Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of the central nervous system. To date, the occurrence of this diagnosis among children is growing every year. Among boys, such a diagnosis is more common.
ADHD in children: causes
ADHD can be caused by the following reasons:
- disruption of subcortical structures of the brain;
- pathologists of development of the frontal lobes of the brain;
- heredity;
- perinatal encephalopathy ;
- pathology of pregnancy in a child's mother (fetal hypoxia, umbilical cord entanglement, toxicosis, threat of abortion , smoking, stress, malnutrition);
- features of the course of labor: premature, prolonged, transient, with the stimulation of labor;
- the baby was born prematurely.
Frequent conflicts in the family, excessive severity in relation to the child can contribute to the emergence of his syndrome of ADHD.
Diagnosis of ADHD in children
The main method of diagnosis is the method of dynamic observation of a child in a natural environment for him. The observer creates a so-called observation card, which records information about the child's behavior at home, at school, on the street, in the circle of friends, with parents.
With a child over 6 years of age, scoring scales are used to determine the level of attention, thinking and other cognitive processes.
When the diagnosis is made, the complaints of the parents, the data of the child's medical record are also taken into account.
Symptoms of ADHD in children
The first signs of ADHD begin to appear already in the infant. A child with ADHD characterizes the presence of the following symptoms:
- increased motor activity of the limbs;
- chaotic movements;
- often delayed speech development ;
- clumsiness;
- disinhibition;
- impulsiveness;
- restlessness;
- inattention.
Often, these children are underestimated self-esteem, headaches and fears.
Psychological features of children with ADHD
Children with ADHD are slightly different from their usual peers:
- the child can not control his own behavior;
- It is difficult for him to hold attention for a long time on one subject;
- emotional lability, frequent changes of mood;
- It is difficult for a child to make contact with other children.
Teaching children with ADHD
Teaching a child with a diagnosis of ADHD requires increased attention on the part of parents and teachers, since he needs to dose mental loads, to ensure, as often as possible, frequent changes in activities in order to avoid loss of interest in the subject. A child with ADHD is characterized by restlessness, he can walk around the class during the lesson, causing a learning disruption.
The school for children with ADHD presents the greatest difficulty, because it requires from it impossible because of its physiological characteristics: long to sit in one place and concentrate on one subject.
Treatment of ADHD in children
Children with ADHD syndrome should be treated in a comprehensive way: in addition to drug therapy, the child is also mandatory, and parents visit the neuropsychologist.
Parents need to ensure the child observance of the regime of the day, give an opportunity to splash accumulated energy through physical exercises and long walks. It is necessary to minimize viewing TV and finding a child at the computer, as this increases the overexcitement of the child's body.
It is necessary to limit the presence of a child with ADHD in places of mass congestion, as this can only intensify the manifestation of hyperactivity.
From medications use: atomoxetine, cortexin, encephabol, pantogam , cerebrolysin, phenibut , pyracetam, ritalin, dexedrine, cilert. It is recommended to use with caution nootropic drugs in children under 6 years of age, because they have a number
A child with ADHD requires special attention to himself from both parents and the environment. Correctly organized regime of the day, physical activity, adequate correlation of praise and criticism of the child will allow him to more successfully adapt to the environment.
It should also be remembered that as the child grows, the manifestations of ADHD syndrome will be smoothed out and not so pronounced.