Everything you need to know about ADHD

Introduction:

Monitoring the health of a child, especially during their growing years, is equally important as monitoring the health of an adult. Over the years, the focus was just on physical growth, and mental health was never thought of or ignored, considering the age of the children. But now with changing times, people are getting aware and trying to unravel and understand mental health. Amongst the numerous mental health issues, one of the major disorders is ADHD. The full form of ADHD is Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.  But what is ADHD disorder? To learn more about ADHD, it is recommended to seek an assessment of ADHD by a psychologist. Some of the leading psychologists in Hyderabad work together at TruHap; they are empathetic and are good at handling mental disorders in children and adults.

What is ADHD?

By just knowing the full form, is not enough. We may wonder what ADHD is.  Well, the meaning of ADHD is a medical condition with a neurodevelopmental or a brain disorder. This disorder affects the child’s ability to sit still, pay attention, and control behavior. It generally occurs in children in the age group of 12 years, during their teenage years, and may continue till adulthood.  Generally, most children struggle at times to follow directions, sit still, pay attention, but children with ADHD may have to face a much harder struggle with all these actions. To diagnose the difference between a regular child and a child with ADHD, take a psychologist assessment to identify the issue with the child.

Symptoms of ADHD

Identifying ADHD symptoms would be helpful to be aware of the signs and symptoms of ADHD. What are the symptoms of ADHD?  The symptoms have a range of behaviors. Some of the most common symptoms are as below:

• Getting easily distracted
• Being forgetful
• Anxiety
• Difficulty in concentration while reading
• Mood swings
• Being impulsive
• Difficulty in controlling anger
• Lower self-esteem
• Brain Fog or sluggish cognitive tempo

Causes of ADHD

Though ADHD disorder is a common health issue, what causes ADHD is still unknown to us. The research found that genetics play a big role in ADHD. Other things that may lead to ADHD are as below:

• Injury to brain
• Tobacco and alcohol usage during pregnancy
• Lower birth weight
• Premature delivery
• Infection or poor nutrition during pregnancy

Types of ADHD

There are three types of ADHD disorders. These can be cured by seeking consultation from a psychologist. Opt for TruHap, one of the best psychologists in Hyderabad.

The types of this disorder are segregated based on the symptoms types that a person is suffering from:

• Impulsive/ Hyperactive type
• Inattentive and distractible type
• Combined type
• Primarily hyperactive-impulsive type

Primarily hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD, which is the least common one, can be identified by hyperactive and impulsive behavior clubbed with distractibility and inattention. In this type, the person suffering from this disorder talks and fidgets a lot. Children may not sit and keep on running or jumping. The child may feel restless and are not able to wait for their turn. Such a type of person is prone to injuries and accidents.

• Primarily inattentive type ADHD

This type of inattentive ADHD is characterized majorly by distractibility and inattention without any hyperactivity. It is difficult for a person with ADHD inattentive type to follow instructions, pay attention to detail, perform or complete a specific work. The child may easily forget daily routine chores, may get distracted but would not be much hyperactive or impulsive. The inattentive ADHD test may be able to trace the exact cause of the disorder. This type is also known as ADD or attention-deficit disorder.

• Primarily combined type ADHD

The most common type of ADHD is the primarily combined type of ADHD. This type is noticed by the patient’s hyperactive-impulsive behavior, inattention, and distraction. The person may show symptoms such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention.

ADHD Tests

There is no defined or set procedure to test ADHD. An assessment session or an ADHD psychological test is performed by a certified professional. This procedure may take around 3 to 8 hours. Adults, teenagers, and children with this disorder are cured with therapy and medication.

• ADHD Test for Adults

What is ADHD in adults? ADHD in adults generally begins during their childhood. But it may often go unnoticed or undiagnosed. If ADHD symptoms were not present during childhood, then ADHD in adults may have arisen due to anxiety, depression, or any other disorder. ADHD tests for teens and adults are predominantly psychological tests.  The most prominent ADHD medications for adults are stimulants and non-stimulants. An ADHD treatment for adults involves using these medicines that adjust the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine.

• ADHD Test for Women

The symptoms of ADHD disorder are generally quite different in men and women. The women too, may feel exhausted and overwhelmed. She may have low self-esteem, psychological distress, and may find it difficult to rest and relax. ADHD Test for Women or female ADHD test is primarily psychological tests. One can also opt for a female ADHD quiz that is available online; alternatively, you can also opt for a psychologist consultation. The psychologist will diagnose the patients by asking several questions to have a fairer idea, and accordingly, advise the best ADHD treatment for women.

• ADHD Test for Girls

Boys and girls develop differently. These differences are not just limited to the development of their bodies, but it affects the growth and development of their brains as well. This difference makes it harder to assess whether a girl has ADHD.  Diagnosis has to be carried out aptly through an ADHD test for girls or an ADHD test for teenage girls. In most cases, ADHD in girls can be observed during their classroom sessions. The teacher may notice the absence of attention; this may be discussed with the parents and then counsel the girl student. A quiz for ADHD in girls can be taken to identify the condition of the child. After taking the quiz, it is advisable to consult a psychologist; who will adequately prescribe ADHD treatment for girls.

