Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric problem. ADHD affects both children and, if left untreated, adults as well. ADHD is one of the most important psychiatric problems of childhood, with aspects that concern the child himself, the family and society. ADHD affects approximately 5-8% of school-aged children and approximately 4-5% of adults. According to clinical data, it is 3-4 times more common in boys than in girls. Symptoms often begin before the age of 7 and must be treated when they reach a level that affects the child's daily life. When diagnosed early, the results obtained from treatment should be satisfactory, and ADHD should be known by all professionals and families related to the child, especially those working in the field of health and education.
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are in the frontal parts of the brain. and in the brain structures closely related to this part, there is lower blood flow and sugar usage than normal and, as a result, lower activity. This part of the brain has important functions such as controlling oneself, concentrating and sustaining attention, organizing one's desires according to circumstances, and planning. However, it is not exactly known why this structural and functional difference occurs.
In our country, those who have accurate information about ADHD are in the minority. Misconceptions such as "An active child is a smart child", "He has a lot of energy, let him run", "He will get better when he grows up" also delay recognition of the problem and consultation with a specialist. Symptoms of this disorder continue in adolescence in 50-70% of children with ADHD, and 30-40% of these children have ADHD symptoms in adulthood.
Children's academic performance decreases over time and problems such as school absenteeism, grade repetition, and disciplinary punishments may arise. It has also been determined that these children have more frequent problems with the law and cause more traffic accidents in the following years.
In summary, ADHD should not be considered as a simple, temporary mischief or distraction. The family must first accept that their child has an attention deficit disorder problem and must take this into consideration when directing the child's behavior. If attention problems negatively affect the child's quality of life and/or reduce their academic success, help must be sought. ADHD is not the child's fault, it is a clinical condition that develops beyond the child's control. In this case, not treating the child is actually an injustice to the child. It is inevitable that a child who is treated with undeserved treatment will have self-confidence problems in the long run.
The prominent features of ADHD are inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Attention deficit means that the child's attention span is short for his age and that he is easily and quickly distracted, especially in academic areas such as reading, writing and mathematics. When school starts, they become disinterested in learning. They do not like to do homework, they do it under the pressure of their parents or teachers. They often leave the desk with various excuses (such as going to the toilet, drinking water). They always want someone with them while studying. They have difficulty completing a task and move on to another task without completing it. Characteristics that often accompany inattention are being easily distracted, being unable to organize, not being able to follow objects, making simple mistakes, and being unable to complete tasks.
Hyperactivity, in short, is being fidgety, being unable to sit or unable to sit. It can be defined as breast. Hyperactivity is a more obvious and noticeable symptom in preschool children (3-6 years old). These children do not like to sit down, they run around the house and do not understand the words stop and do not. When they have to sit, their hands and feet fidget. They love to jump, climb high and jump. They change their shape while studying or even watching TV. He talks a lot, and when two people are talking, they often interrupt. They cannot sit at the head of the desk, so they do not like to study at the desk.
Commonly used methods in the treatment of ADHD are medication, individual education, parent education, and individual behavioral treatments. The decision of which of these treatment methods to use is determined by taking into account the individual characteristics of the person. Scientific studies conducted to date show that drug therapy is the most effective form of treatment. Better results are obtained by adding appropriate other forms of treatment to drug treatment.
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