Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that has been known for many years and on which much research has been done. The prevalence of ADHD is considerable. And there are serious prejudices and misconceptions in our society about ADHD.
In particular, it is information that this disorder is a made-up diagnosis for children who are naughty, unruly, and have low academic success, which harms the future of these children and prevents them from accessing treatment. There is pollution.
ADHD is a condition that causes the person to face problems such as attention deficit, impulsivity and mobility. There are serious studies on the causes of ADHD where physiological, genetic, biochemical, brain imaging and functionality are evaluated.
There are many studies on the imaging and functions of the forebrain and related brain regions, where executive functions are managed. And in these studies, it is observed that there are problems with dimensional changes, blood supply and functions in these areas.
Having ADHD or other psychiatric problems in the family is also considered among the reasons. Yes, although it cannot be attributed to a single cause, ADHD can be seen in children due to many factors and if not intervened, it causes serious problems in social, psychological and academic areas.
In the type of ADHD in which attention is clearly distracted, the child can be observed as calm and slow-witted. . And this situation may not be evaluated as ADHD in the family and school environment.
However, ADHD is the general name of the diagnosis. Only in the attention deficit type, situations such as forgetfulness, slowness, unwillingness to take responsibility, disorganization, and retardation in reading and writing development in the academic process can be observed in the child.
However, in the marked type of impulsivity and hyperactivity, excessive mobility, frequent accidents, and clumsiness can be observed. Situations that create problems in social and family harmony, such as difficulties in following the rules, anger and combative behavior, difficulty waiting one's turn, and talking too much, are more evident. For this reason, the hyperactivity and impulsivity type of ADHD is recognized more quickly and the search for treatment develops faster.
In diagnosing ADHD, it was important to take a good history. r. The mother's pregnancy period should be questioned carefully. The birth process, how much the baby weighs, and whether it is born on time or not are important.
After birth, the child's breastfeeding, motor development processes, starting to talk, sleeping and eating habits are also important. Low birth weight, twin pregnancies and premature births are considered risk factors for ADHD.
The child's disease history should be carefully evaluated during the development process. Frequent infections, cardiac problems, thyroid hormone functions, etc. like. In addition, information should be obtained about the family medical history.
Whether there are psychiatric or medical problems in the parents, if there are siblings, their development and medical history, and special conditions in close relatives should also be questioned. If there are problems in the developmental processes, medical evaluations must be made.
The child's fine and gross motor development, conceptual and academic development according to his age should be evaluated well, and a neurological evaluation should be requested in cases where a neurological problem is perceived.
After the general evaluation processes, various ADHD screening scales are evaluated by families and educators to provide information. Because observations in school and activity areas, where the patient stays for a certain period of time in home and limited environments, are very important in diagnosis.
Although we do not have a tool that we can say that we are diagnosing with this test, various attention performance tests, family and teacher evaluation scales. It is very informative.
Especially the MOXO d-CPT test, which has recently been used at international standards, gives us very concrete information about ADHD.
This test is not only about attention, but also the child's learning process, what distractions are. Very helpful data are obtained, such as how much the child is affected by the disease and whether there are any anxiety conditions that affect attention and learning. And after a detailed evaluation, it is evaluated whether the child has ADHD symptoms and the level of severity and how it affects academic and social development.
When diagnosing ADHD, the family and educators, if the child is in the education system, must be informed about this issue. Because in the treatment of ADHD, family, school educators and physicians should cooperate. Child ADHD waist If the child is slightly affected academically, psychologically and socially, it is appropriate to provide behavioral support first.
The child's study style, what to do in the classroom, family attitudes at home, and what the child will do should be determined and monitored. However, ADHD If the symptoms cause the child to experience serious problems in many areas, then drug treatments should be discussed as well as behavioral and attitude supports.
Unfortunately, this is the wrong belief held by families, educators, pharmacists and the general public about drug treatment in ADHD. harms children. In general, it is common to start treatment and stop it within 1 year due to these effects. And the rate at which problems due to treatment delay increase and become more unsolvable is also high.
For this reason, the family and the child should be well informed at every stage of the treatment. The family should be able to easily reach the treating physician, especially in case of problems or concerns about medication use. Let's not forget that ADHD is a treatable condition; early diagnosis and treatment approaches will eliminate problems that may develop in the future.
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