What Is ADHD, and How Can You Treat It?

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent disorders affecting children in the 21st century. According to a recent report, approximately 11% of children aging between 4 and 17 have ADHD in the United States. Although this disorder is often diagnosed during childhood, adults can also have ADHD.

ADHD is a mental, behavioral disorder that involves being overly active, paying attention, and controlling impulses. Children and adults with ADHD face a difficult time stopping themselves from doing activities that others define as disruptive and focusing on specific things. As a result, this disorder can affect performance at school and work, home life, and your relationships.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, there are three types of ADHD. Each type has a different set of symptoms and specific treatments depending on the symptoms. Without further ado, let us discuss the different types of ADHD and their symptoms.

1. Inattentive Type ADHD

Generally, ADHD is more common in boys than in girls and is more prevalent in older children and adults. People with this type of ADHD have problems focusing properly on different tasks as they get distracted easily.

Often referred to as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), they do not show signs of impulsivity or hyperactivity. However, the term ADD is outdated in the medical community, and now people refer to it as inattentive type ADHD.

The main symptoms of this type of ADHD are:

• Forgetfulness
• Easily distracted and does not pay attention to detail
• Difficulty with organization
• Often makes careless mistakes
• Inability to listen carefully
• Avoiding tasks that require effort
• Unable to understand, follow, or keep on track when completing tasks
• Easily does tasks that do not require a sustained mental effort, like watching television

2. Hyperactive/Impulsive Type ADHD

As the least common type of ADHD, Hyperactive/Impulsive type ADHD is often found in boys and adult men. People with this type of ADHD move about constantly, feel restless, and fidget often.

They are also impulsive and hyperactive, meaning that they perform various actions without thinking it through entirely. However, they do not show any signs of being easily distracted or difficulty in paying attention.

Persons with Hyperactive/Impulsive type ADHD have a minimum of six out of the nine symptoms listed below. The symptoms include:

• Squirming and fidgeting
• Climbing or running at inappropriate times
• Talking too much, which often leads to yelling out statements
• Trouble playing quietly
• Always on the go
• Struggling to stay seated at one place
• Interrupting behavior and temper outbursts

As the most prevalent type of ADHD, individuals with combined-type ADHD experience symptoms of both hyperactive/impulsive type ADHD and inattentive type ADHD.

Thus, persons suffering from this type of disorder experience symptoms like hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. They find it difficult to pay attention to specific tasks, get distracted easily, and find it challenging to control their behavior or impulses.

Generally, children with this type of ADHD have a minimum of six symptoms of both types of ADHD and at least five symptoms of both types for adults. Some of the symptoms include:

• Extremely short attention span and easily distracted
• Forgetfulness and losing things often
• Excessive fidgeting
• Acting without thinking
• Talking a lot
• Interrupting others often

Diagnosis of ADHD

Often, children do not receive a diagnosis of ADHD until they begin attending school. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises doctors to test and diagnose children with ADHD when they are at least four years old. Just because a child shows hyper-activeness, impulsiveness, and signs of inattention, it does not mean they have ADHD.

It is also worth noting that there is no specific test on ADHD. Thus, qualified health professionals must conduct thorough research to gain as much information as possible on this disorder before making a diagnosis.

How to treat ADHD

There is no cure for ADHD. As a result, parents of children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder have several concerns on the correct type of treatment for their child. With the proper ADHD treatment, it is possible to treat this disorder effectively. Depending on the type of the child’s family, there are several treatment options for ADHD.

The American Association of Pediatrics recommends behavioral management as the first stage of treatment. This is the perfect treatment for children younger than six years old. Children 6 years and older are best advised to begin ADHD treatment by using a combination of behavior therapy and medication.

Parents of kids up to 12 years of age are advised to take up parental training in behavioral management. Furthermore, older children and adolescents should treat the disorder by going for other types of behavior training and therapy.

APP also recommends the help of other people involved in the patient’s life. Such people may include healthcare providers, teachers, therapists, coaches, and other family members. Adding school supports and behavioral classroom intervention helps with ADHD treatment.

Effective ADHD treatment plans also involve close monitoring of how the chosen treatment helps with improving the child’s behavior. It is also vital to make necessary changes as required along the way to ensure the home environment is suitable for recovering ADHD patients. In some cases, ADHD treatment may involve using different types of medicines, including stimulants and non-stimulants.

However, medications affect children differently and may even experience some side effects, like sleep deficiency or decreased appetite. Thus, you may find one child responds well to one type of medication but not to the other.

How parents can manage ADHD treatment in their children

Other than medical treatment, parents can also help with treating ADHD at home. Some suggestions to help with this behavioral disorder include:

• Helping them become organized and create a routine. They should at least follow the same schedule every day
• Limit choices and manage distractions so that they do not feel overstimulated or overwhelmed
• Be specific and clear when talking to your child
• Discipline effectively and use goals and praise to reward them for good behavior
• Provide a healthy home environment and create positive opportunities

Conclusion

The type of treatment your child receives depends on the type of ADHD you have. However, since there is no specific test for ADHD, diagnosing it can be challenging as the patient may be experiencing certain learning disabilities or anxiety, which have similar symptoms. As a result, it is vital to consult a healthcare provider specializing in ADHD and ADHD treatment.