Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a type of brain disorder. This disorder affects how a person pays attention or behaves. ADHD mostly affects kids and teens but it can also affect adults. This is a common mental disorder in kids and boys face more cases of ADHD than girls. The symptoms start appearing during the early school days. Kids with ADHD face problems in paying attention in class and other activities. There is no cure for ADHD but early treatment and therapies can help in managing ADHD symptoms.
What are the symptoms of ADHD?
A child with inattentive ADHD
- Unable to pay attention
- Get distracted easily
- Don’t listen to anyone
- Can’t complete daily activities
- Lose things easily
- Make careless mistakes
- Can’t pay attention to studies
- Daydreaming
- Don’t follow directions
A child with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD
- Can’t stay seated
- Always running
- Can’t stay quiet
- Climbing walls or trees
- Talks excessively
- Give blunt answers
- Always ready to go
- Interrupts others while talking
- Trouble in studies
A child with combined ADHD has symptoms of both inactive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD.
ADHD symptoms in adults
When a person gets old, the symptoms of ADHD change. Common ADHD symptoms in adults are:
- Anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Impulsiveness
- Get frustrated easily
- Unable to complete the task
- Can’t organize things
- Get mood swings easily
- Always seem late
- Depression
- Problems in relationship
- Can’t concentrate while reading
- Unable to control their anger
- Often get addicted to alcohol or drugs
Diagnosing ADHD in kids
The symptoms of ADHD start appearing in preschool. In some cases, the symptoms may appear even more early. But diagnosing ADHD in kids is not easy. Several other mental conditions have similar symptoms to ADHD. The kid has to undergo a proper diagnosis to eliminate other conditions. Some conditions that can have similar symptoms to ADHD are anxiety, seizure disorder, autism spectrum disorder, sleep disorder, vision or hearing problems, brain injury, or any kind of medical problem that can affect the brain.
What are the causes of ADHD?
Mental disorders like ADHD can occur due to several causes. However, there is no exact cause behind this condition.
Genetics: ADHD can run in genes. If any of the parents have ADHD, their kids may get the same disorder.
Brain changes: ADHD can appear when the brain parts that control attention are less active.
Chemicals: Your kid can get ADHD when some brain chemicals are imbalanced.
Toxins: The brain development of kids gets affected due to exposure to lead. Kids living near factories may get ADHD.
Poor nutrition: Improper diet can affect brain development.
Brain injury: Injury in the frontal lobe can create problems in controlling behavior and emotions.
If a pregnant lady smokes, drinks, or takes any drugs, it affects the brain development of the baby.
Myth: ADHD isn’t caused by watching too much TV, poor schooling, or any kind of food allergies.
Treatment options for ADHD
As you know, there is no cure for ADHD. But a good treatment can help your kid to manage the symptoms of ADHD. Several medications and therapies are available to treat ADHD.
Medications
Medications help a lot to manage the symptoms of ADHD. But finding the correct medications is difficult. Always talk to the doctor before giving any medicine to your kid. The doctor will prescribe the best medications for your kid. For ADHD, doctors often suggest stimulant and non-stimulant medications.
Central Nervous system stimulants
CNS is the most common drug for ADHD. This medication helps in increasing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. They help in producing paradoxical calming effects. CNS helps in focusing on things and concentrating on studies. Common CNS medicines for ADHD are amphetamine-based stimulants, dexmethylphenidate, dextromethamphetamine, methylphenidate, etc.
Non stimulant medications
Doctors suggest non-stimulant medications only when the stimulants are not showing any positive effect. The non-stimulant medicines increase the level of norepinephrine. Common non-stimulant medicines are atomoxetine and antidepressants.
Side effects of stimulants and non-stimulants
These medicines are good to treat ADHD but have some side effects. The kid may experience side effects like:
- Trouble in sleeping
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Irritability
- Nervousness
- Stomach upset, etc
Some serious side-effects of these medicines are hallucinations, allergic reactions, increased blood pressure, seizures, and suicidal thoughts or actions.
Homeopathy for ADHD
You can also treat the ADHD of your kid using natural medication. Talk to a homeopathy doctor Pennsylvania and get the proper dynamic treatment for ADHD. The medicines will help in balancing the brain chemicals to treat ADHD. These medicines are fully safe and don’t cause any kind of side effects.
Therapy for ADHD
Lots of therapies are available to treat ADHD. Take your kid to a therapist. He will suggest therapies depending on your kid’s age and symptoms. Common therapies to treat ADHD are behavior therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc. Sometimes the therapist also suggests training sessions like social skills training, parenting skill training, support groups, etc.