ADD & ADHD

The rate of children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has been on the rise in recent years. This disorder is not wholly debilitating for children, but does create extremely frustrating obstacles for children. Unfortunately, these obstacles are present on a daily basis, compounding children’s frustrations and anxieties. However, there is hope on the horizon as more and more research is completed. From this research, we’re learning of different ways to treat this disorder. And since we haven’t yet discovered any preventative measures or complete solutions for those who already have this disorder, discovering new techniques for coping with this problem are of the utmost importance; both for the child and the parents.

Sometimes referred to as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), this disorder is one of the most common among children. It can be classified in a few ways. For example, children suffering from this experience great difficulty paying attention, focusing on a task or following a task all the way through. One of the symptoms also includes impulsivity, where a child demonstrates lack of self-control, lashing out at others without reason and often failing to practice any type of patience in random situations. And because a child with ADD can not focus that well, they are often found to be bored as a result. A person with this disorder needs to have almost constant stimulation, or they will soon tire of the task at hand and become bored. This is another reason why homework serves to be such a problem for these types of people.

Basically classified as a behavioral disorder, ADD’s negative influences have far reaching ramifications. Children suffering from this behavioral problem usually experience trouble at home and at school. There problems usually fall under the wide umbrella of social inadequacies as well. Their inability to focus paired with their hyperactivity often leads to outbursts or other less than normal behaviors. This activity is most likely not well understood by their peers because of their young age, and this only serves to make things more socially awkward and create an even bigger fissure between the child and their peers, creating a vicious cycle.

Parents are affected too. Whether it’s experiencing huge frustrations from spending hours with their child on the same homework assignment, or coping with the random, insolent outbursts, parents would do well to explore different coping mechanisms, improve their home safety and even seek some counseling on how to best handle their child’s situation. Finding ways to deal with this is not only healthy for the child, but the parents as well.