| I have a friend at work that has a grandson that has | | | | that suffer from this problem seem to be unable to |
| been diagnosed with child attention deficit disorder. | | | | relax or are constantly on the go. When seated they |
| After chatting with her about it for a while I began to | | | | might be squirming or fiddling constantly, they just won't |
| wonder how it is possible to tell the difference | | | | stay still. This can often be a nightmare for parents of |
| between someone with ADD and someone who is | | | | children suffering from ADHD because the child |
| just plain difficult. It seems to be most difficult to tell | | | | doesn't need much sleep either. Imagine what it would |
| with boys under 17 years of age because they tend to | | | | be like to have a child that hardly ever sleeps and is |
| progress slower than the girls anyway. My | | | | constantly jumping around when they are awake |
| grandmother used to be the head teacher of a | | | | which will be most of the time. |
| primary school and she was quite certain that boys | | | | If you are wondering whether a child with ADD will |
| didn't develop intellectually anything like as quickly as | | | | eventually grow out of it then I'm afraid the answer is |
| the girls. | | | | no. ADD and ADHD are manifestations of physical |
| My interest raised, I decided to investigate further. It | | | | problems within the brain so it isn't likely to change with |
| appears that there are three stages in normal | | | | age. The disorder can be passed on genetically but |
| development. The first stage can be seen in babies | | | | bad discipline or poor parenting can't cause it. |
| when they become focused on one thing for a period | | | | How To Treat Attention Deficit Disorder: |
| of time and ignore everything else. A child whose | | | | Children can receive medication and therapy that helps |
| development stops at this stage might have a | | | | to overcome the disorder, if it is diagnosed early |
| tendency towards autism. | | | | enough. The problem is diagnosing the extent to which |
| The second stage is when a toddler is constantly | | | | someone requires help, as the spectrum is very wide. |
| finding different things of interest but never able to | | | | Most experts seem to recommend a treatment |
| concentrate on one thing for very long. A child who is | | | | combining medication and psychotherapy. |
| stuck at this stage of development might be diagnosed | | | | Psychostimulants such as 'Ritalin' and 'Dexedrine' help |
| as having attention deficit disorder. | | | | to improve the sluggish part of the brain causing the |
| At stage three children's abilities mature to the point | | | | problems. Psychotherapy helps to train ADD sufferers |
| where they can focus their attention for longer periods | | | | to pay attention, control impulses and behave |
| and control where and when they change their | | | | appropriately in all sorts of situations. |
| attention and activity. This is the level of concentration | | | | Diet can also be very important in ADD treatment. |
| that the child will need to make their classroom | | | | Some children have bad reactions to certain foods like |
| experiences a successful one. | | | | wheat, chocolate, fruit, dairy products and additives. |
| My friend says that ADD isn't just about an inability to | | | | Additives can be particularly problematic in this respect |
| concentrate for very long. People with Attention Deficit | | | | and a potential link between them and ADD and |
| Disorder aren't able to choose when or where to pay | | | | ADHD has now been discovered. |
| attention or when to stop. She told me that when her | | | | People suffering from ADD have been found to be |
| grandson crosses the road, even though he has been | | | | lacking in fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6. There is |
| taught over and over how to do it safely, if he has to | | | | a theory that proper mental function growth is critically |
| wait for traffic then he would suddenly go no matter | | | | dependent on these fatty acids. There is no conclusive |
| what the traffic is doing. There is never any warning | | | | evidence of this but an appropriate change in diet |
| that he is going to do this; he just knows that he needs | | | | might well be worth a try. Omega 3 is found in fish like |
| to cross so off he goes. | | | | mackerel and salmon and in flax oil. Safflower oil, |
| The other side of the Attention Deficit Disorder | | | | canola oil, vegetable oil, margarine, sunflower oil and |
| equation is the ability to focus intensely on an activity | | | | corn oil all contain Omega 6. |
| to the exclusion of everything else, including breaks. | | | | There is a more positive side to ADD. During my |
| The ADD sufferer might watch the same movie over | | | | research I found a lot of opinion that some of the most |
| and over or complete the same jigsaw time and time | | | | famous people from history appeared to exhibit |
| again. Some people say that if this behaviour isn't | | | | symptoms of ADD. The list of suggestions is quite long |
| recognised and treated as early as possible then it | | | | but it includes people like Mozart, Pasteur, Einstein and |
| could lead to overeating, substance abuse or | | | | Beethoven. It appears that some of the characteristic |
| compulsive behaviour. | | | | symptoms of ADD can lead to outstanding |
| ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a | | | | performance so take good care of your ADD child |
| variation of Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. People | | | | because they might be a genius. |