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ADHD Health Library Updated videos and information on ADD/ADHD brought to you by Healthology.
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When
a high school student lacks the motivation to complete his schoolwork, we need
to look not only at him but at the reasons behind the lack of motivation.
Self-esteem issues can plague individuals with ADHD. There are many causes but there is help.
PARENT TO PARENT
CAN YOU HELP??
This month, a short and to the point question about disciplining children
Last Month: A mother is looking for ways to help her teenage son deal with anger.
Special Section: Mini EBook for Day Care Providers and Preschool Teachers on ADHD in Preschool
How does ADD/ADHD affect the daily life of a child?
Although the symptoms of ADD/ADHD are clear to substantiate
a diagnosis of ADHD, this does not always provide information on how a child is
affected in their daily lives. A
child with ADD/ADHD many times is immature for their age; they may have
difficulty in making friends or in keeping friends.
They may have anger outbursts, temper tantrums, the inability to think
things through as well as the inability to connect a consequence with an action,
especially if the consequence will happen sometime in the future.
Their lack of impulse control can frequently cause them to get into
trouble, and their impatience at waiting turns can create tensions between the
child and other children.
Children with ADD/ADHD often complain that they feel they do not fit in with their peers. They feel left out of activities and many times can strike out by making fun of other children, becoming the bully or becoming the victim of a bully.
Children with ADD/ADHD often lose things or forget where
they have placed items, causing them to always seem like they do not care or are
lazy.
Children with ADD/ADHD often move from task to task without
completing a project. This can
portray laziness but this is not the case.
These children have a low frustration level and will quickly become bored
with a project if it is frustrating for them or if it is not challenging.
Leaving many project incomplete can cause a child to feel worthless.
Children with ADD/ADHD often do not follow through on
projects. Easily distracted,
children will move from one task to another, forgetting what they had started in
the beginning.
Children with ADD/ADHD may also feel as if their life is
out of control. Most do not
intentionally misbehave and the frustration at not living up to others
expectations can cause undue pressure on a young child.
Many times the child will begin to believe that they are “bad” or
something is wrong with them, long before a diagnosis.
They know that they try to behave; yet it never seems to work out for
them. They know, even when adults
to not understand, they no matter how they try to behave, they seem to always be
caught doing something wrong.
Children with ADD/ADHD may have a problem with bed-wetting
or soiling of pants. This can cause embarrassment in any child and an ongoing
problem can create a withdrawal from friends or fear of making friends with
other children for fear of being made fun of.
Children with ADD/ADHD may have a difficult time falling
sleep or settling down for a nap. Many
parents of children with ADD/ADHD say that their child gave up naps by ages 2 or
3. This is exasperated when the
child is in a highly stimulated area. The
child will have a hard time slowing down their thought process in order to relax
and fall asleep. Recently a study
indicated a link between sleep disorders and ADHD.
The issue of co-morbid conditions is also present.
Children with ADD/ADHD have a higher incident rate of depression,
bi-polar disorder and learning disabilities than the general public.
Many children with ADD/ADHD are extremely intelligent and some are both
gifted and ADHD. Despite popular
opinion, both depression and bi-polar disorder can occur in young children and
manifest in many ways.
A few symptoms of depression in young children would be
tantrums, complaints of physical ailments, hyperactivity or withdrawing from
activities.
A few symptoms of bipolar disorder in children would
include: rages, mood swings, oppositional behavior, aggressive behavior, periods
of giddiness, high-risk behaviors.
(Please note that a child exhibiting these symptoms
does not necessarily suffer from one of these disorders. Many of these symptoms are common to all children; however, a
history of these behaviors may indicate the need for additional medical
intervention.)
All of this takes a toll on the child’s self esteem, leaving you with a child that feels inadequate, feels lonely and will act out in order to receive the attention they crave. Younger children, especially, do not understand nor have the capabilities of dealing with these emotions.
ADDHelpline,
Inc. is an online resource center and support group for all
individuals dealing with ADD/ADHD.