ADHD awareness

Since when did we become a society to be narrow-minded and to believe black is white because that is

how the message was passed onto us through Chinese whispers? As a mother of a boy who has recently been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), aside from the fact that I have to accept and dig deep to find the strength and energy to help my sons

condition, I now have the challenging hurdle of having to convince others that ADHD is real and not just an excuse that doctors give or an excuse for bad parenting. It is easy to feel discouraged by these individuals and I have lost count of the amount of times I have explained that actually it took a long list of doctors, health visitors, paediatricians and psychiatrists and psychologists over a lengthy amount of time to make the diagnosis. And yet it feels like I am talking to a brick wall when these unqualified people hear what I say but yet do not really listen and take in what I am saying and continue to tell me how I need to be more firm in my discipline with me son and in a round about way tell me that it is in fact my fault that he behaves the way he does.

ADHD was first recorded in 1902 by an English paediatrician named George Still who did an in depth study of a group of patients who had difficult behaviours which started before the age of eight. Still described these children as having a poor control of inhibition, being full of aggression and in his Victorian language suffering from "

A lack of moral control".

Still saw this as a chronic condition, biological (inborn) in nature and not caused from bad parenting or adverse environment.

Since this first recording of ADHD over 100years ago a number of explanations have since been suggested for the reason why ADHD occurs, these included brain damage from the great influenza epidemic in 1918-19, minimal brain dysfunction in 1950s and 1960s, the hyperactive child syndrome was first described in 1960s to 1970s. Hyperactivity was related to diet by Dr Ben Feingold in 1973 who reported the relationship between additives in foods which caused hyperactivity.

Since all of these suggestions and reasons for the condition medical technology has come a long way and PET scans (Positron Emission Tomography) and SPECT scans (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) and MRI scans (magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CAT scans (Computer Axial Tomography) allow us to better research and see for ourselves the difference in the brain activity in those who show symptoms of ADHD.

New science shows that the basic difference between those who have ADHD and those who do not is in the balance of the neurotransmitter chemicals dopamine and noradrenaline. Which in those with ADHD are produced in lower volumes, an effect which is only found in certain areas of the brain, particularly the frontal lobes, and the basal ganglia circuits which are the areas of the brain which are responsible for organization, concentration, and reason and so from this imbalance we find individuals who demonstrate impulsive incontrollable behaviours (they find it very hard to think before they act), lack of attention and organization and hyperactivity.

Unfortunately if the condition is left undiagnosed and the child is treated like one without ADHD and punished and told off frequently for the ADHD behaviour which is beyond their control and they are not helped and guarded on how to self monitor and manage their differences then they are likely to become defensive and form a condition which is incurable called ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) which means they become aggressive and defiant because they have all their life been constantly reprimanded for their ADHD behaviour and any amount of discipline from anyone will only make their behaviour worse in the circumstance. At this point they must be tip toed around in an almost walking on egg shells way. The way to deal with children with ADHD is to reward the good behaviour and ignore the bad in the attempt that the good will be repeated and the bad halted.

ADHD is a hereditary condition most common in boys and passed on thorough genetics. It is not brought about by bad parenting as the many research studies were done on children from all backgrounds with all different parenting practices however it has been proved that bringing up a child with ADHD can actually turn a good competent parent into a disheartened, at their wits end parent who finds it very hard to cope without the knowledge and the understanding that their child has ADHD and without being equipped with correct and proper guidance on how to deal with their child

s disorder.

Adults who actually have ADHD and somehow found their own way around their differences are people who often drink alcohol and take drugs, as it is their way of self medicating. Another indication of an adult with ADHD is impulsive shopping, problems with organization, flitting between ideas perhaps with work and jobs, forgetting easily, misreading the expectations of a situation or seems insensitive to the needs of those who are emotionally close. The greatest attribute and disability of an adult with ADHD is the restless, circling brain. As it spins, a cascade of thoughts intrudes into the mind and more often distracts the mind from important logical issues in the moment and they can feel there is a battle going on inside their own head.

My experience of the worse culprits for not being ADHD aware, are the educational system or at least some of them. My son attended a R

oman Catholic School for three years, his first year was brilliant as he had a very caring teacher Mrs. Lobo who I felt really nurtured and understood my son, however unfortunately his schooling dropped steeply with the introduction of his hard faced, strict, old fashioned, didn’t have the time or patience for his behaviour attitude teacher he had in his second year that caused not only problems for him at school but also in his home life and which I can now gather hugely contributed to his development of ODD. After several incidents and having discussed with his head teacher about my concerns of his unhappiness at school and the possibility of perhaps moving him to another school I received very little if no support, it was only that I learned he would have the same teacher from his first year again that I kept him there. I finally had enough when he and his cousin told me of his teacher at the beginning of his forth year telling me that she regularly told him he behaved like a baby in front of all his class mate and then an incident occurred where he lit a candle with a lighter, which was freely accessible by him in the school, which fell over and started a fire. With no apology for allowing my son to access a lighter while in their care or showing no concern that he could have possibly killed himself had he set himself on fire, not only was he suspended for a week but he was reprimanded and humiliated by being told he did it deliberately by his head teacher in front of me and his grandmother, although he had explained that it was an accident and then when he returned to school after being punished for a week his teacher reminded him that he was a silly boy, not that his behaviour was silly, which we now know is because of his ADHD. What could this have done for his self esteem and self worth. Schools must be aware of how much they impact and mould a childs

life which will effect them in their adult life. Our children look up to them for guidance and support and they tell them they are silly and naughty. If you are told something enough it is a known fact that you will begin to believe it and then you will continue to be it.

I moved him to a comprehensive sc

hool three weeks later and within two week’s at his new school they had recognized the signs of ADHD and put him on a special needs list which meant he would receive additional help within the school to help him. Unaware if it is many schools or just the unfortunate few but I am disgusted that schools are not more aware of the signs of ADHD, I am a mother of one who knows no different yet surely with so many children within their establishment they must be able to see the differences, surely they must be made aware of this condition. Because of this failure in my son’s old "top statistic"

school he now has an incurable condition (ODD) which can seriously hinder him in his later life. Why is it not legal for all schools to have a special needs unit or nurse to recognize the signs or is it just the schools way to cut back on spending????

It is a shame that ADHD is not more accepted and recognizable as it is now a legal disability and should the child be in a wheelchair or be deformed in some way others would be more accepting and understanding yet because they see no visual signs, other that the ADHD behaviour, they frown upon the child and the parent. This is only hindering the child

s positive development and so I urge you all, parents, teachers

, friends and family to please be more ADHD aware. It is real, it is not make believe, I know because I have to see and find the strength to deal with it as best I can every day of my life.