• ADHD Test for Children

Though the child may be having some symptoms that may be similar to ADHD, the chances are it may be something other disorder as well; hence it is required to consult a doctor. There is no definitive or specific ADHD test for children or adults. When a child persistently displays symptoms of hyperactivity or inattention regularly for six months, it is often prescribed to diagnose the child using an ADHD test for kids or an ADHD quiz for kids. The test is subjective and may involve a physical exam, a non-invasive brain scan. Analyzing the child’s condition, the doctor would further advise on the ADHD treatment for children. The treatment involves the usage of medication and therapy, and it majorly varies amongst children.

ADHD Treatment

ADHD treatment may aid to relieve the symptoms of this disorder and reduce the severity of the condition in day-to-day life. Medication or therapy either or both are used to treat ADHD. Along with medicines, different ADHD therapies are useful in treating this disorder in children, adults, and teenagers. Therapy not only helps to resolve ADHD but also helps to treat anxiety disorders. ADHD treatment without medication such as cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective as well. As in this therapy, the therapist may help the child to change the way he feels, thinks, and behaves. Opt for TruHap, one of the best available ADHD treatment options in Hyderabad.

ADHD Medications

There are numerous types of ADHD medications. These medications affect how the brain parts communicate with each other. They help to reduce or improve hyperactivity and also help to increase alertness. The two main types of ADHD drugs are non-stimulants and stimulants. Stimulant medications work on dopamine, the neurotransmitter, which plays a vital role in motivation. Some widely used stimulant drugs are Ritalin and Quillivant.

Some behavior management approaches to handle ADHD

Each case of ADHD is different from one other, and the approach to treat them varies. Amongst the numerous treatments, one of them is behavior management therapy. This therapy helps patients with learning skills that help to control and manage their symptoms. The main aim is to substitute negative with positive behaviors. Some of the parenting tips for ADHD are to maintain a positive attitude, believe in your child, learn to manage the behavior of their child, discipline them with warmth, talk about it, spend quality time together each day, and other similar steps as below:

• Creating a system of immediate rewards as much as possible
• Dividing tasks into smaller, manageable portions with rewards for each
• Externalizing the internal self-regulatory information
• It is of utmost importance that the modifications carried out in controlled environments should be applicable in a natural setting
• Resource pool of effort (willpower) is the cognitive energy available to the individual to apply to a particular task.

Creating a system of immediate rewards as much as possible

Rewards generally motivate all children, but it works wonders to motivate a child with ADHD. Appreciate each improvement and immediately reward children for it. The rewards encourage the child to perform their best. For smaller age groups of children, the reward may be in the form of a cookie or a toy. For older children, the rewards may differ as per their expectations or preferences.

Dividing tasks into smaller, manageable portions with rewards for each

The treatment of ADHD is a continuous effort that needs to be processed with immense motivation. The distribution of tasks should be done by allotting smaller task divisions for children, with timely rewards for them. A month-long task should be broken down into small daily tasks and should be rewarded every week to maintain the motivation levels.

Externalizing the internal self-regulatory information

Behavior management is a difficult task, as the processes used to control it may not be adequate to sustain behavior. Hence, to manage this, creating daily routines and implementing rules will help to maintain internal motivation. The adult or child should be taught to verbalize the rules; or use PECS or a picture exchange communication system. These will help the patient to carry out tasks that are to be followed daily, thus providing an external source due to the shortage of internal self-regulation.

It is of utmost importance that the modifications carried out in controlled environments should also be applicable in natural settings

Handling or treating ADHD patients in a professional setup like a therapist’s office or an enclosed playroom may not have the essential impact on the child or adult. The implementation should be carried out in their natural environment as much as possible to achieve functional improvement.

Resource pool of effort (willpower) is the cognitive energy available to the individual to apply to a particular task.

Over time, due to ADHD, the resource pool of efforts is quite challenging. For this, periodic small rewards, timely breaks, having a glucose-rich beverage between the tasks, experiencing positive emotions help to replenish the resource pool. Over time, physical exercise and the daily practice of tasks that involve self-regulation may help to increase the scope of the resource pool.

Conclusion:

For adults and children who are not diagnosed with ADHD may face a severe brunt in their life. It affects their relationships, school, and work as well. Treatment of ADHD is quite crucial to minimize the effects of this disorder. If you notice that you or your child may have ADHD, the first thing to do should be to consult a psychologist, like many specialized ones at TruHap, get a better idea about us here. The psychologist will diagnose and advise whether ADHD is the actual case with you or your child. Once the psychologist identifies the type of ADHD, a customized plan is prescribed, so that the patient can still live happily with ADHD.