Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, or ADHD, had been a growing problem in the United States for decades. If your child is showing some of the common symptoms of this disorder, such as restlessness and an inability to concentrate in school, then you may think your first stop should be a diagnosis from a mental health professional. However, there are many other health problems in children that can cause symptoms similar to ADHD, and you should have your pediatrician rule them out before determine that you think your child truly has ADHD. Here are two health problems that your child may have that show similar symptoms to ADHD and their treatments. 1. Thyroid Problems Children can experience hyper- or hypo-thyroidism, just as adults can. Hyperthyroidism is more likely to cause symptoms that mimic ADHD, as it can cause your child to feel restless and hyperactive. …show more content…
Options include iodine therapy, oral thyroid medications, or if your child's problem is severe, surgery may be required. 2. Hypoglycemia Another health problems that can cause symptoms that mimic ADHD is hypoglycemia. Many parents with children who have been diagnosed with ADHD report that their children's disorder becomes worse when their blood sugar is low, and many health experts think that this occurrence may be more than just a casual correlation and that the symptoms that mimic ADHD are caused solely by blood sugar fluctuations. Hypoglycemia is another health problem that can be diagnosed relatively easily with blood sugar testing. If fasting blood sugar is very low, then that signals this problem that is usually very easily treatable by feeding your child a strategic diet plan that consists of many small well-balanced meals and snacks every several hours throughout the day to keep their blood sugar
Children with ADHD will show characteristics such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattention. Fidgeting while sitting, behaving abnormally when expected to sit down or remain quiet, and trouble waiting in line can show
Inattention is one of the distinguishable traits of ADHD (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). A child suffering from the symptoms of inattention in ADHD would probably lag behind schoolwork, have problems with communicating, and would struggle with cognitive activities like reading and comprehension. APA listed a total of 9 symptoms that are crucial to identifying ADHD in children (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Following is the list of these symptoms and their brief explanation:
ADHD has several symptoms that a sufferer may or may not display. According to the CDC, in the article
While the cause of ADHD is not exactly clear, there are some different ideas of what could cause or help develop it. Genetics, one’s environment, and the development of the person could all be causes of ADHD(“Mayo Clinic”). ADHD can run in a family, so some people could develop it from their parents and the genes that get passed down from them. If one is exposed to lead, it could heighten the chances of
ADHD has a laundry list of symptoms and effects that have to be considered in diagnosis
Another common opposition to ADHD is the medications used to treat it. People wonder why hyperactive children are being treated with stimulants. The side effects of stimulant medications seem to not be so positive and don't seem to be acceptable for a child with ADHD. Side effects such as motor tics, insomnia, and loss of appetite are all commonly seen among stimulant medications. Stimulant
People with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have physical differences, our brain chemistry is different than people without ADHD. If you look at this brain scan from ADDitude you can see that difference. Children with ADHD tend to have lower dopamine levels. Some studies have also shown that ADHD might affect the prefrontal cortex; “If the areas of the prefrontal cortex ...are impaired, a person with ADHD may have symptoms such as inattention or impulsive or hyperactive behavior.
Adhd doesn 't necessarily mean that your kid just has to be hyper , it gets deeper than that. As in ancestors, what foods you eat or drink, physical activity and more. With that being said a lot of children are being diagnosed simply because they are young and full of energy not because of adhd like behavior. There is many more behavioral problems that can be mistaken as adhd that your child could have. Adhd is confused as being the only cause of hyperactivity and distractibility. But what many people don 't know is that adhd can be caused by many other things such as sleep disorders, anxiety, and poor working memory skills. There is also some foods that have preservatives in them that can cause adhd as well.
Families who have children with ADHD often experience much higher anxiety and stress levels. A large number of children, almost half, will exhibit signs of ADHD by the age of four. However, most children are not diagnosed until he or she reaches elementary school. The behaviors that are associated with ADHD in children put them at risk for a host of other problems and complications such as completing their education, alcohol and other drug abuse, and an increased risk for delinquency. There has been much research on ADHD in recent years and many different types of medications and interventions have proven to be quite helpful. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, children with ADHD can learn to cope with the daily demands of the classroom, social situations, family interactions, and life in general.
Around the world there about 6.4 million children aged 4 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives, with the percentage rising 5% percent every year. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity). With so many children being diagnosed some researchers are beginning to question this diagnosis.
What is attention deficit hyper disorder? ADHD is a “chronic condition that affects pre-school or very young school children (Zivkovic 3822). ADHD symptoms are difficulty sustaining attention, impulsive behavior and hyper activity (3822). There was a research conducted by Cordest hat ADHD prevails in 3 to 5% of preschoolers and is more common in boys than in girls (3822). Children as young as three and four years of age are being diagnosed with ADHD and are being given medications. Parents with children between the ages of two and six should not medicate their children that are diagnosed with ADHD.
Children with ADHD are being medicated unnecessarily. The problem is there are no biological tests for the disorder, and it cannot be revealed through a blood test. ADHD should be the last resort for a diagnosis, but it is often the first choice. In many cases a child who is disruptive in class or
The child who is showing some symptoms of ADHD should get the proper diagnoses and the parents should bring their child to a specialist. First of all, the child would be seen by a pediatrician or a child psychologist. The specialist would gather information from everyone, the school, caregivers or parents. The health care provider will look over the information and compare it to the regular children of the same age group.
With ADHD there are some diets that may minimize the effects of the disorder. For instance a child with ADHD should be eating a fish twice a week and avoid high mercury fish. Also a doctor could perform a vitamin analysis to see what supplements a child may
The symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, coarse, dry hair, hair loss, cold intolerance, constipation, irritability, memory loss, abnormal menstrual cycle, and decreased libido (University Michigan, N.D.). The symptoms of hyperthyroidism include hand tremors, mood swings, nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, skin dryness, trouble sleeping, and weight loss. Fatigue and muscle weakness are some symptoms of both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.