An overactive child may not eat or sleep, and will find the strength to go crazy again. Smart and quick-witted though she is, she has nothing but trouble at school. We already know some of the causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). We also know how to help a child with ADHD.

He is fidgeting in the desk, disturbs the lesson, is unable to focus. Half of the information provided by the teacher reaches him, of which he remembers also half. The punished usually have no idea what the punishment happened to them for. He does not anticipate the consequences of his behavior. He often has difficulties in reading, he cannot write clearly, he cannot count correctly. She is quite smart and intelligent, but "fails" tests, because he was not careful during lessons and he cannot judge how long it will take him to solve the tasks.ChildrenzADHDas if they stop at an earlier stage of psychological development (seven-year-old at the level of a three-year-old). This means that, for example, at school they cannot behave in the way that is expected of them.

ADHD is not a dream, but an illness

Even in the 1950s, children with ADHD were considered wayward and malicious. Meanwhile, the problem is not in bad character, but in genes, structurebrain , concentrations of various chemicals in the body. Hypoxia and microdamages of the brain during pregnancy and childbirth, previous head injuries, and exposure to high levels of lead in early childhood may also contribute to the development of the disease. However, ADHD is still a mysterious disease. The listed reasons explain only 30 percent. cases - the rest remains a mystery.

What is ADHD in a child?

Important

Medicines cannot be a way of life, however. They only reduce the severity of disease symptoms, not cure. It must not be forgotten that dealing with an hyperactive child requires great patience and observance of constant, clear rules of the game. A child with ADHD praised for even small successes, encouraged to "organized" activity, positively motivated to work - can also achieve a lot without the pill.

In children with ADHD, the brain develops more slowly

In children with ADHD, certain areas of the brain (the cortex of the prefrontal lobes, the cerebellum, some basal ganglia) are smaller than normal. They lack the balance between the concentration of neurotransmitters - noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin - responsible forfor contacting nerve cells in the brain.

Drug relieving ADHD symptoms

In the treatment of ADHD, Ritalin (methylphenidate, an amphetamine derivative) is used. It is a fairly mild drug that stimulates the activity of the nervous system. It increases the concentration of dopamine, which regulates the work of nerve cells related to movement and emotions. Taken twice a day may not turn a troublemaker into an angel, but it does reduce the number of problems at school. There is, however, the other side of the coin. Amphetamines can be addictive, dull and make you sleepy, and eventually damage very important internal organs, such as the heart, liver, and brain. They should also not be used under the age of six. The world's first non-stimulating, and therefore non-addictive, drug called Strattera has also reached Poland. It prevents the removal of norepinephrine, which interacts with other neurotransmitters (dopamine and serotonin) to regulate the level of motor activity, and the lack of which causes concentration disorders and problems with emotional control. Studies have confirmed that the drug is safe and can be used under the age of six, when ADHD symptoms may already begin.

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Category:

Psychiatry