We all know that kid in elementary school: the kid who
couldn’t sit still. When everyone else raised their hand, this kid would shout
out his unfiltered thought. This kid would interrupt others, wander the
classroom, and never seem to settle himself down. We all know that kid who
seemed to have a bit too much energy and not enough patience; or perhaps in
Freudian terms, too much Id and not enough Ego. We all know that this kid was
different, but what we may not have known was that he could be suffering from
one of the most prevalent childhood conditions.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 8.7%
of American children ages 8-15, according to a study done in 2007.
Characterized by a child’s high energy and lack of focus, ADHD has become a
commonly known disorder among the American public, often leading adults and
peers to make general diagnoses on kids they see as “wild.” What this 2007
study tells us, with a sample size of over 3,000 children, is that the poorer
demographic (lowest quartile) seemed to contain a higher frequency of
hyperactive children than the richer demographic (highest quartile). With that
being said, it is painful to learn that this study also determined that this
poorer demographic of children was the least likely to receive treatment in the
form of medication. Another interesting stat was the older and younger
demographics (ages 8-11 and ages 12-15, respectively) differed greatly in
receiving prescriptions. The 12-15 group is more than twice as likely to get
treated with ADHD medication than the 8-11 group, which is interesting to note
because some could argue there has been a recent push to start medicating
children at younger and younger ages. This study also reinforced that boys are
more likely to develop ADHD (51%) than girls (49%).
While many parents and peers tend to make “casual diagnoses”
on children, Dr. Richard Rende of parents.com
gives advice on how parents can accurately recognize early onset symptoms and
later consult with a professional about their child. Rende stresses the pillars
of intensity and frequency
when looking for hyperactive symptoms. Every child will act out occasionally
and not cooperate, but an ADHD child will exude these traits at 3 times the intensity and frequency.
These symptoms will be present in both at school and at home, according to
Rende. He gives an example of a red flag hyperactive action:
“Imagine a 4-year-old
being on a platform to the monkey bars at a playground, seeing another child
walk by on the ground with a big ice cream cone, and literally walking off the
platform without looking to take the ice cream (and getting a trip to the ER in
the process).”
A major indicator of ADHD symptoms is whether or not the
child is functioning effectively on a day to day basis. It is when the child’s
symptoms hinder them or reach a level of impairment that there is a disorder.
Functioning refers to focusing, problem solving, staying on task, weighing
consequences and making decisions, most of which have to do with school and
learning. A child that has a high level of energy and is still able to be
efficient in the classroom raises no cause for concern. As Rende’s example
points out, the child must struggle being attentive and aware.
Rende makes a
last point that is very useful to parents. He points out that teachers, while
not being mental health professionals, could provide accurate insight into
diagnosing hyperactive children due to the fact that they see countless
children over their years of teaching. The impressions of teachers can be a
valuable resource because of their experience with kids and child development;
a concern from a teacher should be taken seriously.
-Ryan Scanlon
Works Referenced:
Froehlich, Tanya
E.;Lanphear, Bruce P.; Epstein, Jeffery N.; Barbaresi, William J.; Katusic,
Slavica K.; Kahn, Robert S (2007). Prevalence, recognition, and treatment of
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a national sample of US children.
Vol 161, No. 9. 10.1001
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