| Studies have shown that Attention Deficit Disorder | | | | the problem because it makes it more difficult to treat |
| (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | | | | without causing negative impacts in other areas of the |
| (ADHD) are increasing at an alarming rate. Some think | | | | afflicted person. Again, this is what the most recent |
| that it is because it is not really rising but that it is | | | | studies have indicated, although there is still |
| gaining more visibility with better tools and methods to | | | | disagreement on this since there are no medical tests |
| detect it, but doctors disagree, saying that the number | | | | available to definitively test such a broadly defined |
| of identified incidents is definitely on the rise. | | | | area. |
| In the past couple of decades, doctors and | | | | Signs of ADD and ADHD would include: |
| professionals have been working hard to find | | | | Inattentiveness. The child affected by Attention Deficit |
| alternatives treatments for this disorder. Many parents, | | | | Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is |
| as well as doctors, are reluctant to simply treat the | | | | clearly inattentive to a greater degree than a normal |
| disorder with drugs and other stimulant medications, | | | | child would be inattentive. The affected child is not able |
| and have been looking for effective alternatives, | | | | to concentrate or focus on a particular activity or thing |
| including researching possible natural remedies, where | | | | for longer periods of time. Sometimes part of the |
| some herbal remedies are showing a lot of promise | | | | problem is thought to be having a lack of flexibility with |
| without the harmful and often undesirable side effects. | | | | attention focus. This can (although not necessarily |
| It is clear that alternative treatments for ADD and | | | | always) create a need for the child to have special |
| ADHD need to be researched and developed. | | | | educational needs. |
| Studies have shown stark contrasts when the EEG of | | | | Forgetfulness. The child affected by ADD or ADHD |
| non-ADD children are compared with those of children | | | | will frequently forget things they have just learned or |
| diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention | | | | have just been taught. A particular place where this is |
| Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The affected children | | | | noted is with teenagers who are diagnosed with ADD |
| show in a statistically significant way that they show | | | | or ADHD, who are about 400% more likely to contract |
| excessively slow brainwave activity, particularly in the | | | | a sexually transmitted disease. Doctors attribute this to |
| alpha and theta ranges) than non-affected children. | | | | the fact that teenagers forget about the dangers of |
| The end result is that this slowdown tends to affect | | | | unprotected sex due to their inability to focus. |
| the child's emotional and frequently also physical | | | | There are other symptoms, but a concrete diagnosis |
| maturity levels. | | | | should be left to professionals since the various |
| It can be stated as fact that Attention Deficit Disorder | | | | symptoms, which are much more than those listed |
| (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | | | | here, can also indicate other disorders, where |
| (ADHD) are neurological conditions. For many years | | | | treatment options would be very different. |
| this diagnosis was disputed in the medical community, | | | | The bottom line is that understanding the affliction and |
| but more and more professionals have come to | | | | early diagnosis are keys to helping the afflicted person |
| realize that based on what we know about the | | | | cope with and deal with this disorder. |
| affliction today, this is indeed fact, which compounds | | | | |