The ADHD It is a disorder known as attention deficit, in which the person usually presents hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. It is differentiated from ADD, which occurs when the patient does not have hyperactivity.
Although each case of ADHD is particular, there are certain behavior patterns that are detected in most diagnoses of people with ADHD. These are:
- The appearance of symptoms before 12 years of age.
- A higher intensity and frequency of activity in relation to other children of the same age.
- A significant deterioration in school, work (in the case of adults with ADHD), family and / or social performance.
It is important to clarify that a child with a attention deficit disorder He is not a child who wants to misbehave or wants to disobey, nor does he have an intellectual disability or a developmental delay (this condition may or may not be present).
What upsets children with ADHD is the lack of focus towards a particular topic or object, in other words, children with ADHD pay attention to all the stimuli that are presented to them without being able to focus their attention on any of them. This alteration triggers hyper-attention on the part of the subject, which in many cases is redirected with a treatment that may include medications and / or affective-emotional containment therapies.
ADHD is always worked on multidisciplinary team, with professionals such as occupational therapists, psychopedagogues, psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists and also with the parents and teachers of the patient.
Examples of ADHD
- Example # 1
Presentation of the case: 10-year-old boy with ADHD.
The complaints began around the child’s school environment due to his excessive motor activity, disorganization, lack of attention to homework, disruptive behavior and a consequent manifestation of school delay.
In the family environment the child has a family with separated parents. The mother does not live with him. The father works all day and the child is cared for by his grandmother.
The diagnosis indicates: ADHD combined.
In this case, it was decided to carry out a treatment based on specific medications determined by the attending physician. In turn, family and individual therapy and therapeutic accompaniment were suggested for the child in the school environment.
- Example # 2
Presentation of the case: 8-year-old girl who performs poorly at school, is easily distracted, and is inattentive in class.
She is a girl who does not show excessive motor activity or shows disruptive behaviors. However, he has shown some traits of impulsiveness.
The diagnosis has been: ADHD inattentive subtype with epilepsy and absences.
In this case, the initiation of specific antiepileptic treatments was resolved.
- Example # 3
Presentation of the case: 8-year-old child who takes longer than the average to do school activities and needs to be repeated several times. Presents an IQ above the average (124). He is a very fearful child, he is afraid of water, insects, among others.
As for the family environment, it is observed that his father is very clueless.
Diagnosis: ADD inattentive subtype.
In this case, discharge without any type of medication was recommended, but psychological support for the child was emphasized.
- Example # 4
Presentation of the case: 5-year-old boy who presents problems of integration in the school environment and loses patience when he does not get what he wants.
It is difficult for the child to be seated both at school and at home. He also shows an intellectual delay with respect to his classmates.
Brown spots have been detected on the child’s back.
The diagnosis has been: Neurofibromatosis and ADHD combined.
More in-depth studies are requested for a subsequent medication accompanied by a therapeutic insertion treatment in the school area.
- Example # 5
Presentation of the case: 7-year-old boy who comes to the office due to attention problems and with a passive attitude in the classroom.
The child is not hyperactive and not impulsive, but is easily distracted and has a below-average IQ (87).
The father has dyslexia.
Diagnosis: TDA.
The patient was treated with specific medication. The results have shown a high rate of attention and concentration in class.