ADHD

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WHAT IS ADHD?

(1)The full name for ADHD is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder.  Another name for it is ADD (attention deficit disorder) (2) ADHD is quite common - more so than you would think; it affects 5% of children in the world (one in  twenty children) Whereas a lot of children are full of energy and excitement; these natural traits are somewhat emphasised in someone with ADHD. (1)People with ADHD do not tend to grow out of their over activity. (1)People with ADHD often have (1) trouble with concentrating on things; they may not be able to focus for as long as you or I would and often get distracted with things.(1) People with ADHD are often not very organised and can lose things a lot.  They may find everyday things hard, such as sitting down, getting ready for bed and they may make noises and fidget a lot.  (1) People with ADHD also find it hard to wait for their turn and may push in a lot. They might not understand how to wait for others. They tend to be very 'in the moment' and like to just suddenly do things, with a total (1) 'reduced sense' for danger. They may interrupt people a lot as well.

(1)Children with ADHD also find it really hard to control and reign in their behavior, and as a result of this they tend to not think about the consequences of their actions and get into trouble a lot. They're not badly behaved - its the way their brain tells them to do things. They cannot comprehend any other way.(1) Despite however clever they are as a person. (1)It appears to be more common in boys than girls and is caused by problems in the part of the brain that controls impulses and concentration'. (3)A neurological disorder. (1)ADHD is a genetic issue, as it can run in families.

(2) If their symptoms are not assisted, sufferers are at a higher risk of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety or at more risk of hurting themselves accidentally. Also finding and maintaining a job may prove difficult.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A CHILD WITH ADHD

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(3)Recognizing a child with ADHD; I watched an interview between two children (both were ages 6)- one with ADHD an one without, to try and see if I could spot which one had ADHD. The girl in the video wouldn't really meet the interviewers eyes, and said she didn't have many friends or get invited places. She also kept lifting herself up out of her seat, whereas the boy seemed to stay still for the entire interview. He seemed to have a lot more confidence than the girl as well. He answered the answers straight away whereas the girl said 'I don't know....' an awful lot. She quoted ' When I have a bad day I get all grumpy and when I have a good day I get all positive and happy'. Then the interviewer asked if she had anything to say to others suffering with ADHD. While she was answering, there was a noise off screen and the little girl almost forgot her reply, as she kept looking at what was making the noise - she was getting easily distracted and had to start her sentence again a few times. A Prime example of ADHD. I'll put the link below in the references. (3)

(3)ADHD is more commonly recognised in children between the ages of 4 to 17. (3) A lot of children with ADHD actually don't like themselves and find it hard to be in social situations and involvement. They get bullied a lot and after often left out of many things. The names 'misift' or 'weird' are often on the tips of everyone's tongues. (3)But if you really wanted to help - just by asking a child with ADHD to play with them would mean the world to them!

(4) I watched another documentary on a girl called Charlotte (who is 13) who explained what it was like suffering with ADD or ADHD. She explained that when she did classwork, as well as finding it hard to focus, she would talk to her classmates way too much-  even when they would tell her they needed to focus on the work. She also said that doing exams were difficult too; she'd either finish way too early or way too late. (4) Charlotte said that when she was at home and wasn't taking her medication she found she was quite rude to people a lot of the time.She never gets anything fully completed because she jumps to the next thing before having finished the first thing she's doing. Charlotte also explained when she is not taking her medication, she gets incredibly hyper and by the end of the day she is exhausted. Things go in one ear and out the other, she finds it hard to process and follow instructions. Charlotte said she is sick of things being said by non-sufferers, such as ' I might have ADD, i get bored in class' - or 'ADD isn't real - its your excuse to get attention'; yes, she said she IS craving attention because thats what she lacks  - it's called ATTENTION Deficit disorder. A lot of these characteristics are very common in other ADD/ADHD sufferers. (5)She also said in her follow up video that she finds it hard to find where to look on people's faces while talking to them 'how do you look at someone normally?'  she also says as a side note that when she comes off her medication she gets REALLY hungry.

(2)Some children, however may actually seem to have ADHD and be very hyperactive but may not actually 'meet the criteria' for a diagnosis of ADHD. We still have no idea really what causes ADHD - although we do know its a neurological issue. (7)There is some speculation it could have something to do with premature births or perhaps drug abuse or smoking while pregnant. Or perhaps weight a small amount when you're born. Being underweight.  (2)Neither do we know why some people with ADHD are extremely successful and others are not. Children with ADD/ADHD also have memory troubles.(2) Many people with ADHD can be successful and go on to go to university and college. They can lead fairly normal lives but will still have difficulty in aspects of everyday life.

(6)In fact there seems to be an assumption that many people suffering with ADHD just simply 'grow out' of it. But that is incorrect. In some cases they never outgrow it. 67% of sufferers may have ADHD as adults. (8) One thing I found quite interesting as well is that this disorder goes hand in hand with 'Anixiety', 'depression', 'tourettes' and 'Autism'! All of the topics I am studying for this project all intertwine with each other. Looking at it from an Adult's diagnosis of ADHD, it can also coincide with Bipolar disorder too.

