ADHD : It's Not A Disability, It's A Different Ability !

Note. Source (Lizzy Lee, 2017)

What is ADHD?

ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can occur in childhood and often continues into adulthood. Individuals with ADHD can be identified by their behaviours such as having trouble paying attention, controlling their impulsive behaviours, and hyperactivity. ADHD can interfere with work, school, relationships, and everyday tasks. Managing the disorder can be challenging but there are some treatments that are shown to be effective in helping to cope with the disorder. In Malaysia, the documented cases for ADHD prevalence is at 3.9% but the numbers could be higher due to unrecorded cases.

Common Types of ADHD

ADHD can be distinguished into three types which are inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combination. Individuals with primarily inattentive ADHD often have limited attention span such as being easily distracted, finding it hard to pay attention to details, or even following instructions. Individuals with inattentive ADHD are also often prone to make careless mistakes due to their having difficulty sustaining their focus. Their behaviours are often overlooked and are mischaracterised as laziness.

In primarily hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, they are characterised by the constant need to move around especially seen in children in which they often fidgeted, squirmed around, and often struggled to stay seated. They also struggle with self-control such as having the need to blurt out answers, interrupting others, and also running around excessively.

Next, combined type ADHD is usually the most common type of the disorder; it shows both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. In this case, six or more symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity have to be met for the individual to be considered as having combined ADHD.

The specific causes of ADHD have not yet been identified but it is known that genetics does play a role in the development of ADHD. Research shows that there is a higher percentage for children to be susceptible to ADHD if their parents or siblings have ADHD as well (Faraone & Larsson, 2019). Other factors that have been suggested to have played a part in the development of ADHD is the exposure to chemicals and heavy metals, premature birth, brain injury, and the usage of alcohol and tobacco during pregnancy (Thapar et al., 2012).

How to Overcome ADHD?

Therapy and medication are widely used to manage the symptoms of ADHD. Among the common therapies used are behavioural therapy (BT) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Behavioural therapy for children with ADHD usually consists of teaching parents and guardians how to provide positive feedback for desired behaviour and consequences for undesired behaviour. For example, having a reward system at school and at home. Behavioural therapy is often useful with some children that were diagnosed with ADHD and it is often used alongside medication. For cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), it focuses on building the individual’s self-esteem which is mainly affected by ADHD by replacing the individual’s negative thoughts with more realistic and positive ones.

Adults with ADHD can also benefit from psychotherapy and behavioural strategies that could help improve the structure and organisation of the individual’s work and daily life. An example of strategies that could be of use is keeping a diary of the daily tasks that need to be done. Some alternative treatments have also been proposed to help with the management of ADHD symptoms. As such, a study amongst elementary school children suggested that alternative therapies such as yoga can be beneficial when paired with behavioural interventions for children with attention and inhibition problems (Chou & Huang, 2017). Exercising and working out could also help individuals with ADHD by reducing hyperactivity and inattention.

There are two types of medications used to treat ADHD which are stimulants and non-stimulants. Stimulants include methylphenidate and amphetamines such as Adderall and Ritalin are safely used for decades. Non-stimulant medication such as atomoxetine and guanfacine has also been shown to be effective in managing ADHD symptoms. Non- stimulants are mostly taken by those who do not respond well to stimulants or if non-stimulants are preferred. It is also best to take note that the intake of any form of prescribed medication must be carefully monitored by parents if children are involved. Although living with ADHD can be difficult at times with the help of therapy and organisation skills that benefit the individual the most, ADHD can be manageable.

References

Chou, C. C., & Huang, C. J. (2017). Effects of an 8-week yoga programme on sustained attention and discrimination function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. PeerJ, 5, e2883.

Muhd Ramli, E. (2017, July 24). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved July 3, 2020, from http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/

Faraone, S.V., & Larsson, H. (2019). Genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?. Archives of disease in childhood, 97(3), 260-265.

Parekh, \\r. \92017). What is ADHD? Retrieved July 3, 2020, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd

Thapar A., Cooper, M., Jefferies, R., & Stergiakouli, E. (2012). What causes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Archives of disease in childhood, 97(3), 260-265.