WELLNESS

LIVING WITH ADHD

PART ONE

WRITTEN BY T.E. CUNNINGHAM

Does your child struggle to sit still and maintain focus during a conversation or while doing schoolwork? Do you sometimes find that they react quickly to situations without thought? Have you noticed an increase in comments from teachers and faculty about your child being disruptive or causing trouble?

ADHD may be contributing to your child’s behavior. Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental disorder that is increasingly prevalent in today’s youth. And ADHD affects adults as well.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, almost 9 percent of children have ADHD, and 2.5 percent of adults wrestle with the affliction. It is prevalent in all genders, but diagnosed more frequently in males. Often, the disorder is first observed with school-aged children. It is a leading contributor to issues with disruptive behavior in the classroom and issues completing assigned tasks and homework. Higher activity levels, poor attention spans, and inability to sit still contribute significantly to these issues. These children can also struggle with family and interpersonal relationships. “As someone specializing in ADHD and intimately aware of symptoms and prognosis, I think it is vital for early detection and intervention,” advises Dr. Sasha Hamdani, board-certified psychiatrist and ADHD specialist. “When ADHD is managed appropriately from a young age, you can see a vast improvement in global functioning, not just the academic career.” In the last two decades, significant progress has been made in diagnosing this disorder and the education of teachers, school administrative staff, counselors and daycare providers. This knowledge assists these individuals in observing key indicators and arming parents with knowledge about ADHD. While schools do not diagnose ADHD or other disorders, they can help guide parents to resources for testing and treatment.

ADHD Classifications

There are three principle ADHD classifications: inattentive type, hyperactive type, and combined type. These “types” are diagnosed by medical professionals based on the particular behaviors the individual has exhibited over the past six months. Inattentive ADHD typically presents as problems with lacking attention and ability to focus, while the hyperactive type lends itself more to behavior, presenting as hyperactivity. Combined type ADHD is when all of these factors are in play. Let’s take a deeper dive into ADHD types.

Inattentive Type

ADHD persons who present with this type typically: • Are easily distracted and often lose or misplace things. Looking for things like car keys, glasses, or homework is a regular part of life. • Lack the ability to focus and pay attention; frequently resulting in mistakes, whether at work or school. It can also affect interpersonal behaviors and relationships. • Are often accused of “not paying attention.” The individual may struggle in school, church, lectures, presentations, and more. Prolonged reading can also be challenging. • Are often tardy or do not complete work tasks, school tasks, errands, chores, and more, as they tend to avoid activities that require sustained mental focus. • Find listening intently to be difficult. • Tend to lack organizational and pri-

oritizing skills. Time management is also challenging—missing deadlines can be a regular occurrence. • Appear forgetful in a variety of ways.

Hyperactive Type

ADHD persons who present with this type typically: • Are perpetual motion machines; they fidget, squirm, wiggle, jiggle legs, tap hands or feet, and more. They are always on the go. • Find it difficult to sit at a desk, work, or school, and also are challenged by meetings, presentations, seminars, and such that require prolonged sitting. • May often stand up, run, or climb in inappropriate situations like school, religious services, and work. • Tend to be excessive talkers and are frequently unable to play or participate in activities in a quiet, orderly manner. They also tend to interrupt conversations. • Often answer questions or respond in conversations before the other person has finished what they are saying. • Do not like waiting in line or taking turns. • May use other people’s property without permission to take over what someone is doing without being asked or granted permission.

They struggle to participate in simple things like games and activities because of this.

“If you are concerned about symptoms like these and have access to care, seeking out a professional to get a diagnosis is beneficial because it opens up the potential for different sources of early management,” notes Dr. Hamdani.

This article will continue with diagnosis and treatment discussion with Dr. Hamdani in the next issue of SIMPLYkc.

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