Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects children’s developmental skills of staying focused and paying attention, controlling behavior and activity.

What are the signs to look for in children?

Children with ADHD usually have two sets of difficulties:

a) Related to hyperactivity and impulsivity: Children are often very restless, can’t sit for long at one place, are fidgety and often impulsive i.e. do things without thinking about consequences. They may disturb other children in the class and get into fights often.

b) Related to lack of attention: Children cannot attend for long, especially on academic and other sit down tasks, may daydream, look distracted and make careless mistakes in academics in spite of knowing concepts. Often children with ADHD may also have difficulties in learning.

When is a child diagnosed with ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. Often the first people to raise concerns are pre-school teachers. ADHD is diagnosed on the basis of history of child’s behaviors in multiple settings, including home, school, playground, etc and on observations of the child in structured assessments. Additionally, parents may be asked to fill up parent questionnaires about their child’s behaviors.

How to assist children with ADHD?

Children with ADHD look “normal” and so parents often feel that the child is simply “not listening” or “stubborn”. However, it IS a condition with a neurological basis. For best outcomes, the way forward is a combination of medication and behavioral counselling, especially for the parents.

What should parent do?

For children less than 6 years, the first line of treatment is behavioral modification strategies. This means that parents have to understand what makes the child behave in particular ways and how to respond. In addition, children often benefit from environmental changes like distraction free study areas. They may also require sensory based strategies to improve their sitting tolerance and restlessness and this is mostly provided in occupational therapy. Parents also have to advocate for the child at school, as teachers need to be aware of how to help such children in the classroom. Mere scolding and punishment is actually not helpful at all.

Can Medications treat ADHD?

Research shows that ADHD results from a deficiency of a specific neurotransmitter in specific areas of the brain. This transmitter is norepinephrine or one of its building blocks, dopamine or dopa. Any medicine that increases the level of this neurotransmitter in the areas of the brain involved with ADHD will significantly reduce the behavior associated with ADHD. The group of medicines called ‘stimulants’ are most successful in treating ADHD.  They mostly help the child become less restless and more attentive. However, medication works best when combined with other things that parents do to help the child and NOT in isolation.