October is ADHD Awareness Month.
In 1902 a British pediatrician noted that some children could not control their behaviour in a way a typical child would but they were still intelligent. And now more than 100 years later ADHD is still misunderstood, stigmatized and denied as a disability. Children with ADHD are often labeled problem kids rather than kids with a medical problem.
Here are six things you should know about ADHD
- ADHD is real
ADHD is a real brain-based medical disorder. It is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric disorder in Canada.
- Diagnosing ADHD is a complex process
Many of the ADHD symptoms look like extreme forms of normal behaviour. What makes it different is the symptoms are excessive and persistent; they show up in multiple settings and continue through life.
Dr. Ned Hallowell, an American psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD, has described it as having a Ferrari brain with bicycle brakes, you can’t stop when you need to.
- ADHD affects people of every age, gender and IQ
ADHD occurs in four per cent of adults and five per cent of children worldwide. Boys are said to be diagnosed two to three times as often as girls. Eighty per cent of children maintain their diagnosis into adolescence and 60 per cent remain impaired in adulthood. There are many famous people with ADHD.
- ADHD often comes with other conditions
Many children and adults with ADHD also have other disorders such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, executive functioning impairment, and mood regulation. For example, up to 30 per cent of children and 40 per cent of adults with ADHD have a co-existing anxiety disorder. Sleep disorders affect people with ADHD two to three times as often as those without it.
- ADHD is nobody’s fault
ADHD is not caused by poor parenting, family problems, poor teachers, too much screen time, poor eating habits or excess sugar. It’s made worse though when family, friends, neighbours and teachers say things like, “If you just tried harder” or “Stop fidgeting, pay attention” or “Pull yourself together, why are you this angry over such a little thing?”
- ADHD treatment is multi-faceted
ADHD treatment includes medication, various types of psychotherapy and education support. Some people find certain supplements and vitamins can help with symptom control. There is no one answer and the biggest challenge in Canada is the current lack of knowledge, skills and integrated services in health and education sectors.
Resources