Children with ADHD can be superscribed Ritalin (9) (Methylphenidate), which is a powerful sedative of sorts. It calms the child down and allows them to focus more in class. As a child, I was diagnosed with ADHD, and I was put on such medication. In my person opinion it didn't work for me, but other children may have responded to it well.

SO HOW CAN I HELP SOMEONE WITH ADHD/ADD?

 (10) The best thing you can do is to understand that it'd not their fault. There's no 'on/off' switch. They can't control it. You may start to feel frustrated that you can't help - or that they appear to be not listening - but stay strong. It'll really be a positive thing for your relationship with them.

(10) They may seem lazy or stupid, or arrogant or just plain careless - but do not give up. Be forgiving.

(10) Do not make assumptions on them or their behavior. Make sure you find out all your information before you try and assume.

(10) It can be detrimental to their health if they suddenly stop taking their medication - so be positive and try your best to encourage regular use of their medications.

(10) Start a timetable or a schedule; somthing to help them focus and remember to do things

(10) always check and have a chat about how they are doing; don't brush it under the carpet and try and hide it - they need social interaction.

(11) "People with ADHD have been proven to have lower Dopamine receptors (the happy, feel good hormone we have in our brains) which means they don't really feel much happiness from rewards, as normal people do. Hence they are more likely to get bored quicker."  Ritalin, as mentioned before helps boost the levels of Dopamine in the brain. 

(11)"People with ADHD have been shown to be more creative than people without, as they tend to think more randomly and outside the box more"

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(12) (13)I watched a few short clips of Supernanny (a documentary show for TV, where a British nanny goes into houses with severely behaved children and disciplines them and teaches the parents how to cope) These two particular videos were about families with children who had ADHD. I watched it to see how the nanny would respond and help the children. While talking to one of the sons, she asked him 'Do you like being naughty?' and he shook his head.  The children were quite young in both videos (between 4 and 6), and none of them listened to their parents. The short videos showed how the parents were coping with their children's disabilities and bad behavior. They were hauling the children around when they refused to do as they were told (dragging them to bed ect) , and the parents were chasing them around trying to catch them when they wouldn't listen. This is probably how a lot of parents might act with a child with ADHD. But this is not a constructive way of teaching them. The super-nanny was there to teach them that. 

Characteristics into concept designs for characters

(17a) There are  many symptoms of ADHD to look out for if you think your child may have it: 

They may have trouble being organised and planning activities. 

Doesn't like to take part in things that require too much mental focus. (homework, school, problem solving ect)

Loses important things a lot - such as equipment for school ect.

They have their attention taken away from the task at hand very quickly by other things. 

Being forgetful a lot about things to do, places to be, ect. 

Fidget ting and moving around  a lot. Pulling at hands or feet

May stand up and walk around in places where you are not expected to leave your seat (school Assembly's, ect) 

Inappropriate behavior - moving around when they're not supposed to and maybe climbing thing. Being restless.

Has trouble doing quiet activities such as reading books or studying

Constant energy

Talks too much. doesn't stop

Can't ever wait their own turn. Had trouble standing in ques

Can't take turns in a conversation (interrupts people a lot) 

(17b)HOW AN YOU HELP A PERSON WITH ADHD SLEEP?

Getting into a more natural sleep pattern. Make them go to bed when they are tired and get up when their body has naturally had enough sleep

installing window blinds in their bedrooms to block out light or road distractions that may wake them up. perhaps a white noise machine to get rid of distracting noises.

stopping them drinking coffee or tea - anything with caffeine. The later in the day the caffeine is consumed, the more likely they will stay awake all night.

Maybe do meditation or yoga to aid breathing and relaxing

References for ADHD

(1)http://www.youngminds.org.uk/for_parents/worried_about_your_child/adhd_children?gclid=Cj0KEQjw_eu8BRDC-YLHusmTmMEBEiQArW6c-L8JgF4orwg2ilLk4nJYfOSZMXkxfxTiKtypgR5iZUQaAgQ28P8HAQ

(2)http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/ResourceCentres/ADHD/AboutADHD/Pages/default.aspx

(3)https://www.youtube.com/watch/v=-1O6zqlm88s

(4)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJQpVurAvLc

(5)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPdzRZHLbsc

(6)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4OYh3kBbi0

(7)http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

(8)http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

(9)https://www.drugs.com/ritalin.html

(10)http://au.reachout.com/helping-a-friend-with-adhd

(11)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2EVEYmeSqg

(12)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rogt0_Frw

(13)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnn63nyMGns

Another site I looked at: https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/learning_disabilities/teacher/

(14)http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/adhd.html

(15)http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/12/11/big-facts-about-adhd-that-teachers-doctors-never-tell-parents/

(16)http://peterschoicenutrition.com/uncategorized/can-emf-radiation-cause-adhd-children/

BOOKS

(17)ADHD DOES NOT EXIST the truth about attention deficit disorder by Richard Saul, M.D.
ISBN: 978 0 06 226673 6   First published in 2014 in the U.S.A

(17a) Page 8
(17b) page 62