| Kids will be kids and all of them are different. Kids get | | | | understand to understand and comprehend. In the |
| excited about different things, and get very excited | | | | case of ADD and ADHD, the child's brain has not yet |
| about things that adults may find to be only mildly | | | | completely processed the last set of information |
| interesting, if interesting at all. So how do you know if | | | | presented to it, and in the meantime is already telling |
| your child has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or is | | | | the child to go do something else. Hence, the typical |
| simply being a normal kid? Attention Deficit Disorder or | | | | view is that children afflicted with Attention Deficit |
| ADD, also sometimes known as ADHD or Attention | | | | Disorder are unable to concentrate on the task at |
| Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is difficult to diagnose | | | | hand, which is entirely accurate. The one thing that |
| accurately. In many ways it is a subjective option of | | | | shows up in ADD/ADHD affected children that differs |
| the doctor since there is little scientific evidence to | | | | compared to the same tests run on non-ADD/ADHD |
| definitely state whether or not a child has ADD or | | | | children is that the brainwaves are different. To be |
| ADHD. But at the same time, the reported cases of | | | | more exact, the ADD/ADHD children typically show |
| ADD are rising rapidly, which scientists do not | | | | excessively slow brain wave activity in the alpha and |
| understand. If the child has a broken leg, this can easily | | | | theta ranges, compared to their non-ADD/ADHD |
| be determined and verified, and all would be in | | | | counterparts. As the child gets older and grows into his |
| agreement that the child's leg is broken. But with ADD | | | | teen years, there is some scientific evidence to |
| and ADHD, no such concrete evidence or even | | | | suggest (although not confirm) that patients who are |
| scientific testing exists to make that same conclusive | | | | thought to have ADD or ADHD have about 400% |
| determination. In the past, cases of ADD and ADHD | | | | more traffic tickets, car accidents, and are almost four |
| were treated with prescription drugs to effectively | | | | times more likely to contract a sexually transmitted |
| slow down the afflicted child, but with the growing | | | | disease. Your doctor can explain to you that |
| concern over stuffing our children full of prescription | | | | accurately diagnosing Attention Deficit Disorder is |
| drugs for every ailment that MIGHT be present, | | | | never simple. Rather, it requires a thorough investigation |
| parents are now starting to resist this approach and | | | | and study of the child over time, to see how the child |
| demanding a new approach. Many of the new | | | | reacts to different circumstances compared to others |
| approaches, and many of which show great promise, | | | | in the same age group. But like anything else, diagnosis |
| is to train the afflicted person to pay more attention to | | | | of the ailment as early as possible is very important to |
| what his brain is telling him. This applies whether the | | | | understanding it, working with it effectively, and making |
| child is playing, doing homework, or just resting, but it is | | | | compromises to accommodate the affliction. |
| a behavioral change that the child needs to be old | | | | |