Identifying ADHD and ADD

What is ADHD/ADD?

ADHD/ADD stands for Attention Deficit (and Hyperactivity) Disorder, which means that an affected person shows significant inattentiveness and possibly hyperactive or impulsive behaviour. I always stress that it’s important to note that hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention are observed in many children and are part of normal child development. Only when this behaviour is impairing a child’s functions should we consider testing for ADHD.

What are the signs?

Signs of inattention include: poor listening skills, frequent misplacing and losing of belongings, diminished attention span, difficulties in planning and finishing tasks. Signs of hyperactivity and impulsivity include: fidgeting, an inability to sit still, difficulties in waiting for a turn, frequently interrupting others.

When does ADHD tend to present itself?

ADHD symptoms are aggravated under stress, hence the typical behaviour issues most often present themselves in phases of transition. This may be when a child joins primary school at 6-7 years old or around the teenage years of 12-14.

Is ADHD more common in boys or girls?

Around 5-7% of all children are affected by AD(H)D. While ADHD is more common in boys, ADD is more common in girls.

Can an ADHD child still access school and academia?

Having ADHD will probably mean that the child will rely upon specific and tailored support to reach their social, academic and professional potential. Each child will have a different journey with ADHD. The variety of experience depends upon; the extent of the symptoms the availability of support the response to coaching and treatment given the natural progression of the disorder (which may differ greatly)

Remember that each child will have a different path and although there are commonalities, your child’s ADHD may present differently to another’s. Most children with ADHD attend a mainstream school and some are very academically successful.

How does a professional assessment identify ADHD?

I firstly conduct a thorough medical examination including a patient’s medical history and some diagnostics (like blood tests). Then we carry out a detailed developmental assessment. This usually consists of various cognitive tests such as solving logical problems, completing memory tasks, testing fine motor skills, and other cognition puzzles; behaviour observation in different situations; and detailed questionnaires.

Do all children with ADHD need medication?

Not every child needs the same support and treatment and certainly not every child needs medication.

What advice would you give to parents who suspect their child has ADHD?

When a child struggles because of behaviour it’s essential to get them the support they need. I’d advise any parent that suspects their child has ADHD to seek the advice of a qualified professional. The sooner we can identify what is behind the behaviour, the sooner we can take the necessary steps to offer support.

Holistic health is on the rise as more of us turn to alternative doctors who offer less mainstream medicine to boost wellbeing. But how does it work? ANZA investigates.

We know how privileged we are to have access to healthcare, and we’re well aware that Singapore offers some of the best medical facilities in the world. When we have an ache, pain or spooky symptom, most of us head to our doc for conventional help, leave with a prescription or follow-up appointment, and wait to feel human again.

Yet as much as we love our GPs, when it comes to optimum health, there’s a variety of less mainstream and more natural options available to support wellbeing. In Asia, a more holistic approach to wellness, where the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual side of symptoms is addressed has been prevalent for centuries with disciplines such as Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM), acupuncture, Ayurvedic treatments and shiatsu massage.

While a lack of official science backs up the effectiveness of many alternative therapies, there’s no denying that they’re gaining popularity. According to Health Times Australia (healthtimes.com.au), at least two out of every three Australians use some form of complementary medicine, while a survey found usage rates as high as 87 per cent among some patient groups, such as women with breast cancer.

But how do these holistic approaches work and where to start? As most of them exist outside of Singapore’s medical health care system, ANZA consults with a naturopathic and homoeopathic doctor as a bid to discover just what the deal is.

Naturopathy V Homeopathy

Naturopathic medicine is based on the theory that ailments can be successfully treated or prevented without the use of drugs. It aims to heal the root causes of an illness, not just the symptoms. Naturopathic therapies provided are wider than those related to homoeopathy and can include herbs, massage, acupuncture, exercise, and nutritional counselling

Homoeopathy is based on the belief that the body can cure itself and views symptoms of illness as ‘normal responses’ as the body attempts to regain health. Tiny amounts of natural substances like plants and minerals are believed to stimulate the healing process. Unlike naturopaths, homoeopaths can only provide homoeopathic remedies to patients