Running On Empty
The Truth About Children and ADD
Do teachers and family members comment on your child’s inability to follow directions or sit still? Is your child impulsive or disorganized? Do you feel your child is ignoring you, even when you try multiple times to get his or her attention? If so, your child may have attention deficit disorder (ADD). If the child has these symptoms plus hyperactivity, the culprit may be attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
Most people are familiar with the terms ADD and ADHD, but the disorders are misunderstood. For example, many people believe they are not real medical disorders and are caused by poor parenting. Another misconception is that the disorders are limited to boys or that children always grow out of it. Girls also suffer from ADD and ADHD, and the disorders can plague individuals into adulthood – making it difficult to perform daily activities and responsibilities.
Children with ADD and ADHD are less likely to perform well in school, leading to higher dropout rates. Impulsive behavior can also lead to accidents, trouble with the law, sexual activity at a young age and other serious problems. Self esteem often suffers. For these reasons, the disorder should be taken very seriously.
One of the primary problems children with ADD and ADHD have is that they’re unable to focus on something they don’t f ind interesting. We all focus better for longer periods of time when we’re interested in a topic, and people with ADD or ADHD can often focus when they’re interested. It’s when things aren’t so interesting that they have bigger problems than others.
Children with ADD or ADHD don’t automatically focus in a classroom setting. They may see the teacher, but the teacher is no more important to their brains as 12 other thoughts at that time. Their brains don’t prioritize “teacher” over “other things,” such as “What will I have for lunch?” or “That picture is crooked.” Some may argue this thought process is evolutionarily adaptive – such as a hunter paying attention to many things in the environment at one time. Even if this is true, it makes school difficult.
Fortunately, ADD and ADHD are usually quite manageable and treatable. You and your child’s teacher may be able to manage symptoms with a positive reinforcement program in the class-room and at home. For example, it may help the child to sit close to the teacher, or wherever there are fewer distractions. At home, you can help your child focus on homework by establishing a clutter-free desk. While medications have sometimes received a bad reputation in the press, they can be quite effective. I’ve seen “F” students turn into “A” students when placed on medication.
Many parents fear labeling their child. But if your child does have ADD or ADHD, ignoring it will not make it go away. Untreated children are more likely to have problems at school and put themselves in dangerous situations. If you suspect your child has ADD or ADHD, please educate yourself on the symptoms and schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor right away.
Endnote: The Palo Alto Medical Foundation and column editor Arian Dasmalchi provide this monthly column.