By Fatima Malik
ADHD (Attention deficient Hyperactivity Disorder) is one of the most underdiagnosed and misunderstood conditions.
ADHD affects a person’s personality (or what we think is part of someone’s personality), making it difficult for parents to identify and handle a child with ADHD.
Completing tasks
The inability to complete tasks can be seen as a lack of motivation or determination. In reality, the ADHD brain cannot regulate the tasks to complete them.
Disorganization
A messy room can seem like a disorganized person. But an ADHD brain can not remember things that are out of sight.
To them, that high neck sweater in the closet doesn’t exist, so they go out and buy a high neck sweater realizing later when they see the other sweater that they already had it. So, they’ll put all their important papers in a pile on top of their desks. That’s the only way they’d be able to get things done.
When a child with ADHD is asked to ‘do better,’ they are being asked to regulate an unregulatable brain. Like being asked to use a third arm to complete a task. Being asked to ‘do better’ can also cause significant insecurities for someone who feels that they cannot improve themselves to fit better.
ADHD Diagnoses
Understanding your child’s condition after diagnosis is a challenge but identifying the symptoms to get diagnosed is a different kind of challenge. If you’re not sure if your child has ADHD, it is advised to set up an appointment with a professional right away.
The sooner ADHD is diagnosed, the better; for the child and the family.
ADHD Treatment
The treatment for ADHD, depending on the severity, could be a combination of medication and therapy. Therapy can be on several aspects, for example, social skills, managing anxiety, gaining skills to deal with hyperactivity.
Positive Kids has offices all over Canada.
Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton, Kitchener, Waterloo etc
