What is attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder?
ADHD is a disorder that manifests itself with excessive activity that is not appropriate for the individual's age and development level, inability to postpone desires, and attention problems. It is usually in the pre-school period. and it becomes evident in the school age period. Children have problems paying attention to a subject or controlling their behavior. These children are generally described as "naughty, restless, very active, absent-minded, forgetful, daydreaming, etc." .”. Since these types of behaviors can be observed in almost every child from time to time, it is necessary to get support from an expert in order to make a diagnosis.
FEATURES
1-If hyperactivity/hyperactivity/impulsivity is at the forefront: These children are more active than their peers. These behaviors cause problems in daily activities such as games, kindergarten and school. Children in whom hyperactivity is at the forefront usually These are children who cannot sit still, cannot sit when they should, talk excessively, have difficulty waiting their turn, are always busy with something, often interrupt others and interfere in conversations.
2-If Attention Deficit is at the forefront:These children have difficulty concentrating their attention on one point, their attention gets distracted easily, they cannot follow the instructions from beginning to end, they lose the materials needed for the work and activities they will do at home or at school, and they do not listen.
3- If Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder is prominent:Features of both attention deficit and hyperactivity and impulsivity are observed.
SYMPTOMS
Strong walking Symptoms in children starting from childhood and in preschool period
In general, hyperactive children in this age group are children who constantly run, never walk, are ready to go at any time, and slide from one activity to another. They have difficulty sitting quietly for long periods of time. Children are very active but have a tendency to have accidents due to poor coordination and clumsiness.
Symptoms in primary school children:
These children often leave their seats in class due to discomfort and restlessness. They attract the attention of others by not being able to sit still for a long time, walking around or doing inappropriate activities.
Symptoms in adolescence:
Hyperactivity, in this period, changes from large muscle movements to small muscle movements. Examples of this include shaking the leg or constantly changing position on the chair. Impulsivity manifests itself in the adolescent with situations such as being dragged into more problems that are problematic for himself and his family, increasing danger. Lack of attention, failure to complete tasks, short attention spans for activities and continuous activities. Of course, school failure of the adolescent who continues to have attention problems is inevitable.
DEVELOPMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN WITH ADHD
Behavioral Symptoms
There are reports showing that these children are unusually active in the womb before they are born. They are babies who cry a lot when they are born and have very disrupted sleep patterns.
- They are extremely active. They cannot sit for long periods of time, they cannot hold hands. and they move their feet constantly.
- They can put themselves in physical danger without thinking about the consequences(such as running into the street without control)
- They constantly talk and shout and cannot prevent their wishes.
- They tamper with everything.
- The furniture They also wander on the shelves and are in a constant rush.
- They often show aggressive behavior towards others, such as hitting and pushing.
- Adolescents often talk about feelings that cause them distress.
- They have difficulty making decisions on their own.
- They leave the job they started unfinished and move from one activity to another.
Social Symptoms
- Friend relationships are weak. Even if they make friends, they cannot maintain their friendships because they exhibit inappropriate behavior.
- They show social maladjustment because they have difficulty complying with instructions and rules.
- Difficulty in participating in social events. Their skills may not develop because of their suffering.
Cognitive Symptoms:
- They get distracted easily. For this reason, they have difficulty finishing the task they started. Constantly A behavior of avoiding tasks that require attention is observed.
- They are generally forgetful. They may forget their belongings, feeding times, or the notes given by the teacher to be delivered to their family.
- Their studies are irregular and unplanned. Therefore, a decrease in school success may be observed.
- Because they cannot evaluate the consequences of their behavior, they are likely to be harmed.
Emotional Symptoms:
- Moods are changeable. and accordingly depression may develop.
- They can get excited and angry easily.
- They have low self-confidence. Social exclusion and the parent's attitude play an important role.
Physical Symptoms
- Sleep periods are short and irregular.
- Motor coordination may be poor.
- Bone development may be retarded. .
- Urination Leakage may occur.
- Their height and weight may remain below their peers.
- Inadequacy may be observed in tasks that require manual dexterity. Activities such as buttoning up buttons, tying shoes, using cutlery, drawing, writing can be given as examples.
In order to talk about ADHD in a child, teenager or adult, the above symptoms usually appear before the age of seven. It must appear, most of the behaviors must have been exhibited for at least 6 months, and they must be at a level that will negatively affect their daily life. As I mentioned above, since most children have behaviors observed from time to time, it is necessary to consult a specialist to distinguish ADHD.
Recommendations for Parents
Recognizing ADHD in time and starting therapy has an important role in terms of the mental health of individuals with the problem and their reintegration into society.
Revealed. Any behavioral problems that arise should be reported to the specialist as soon as possible and efforts should be made to determine the activities that should be carried out in line with the specialist's recommendations.
Care should be taken to ensure that the place where the child lives is safe. Since they are children who cannot evaluate the outcome of their behavior, the child should be checked at regular intervals while playing.
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The child should be supported by the parents regarding his expectations and plans.
The rules set should be appropriate to the child's age and development and should be written and hung.
When giving instructions to the child, talk to the child to attract his/her attention. It is important to establish eye contact and speak calmly. Giving instructions by shouting causes the child to focus only on the volume of the voice.
The focus should be on the positive characteristics of the child, not on the negativities and failures. It should not be forgotten that this approach will damage the child's self-confidence.
Since these children make mistakes very often, punishments (such as canceling a reward, allowing the child to endure the distress caused by the absence of a lost item for a while) may be inevitable for the parents as a last solution. However Care should be taken to always use punishments together with rewards. These children need to be rewarded more than other children. Every positive behavior exhibited by the child should be reinforced with a reward. It should not be forgotten that these rewards must be meaningful and strong rewards for the child.
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