Recently, I was chatting with a friend whose child has ADHD–I was asking her what tipped her off to recognize the problem and she answered that although her child exhibited many signs related with ADHD, it was very hard to pinpoint because ADHD has quite a few of the same signs as many other conditions. My friend remarked that it was like peeling an onion away, layer by layer until they were finally able to see what was happening with their child. She went on to say that when the onion was finally peeled back far enough to show that it was ADHD, it was very difficult to find the right kind of help they needed. Which got me thinking–if she was in this boat, then others must be as well. My perception is that ADHD is common, but kids that have it can get lost in the shuffle. So Breezy Mama turned to ADHD expert Dr. Mark Bertin, a board certified developmental behavioral pediatrician and author of the book The Family ADHD Solution: A Scientific Approach to Maximizing Your Child’s Attention and Minimizing Parental Stress, for help on how to identify the signs of ADHD, and what to do if they’re present in your child.
What exactly is ADHD, and how does it differentiate from ADD?
ADHD is a medical condition in which parts of the brain responsible for self-regulation, organization, and planning (a group of skills called ‘executive function’) are underactive. There are three subtypes in the most current diagnostic manual. People who are primarily hyperactive and impulsive have “ADHD-hyperactive/impulsive type,” those with more symptoms related to inattention and disorganization have “ADHD-inattentive type,” and those who have symptoms of both have “ADHD-combined type.” ADD is the older term for ADHD-inattentive type.
What are signs that one should look for in determining that their child may have ADHD?
While many children are active, get distracted when bored, or act impulsively, what sets children apart with ADHD is that [Read more…] about ADHD: Does Your Child Have It?