What is ADHD in children

Children affected by ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorderThey need understanding as there is still a great lack of knowledge about this issue. This diagnosis shows a disorder that affects behavior and attention span. Very often, childhood is the period of life in which the first symptoms begin to be visible. However, sometimes it takes a while to identify the diagnosis because the child is seen as restless or mischievous. In this Psychology-Online article we explain what is ADHD in children: symptoms and treatment.

The child spends much of his childhood in the school environment, for this reason, it is in this environment where he begins to show the first symptoms:

1. The boy has difficulties maintaining attention in the same activity. As a consequence of this point, he also needs support to organize his time and follow the precise directions.
2. The boy is distracted With any external stimulus, in this way, these constant pauses alter his concentration.
3. Simple mistakes in homework. This is one of the symptoms of this disorder that acquires special significance when this fact occurs frequently. That is, it is an observation made by the teacher in the academic evolution of the child. Along the same lines, the child can also leave tasks unfinished on a recurring basis.
4. Behavioral effects. At the level of social relationships, this disorder also produces observable symptoms. For example, the child anticipates answering a question even before the speaker has finished posing the question. Similarly, he frequently interrupts other classmates and disrupts the pace of the classroom.
5. Difficulty relating to other children. This is one of the effects of this disorder. The child has difficulties to relate to other playmates of the same age and shows a different evolution.
6. From the motor point of view, the child projects repeated gestures that reveal nervousness and impulsiveness. For example, the child swings on the chair when he is sitting at the desk.

In this other article we discover you how to detect attention deficit in children.

It is important that parents and teachers have a constant collaboration through a two-way communication that allows both to know the evolution of the child. What are the symptoms that parents can observe at home?

1. Difficulties in assuming small household chores, responsibilities commensurate with their age.
2. Slow pace in personal care tasks. For example, wash your hands, pack your backpack, or get dressed in the morning. The difficulty of attention that the child experiences also affects these daily aspects.
3. Frequent verbiage. From the point of view of communication, the child reflects this hyperactivity in this field.
4. He seems that he does not hear what is said to him. This seems to project an image of rebellion against the rules when in reality, the child does not act in this way of his own free will. He has difficulties, especially, to attend to complex instructions.
5. The boy stumbles many times In the same circumstance, he seems not to learn from his experience and the consequences of his actions. For this reason, he does not have a predictable view of risk and is sometimes reckless. That is, it takes actions without having previously measured what may happen. Sometimes, parents punish the child to make him realize the fact (a punishment that is the result of ignorance of the diagnosis). However, this corrective response is not therapeutic in this setting. On the contrary, it damages children's self-esteem.

Treatment to treat this disorder can only begin when the specialist has actually made the diagnosis. There are some variables that can lead to good treatment results, for example, a diagnosis Precocious is of vital importance, as well as the stability of the familiar environment in the home offers security to the child.

What's more, the treatment of this disorder is holistic since it is not only important to offer psycho-pedagogical support to the child, but also training for parents through workshops on this topic. Parents need support to understand what is happening to the child and why she acts this way.

When parents know the diagnosis given by an expert, they feel calm after a period of so many doubts, insecurities and fears. Since they experience constant frustration as a result of misunderstanding the situation. And in turn, thanks to this comprehensive treatment, develop resources and skills to respond, with more assertiveness, to the daily difficulties of living together.

School teachers themselves also receive pedagogical training on how to promote the development of children with ADHD since As experts in teaching, and knowledge mentors for the child, they are support figures not only for the students, but also for the students. fathers. For this reason, in addition to professional advice, it is important that parents and teachers work as a team constantly.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.