Posted on 03/06/2010 7:17:22 AM PST by LouAvul
When Len was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it explained a lot. Why he had made poor grades in school even though he was smart. Why he was always losing things. Why he felt so restless.
The diagnosis was a surprise, though: Len was 38. He didn't think adults were supposed to have ADHD. But after his 8-year-old son was diagnosed, the therapist suggested that Len be evaluated.
"I grew up thinking I must be dumb or lazy," Len said. "It's hard for me to keep my mind on things that don't interest me. Finding out it's due to a difference in the way my brain works was a relief. The medicine doesn't fix it, but it does make it easier for me to stay focused."
ADHD has become a fairly common diagnosis in children. But for many years, experts thought that children grew out of it in adolescence. It is now thought that about four out of 100 adults have ADHD. And many of them have never been diagnosed.
What are the symptoms of ADHD?
There are three main subtypes of ADHD: primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive/impulsive, and combined. Below are some of the symptoms of each.
Primarily inattentive type:
Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes Has trouble sustaining attention Often seems not to listen when spoken to Often doesn't follow through on instructions and fails to finish work Has trouble organizing tasks and activities Avoids or dislikes tasks that take sustained mental effort Loses things Is easily distracted Is forgetful in daily activities Primarily hyperactive/impulsive type:
Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms when sitting Has trouble staying seated Often feels restless Has trouble engaging in activities quietly Is often "on the go" or seems driven by a motor Talks excessively Blurts out answers before questions have been completed Has trouble waiting or taking turns Interrupts or intrudes upon others To be diagnosed with ADHD, a child would have to have at least six of the traits in one or both of these categories. Symptoms would have to appear before the age of 7.
It is hard to apply these same criteria to an adult for many reasons. By the time that they are adults, many people with ADHD have learned to compensate and may not have as many symptoms. They also may have trouble pinning down an age when the symptoms first appeared.
Adults with ADHD are likely to have problems in areas that would not show up in childhood, such as in work performance and problems with safe driving, substance abuse and relationships.
Who can diagnose ADHD?
Licensed mental health professionals (such as psychologists or counselors) can diagnose ADHD. Doctors (such as psychiatrists, neurologists and family doctors) can also do an evaluation. But some professionals may not be very familiar with ADHD in adults. It's a good idea to ask what kind of training and experience the person has working with adults who have ADHD.
ADHD traits are often more subtle in adults than in children. Also, many people with ADHD have other issues, too, such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse problems. These facts can make it harder to figure out if a person has ADHD. A professional will need to rule out other possible causes of symptoms before making a diagnosis of ADHD.
Why get diagnosed?
Some people with ADHD can succeed without being diagnosed and treated. But for many people, untreated ADHD keeps them from living up to their potential. They may fail in school, lose jobs, have trouble in relationships or fall into substance abuse. If you believe you may have ADHD, it can pay to seek an evaluation.
Getting diagnosed gives you a chance to improve your life. Often symptoms become less severe as a person ages, but the core elements of impulsivity, distractibility or inattention remain. So you may not be bouncing in your seat anymore, but you may have trouble paying attention in meetings. You may still make impulsive decisions, lack patience and blurt out things you later regret.
Taking medication and learning how to organize your life may help you succeed. Many people use a day planner to keep track of their priorities. Others benefit from having a counselor or a coach. A coach can help a person with ADHD learn better time management and offer encouragement and feedback to help the person stay focused on goals.
Absolutely!
I teach a few of them.
I know that some cases are real, but I'm sure that some others are just a cover story for laziness or lack of motivation.
most have some form of adhd
I have got it too BUMP
and I was diagnosed also when my son age 7 was diagnosed. It did help me understand a lot about myself: the way I performed in school, the way I approached things, the way I was into dozens of projects at once & more than not, finished none.
It is not an excuse to fall back onto but rather knowing what you must do in order to live more like the average person
It truly is not fun
What was this thread about again?
I have always known I have ADHD because of my...hey, look, shiny object!
"Squirrel!"
I have a son diagnosed with it. He’s back in the army. The structure is great for him. Yes, he’s doing well!!
LOL. I hate when the chicken’s in the room!!! LOL
Fast forward two more years and what a frickin mess. Speed kills. Bad skin, bad teeth, bad hair, mood swings, muscle aches, 1001 half finished projects, and destroyed relationships. Eventually amphetamine psychosis begins to take over.
