case is different. Parents should not assume | | | | research results being published every year. |
| that drugs will automatically play a role in the treatment | | | | |