But hey, it's a best seller.
I was one of those doubters myself. I was one of those who said if parents would just discipline their kids, they would have the problem.
I am now a believer. My son was struggling with keeping up with the other kids in Pre-School and kindergarten before we got the medical attention he needed. Multiple directions were nearly impossible for him to follow. The teacher would say, “kids grab a pencil, an eraser, and a piece of paper and sit in a circle” all he would here is “grab a pencil”, and he would take his clue of what to do next by watching the other kids. Seen this at home as well. “Take your plate to the sink, go wash your hands, and get your get you pajamas on”, was 2 directions too many. Half way through kindergarten the Doctor tried him on a small dosage of Focalin and we and the teacher noticed a Night vs. Day difference right away.
I even gave him a test asking him to write the numbers 1 through 100 . The day before the Foculin, it took him forever just to get to 33, where he could go no further. Many of the numbers were backwards or unreadable, and he skipped a few. The day after, he got all the way to 99, it was done neatly, and he only had a couple of numbers turned backwards, a 5 here, and a 6 there.
He is now in second grade, and we are now weaning him off the stimulant Foculin and onto a new non-narcotic and safer guanfacine, which ADD ADHD parents are all talking about.
I can tell, you this for sure, If you skipped a day with any of these medications, it was a nightmare at school and at home. There is no mistaking it. Is it over diagnosed by Doctors? Probably, nut for my child it was the right decision.
No bogus.
Flung about far overmuch by impatient overworked teachers.
There’s a paper and pencil screening inventory around somewhere.
I think I scored 75%
I didn’t realize they’d pinned it down that precisely.
Thx.
This is just another example of the softening of society and the defining of personality types that are inconvenient or not “feminine” or passive enough. These criteria are so broad as to fit almost anyone and I’d be hard pressed to find any individual who doesn’t make mistakes, doesn’t get bored, doesn’t always follow directions etc. This is not a disease it is a way to control people and to diagnose sickness primarily in men and those who dare challenge authority. There are some who don’t learn how to control themselves and that is more a feature of a permissive society not a disease.
We are headed down a dangerous road and of course plenty are all ready to get on board because they don’t see a problem with blind conformity. I’ve personally seen too many pathetic individuals who wear marginal mental diseases on their chests as some kind of shield for them taking responsibility for their actions. I’ve also seen far too many single Mom’s who just don’t want to deal with the kids they raised to be brats medicating their children into submission.
Humanity has survived far too long without adding another level of bogus mental disorder when so many real disorders are normed into society. When boredom, and non conformity become a disease then the powerful can have anyone medicated or declared incompetent and we who don’t buy it will pay for it in higher medical costs to a professional that is nearly wholly run by liberals.
My daughter can’t handle multiple verbal directions either.
Has your son been tested for things like short term memory problems?
That’s what my daughter has, and she sounds just like your son.
I'm sure you are and excellent teacher. I just ask that you be cognizant that even though they may exhibit some of the behaviors does not mean they are ADHD. Never under ANY circumstances suggest to the child they are somehow defective or have some problem the other children do not. This will destroy the child's confidence and lead to a downward spiral of behavior that will make your job as a teacher that much harder. I've seen it and was powerless as a parent to fix it and was quite angry with the teacher.
Inability to pay attention to a boring subject is a discipline problem not a ADHD problem. ADHD children cannot pay attention to any subject. interested or not. Make your lessons interesting if you teach the younger grades. The older children should have developed the discipline necessary to perform menial boring tasks already.
This is a sensitive subject for me because I lived it and refused to drug my child with anti-psycotic drugs. In my opinion the cure is worse than the disease in most cases. More stringent discipline and cooperation with parents is critical for these children. It must be done in a way as to not make the child feel singled out. Young children pick up on "fairness" much faster than adults and they do not understand life is not fair, nor should they have to at a young age.
“Has your son been tested for things like short term memory problems?”
No, but a classic ADD case when you use the ADD/ADHD check list. Besides the medications are working, which is a good sign that it is the neurological dissconect of ADD.
As far as his long term memory, it is Amazing. He can remember very little details about places we visited that I long ago forgotten.
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